2047  How different ? open, closed

Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 13:02:06 -0500
From: Sergio <cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: How different ? open, closed

"Well. Obviously my experience with open embrace is at beginner level, hence
my description of the style. However I do have a question about your last
remark: ""Listening with her torso" is required in both ways, Oleh." How
can you "listen with your torso" if there is no direct torso contact? My
perception is that you follow with eyes, intuition and memorized steps. I
forgotten to add hands lead. Have I missed something?

Cheers, Oleh K."

You have forgotten several things. My intention is to offer a constructive
and respectful criticism.

Tango as you described has an open and a closed embrace. You may dance the
whole night using just the closed embrace or the open embrace (this last
would be extremely unusual) or as most of us do when dancing what is called
in the USA "Salon style" , use both. We dance in closed embrace at certain
moments such as when walking or during romantic or "seduction" moves, or we
lead the follower to open the embrace when more room between the partners is
required to perform a turn or a figure.

The dance is/should be improvised. This means that you do not use memorized
figures (only beginners do/attempt to do that).
You have in your repertoire hundreds of steps and moves that we call "links"
that you link in an infinite different ways to produce the dance, according
to your feeling, the mood and character of the music, your partner, the
amount of available space, the other dancers, the type of milonga you are
in, etc. The sequences are only a mere teaching devise. The steps that you
memorize in certain order should be broken into its component "links" so
that you can use them to dance socially. The beginner in his ignorance will
attempt to repeat the whole sequence as taught with disastrous results.

The variation between open and closed embrace has other implications but
that could be the subject of another discussion.

During open embrace there is no torso contact as you very well explain. This
is the reason a "firm frame" is required to dance successfully and with ease
in open embrace. The frame is one of the first things that should be taught
in tango as well as the walk.
We teach specific exercises to obtain a good frame that allows to lead with
ease in open embrace.
This frame actually works as an extension of the torso, so both the leader
and the follower keep their torsos framed throughout the duration of the
dance.

Eyes and intuition?? I use my eyes to see where I am going and to respect
the space of the other dancers. To look to the floor is a serious problem
that has to be prevented and or corrected.

Intuition is the act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of
rational processes; immediate cognition. I agree that after dancing for a
long time your dancing has a lot of intuition in that sense.

In summary you have forgotten many things and there are even more that could
be discussed after reading your note but this one is already too long.

Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 13:10:37 -0600
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: How different ? open, closed

Sergio wrote:

>During open embrace there is no torso contact as you very well explain.
>This is the reason a "firm frame" is required to dance successfully and
>with ease in open embrace.

Many people who dance in an open embrace do use a firm frame, and many
instructors teaching tango with an open embrace teach a firm frame. In my
experience, however, I find that a firm frame is neither necessary nor
desirable for dancing an open embrace. Open or close, I always prefer a
soft embrace (and no leading with the arms).

Many happy tangos to all
Steve

Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
https://www.tejastango.com/