2739  on connections

Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2004 15:01:27 -0700
From: "Linda~" <tangaux02@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: on connections

I have been asked by Oleh to post some of my thoughts on connection from a follower's perspective. I offer them as anecdotes and not as advice; I do not claim to be an expert.
You may take them how you wish. These anecdotes are also given from a close-embrace perspective, but as a follower.




There s the awkward, timid connection. It's commonly found in beginners, but I've found that beginner leaders who learn close-embrace first don t seem to have as much trepidation. I think this is because the main thing for them is to maintain a good connection, so they don t have as much pressure to lead particular steps ( Oops, I didn t lead you to the cross ).



Another common type is the business-as-usual connection, where the embrace is mundane, there s not much feeling between partners and you feel like you re just going through the motions. The dance is pleasant, but I could be drinking coffee.



There s the trust-me connection. There's a leader I know whose embrace is quiet but resolute, calm but totally in control. It is easy to surrender to his lead because the trust is established immediately in the beginning.



There s the passionate connection that ranges anywhere from quietly intense to "Ay, mi vida!" By that, I mean that the leader is full of energy (but not body noise), and his enthusiasm is infectious. Milongas are as uproarious as an open fire, and in the quiet moments, you can feel the emotion humming beneath his skin. The lead is clear, but not rough.



On another note, I have a tendency to assume that open-embrace (particularly nuevo tango) to have lots of motion, while close-embrace is a lot more calm. One memorable dance had all the circular dynamism of nuevo, but it was done in close-embrace. It was completely new and unusual to me, and it blew me away.



Lastly, the all-encompassing connection: there was a series of dances where I no longer thought of myself as a separate entity. I was completely lost in my partner, like when two colors of paint swirl together. I guess this is what people call trance, but I ve never experienced anything quite so powerful.



Cheers,

Linda