3110 Question about Tango technique
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 12:22:58 -0600
From: Emre Demiralp <emre@WOLFRAM.COM>
Subject: Question about Tango technique
Hi everyone,
I have started dancing tango when I was 20 (two years ago) and recently
I have started learning and practicing classical ballet as an amateur. The
Vaganova ballet syllabus is very precise and strict about being on your
and maintaining your axis and other biomechanics that tango is much more
loose about. And you can't really cheat your way around it.
Occasionally I go back and do tango and recognize that I slowly start to
loose my posture after 2-3 hours of dancing. I have asked why this could
be happening to some people with ballet,tango,ballroom and salsa
background. Is it true that there's some natural imbalance in the tango
embrace ? (That's compared to classical ballet) I also heard that it
depends largely on the girl you dance with... If she has control and
balance in her movements and etc. If you think about it with your left
hand extended out and right hand wrapped around the lady, it's natural
that you will have imbalanced muscle development on your upper back. ie
your muscles on the right-upper-back will be over developed and etc.
Things are a lot worse when it comes to height difference. But are there
any articles you can point me to. Or any biomechanical insights... Is
there tango movement constructed around perfect alignment with your axis ?
It seems not to me... Maybe I need to be stronger with my ballet posture
before coming back into tango not to be losing it during social dancing...
Non technical opinions are also welcome!
Thank you for your time... And please send this information to my personal
email address unless you are also raising questions or wishing insight
from the experience of this valuable newsgroup or think that it will be
valuable to the group.
Best
Emre
Also... as a...computer scientist and from my minimal experience in audio
engineering...
There are mathematically lossless audio formats. (Which I think Windows
Media Player carries) That means you can have all the digital information
in half or 3/4 the space. A CD with mathematically lossless compression
algorithm usually can compress 700-800MB audio data down to from 300 MB -
500 MB (Classical, Tango music and such will be on the higher end of this
space requirement where as digitally composed music such as Pop&Techno and
etc will be on the lower end -- at least it was with the pseudo algorithm
I worked on) And there will actually be no audio information lost in this
compression. So you can squeeze more into that 250GB disk of yours :)
Now what people say about sound cards, cables etc is another bottleneck
and surely effects the audio quality. But again I guess all this technical
discussion has not much to do with TANGO... And I wish there were more
good quality live orchestras in USA to dance to instead of DJed work.
-Best ... again ...
Emre
PS: If you have read this far you can read further I guess:... Istanbul
Tango Rocks. I recommend it to everybody to visit Turkey and dance tango
there. Great historic venues, international crowd etc... My two cents.
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 10:50:41 -0800
From: Carlos Rojas <Crojas@HACIENDACDC.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Take tango for what it is, a popular dance. That means that you dance the
way you walk (true of all popular dances). That is all the biomechanical
insigt one needs.
If you go on a walk in the park with a woman holding to your arm, does it
matter if she is tall or short?, slim or fat? Has a blue or red dress?, then
is the same dancing any popular dance.
3 hours of walking is enough to make anyone tire, so chances are you are
just tired, even if you are just 22 Y.O..
Carlos Rojas
Portland, OR
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 10:23 AM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] Question about Tango technique
Hi everyone,
I have started dancing tango when I was 20 (two years ago) and recently
I have started learning and practicing classical ballet as an amateur. The
Vaganova ballet syllabus is very precise and strict about being on your
and maintaining your axis and other biomechanics that tango is much more
loose about. And you can't really cheat your way around it.
Occasionally I go back and do tango and recognize that I slowly start to
loose my posture after 2-3 hours of dancing. I have asked why this could
be happening to some people with ballet,tango,ballroom and salsa
background. Is it true that there's some natural imbalance in the tango
embrace ? (That's compared to classical ballet) I also heard that it
depends largely on the girl you dance with... If she has control and
balance in her movements and etc. If you think about it with your left
hand extended out and right hand wrapped around the lady, it's natural
that you will have imbalanced muscle development on your upper back. ie
your muscles on the right-upper-back will be over developed and etc.
Things are a lot worse when it comes to height difference. But are there
any articles you can point me to. Or any biomechanical insights... Is
there tango movement constructed around perfect alignment with your axis ?
It seems not to me... Maybe I need to be stronger with my ballet posture
before coming back into tango not to be losing it during social dancing...
Non technical opinions are also welcome!
Thank you for your time... And please send this information to my personal
email address unless you are also raising questions or wishing insight
from the experience of this valuable newsgroup or think that it will be
valuable to the group.
Best
Emre
Also... as a...computer scientist and from my minimal experience in audio
engineering...
There are mathematically lossless audio formats. (Which I think Windows
Media Player carries) That means you can have all the digital information
in half or 3/4 the space. A CD with mathematically lossless compression
algorithm usually can compress 700-800MB audio data down to from 300 MB -
500 MB (Classical, Tango music and such will be on the higher end of this
space requirement where as digitally composed music such as Pop&Techno and
etc will be on the lower end -- at least it was with the pseudo algorithm
I worked on) And there will actually be no audio information lost in this
compression. So you can squeeze more into that 250GB disk of yours :)
Now what people say about sound cards, cables etc is another bottleneck
and surely effects the audio quality. But again I guess all this technical
discussion has not much to do with TANGO... And I wish there were more
good quality live orchestras in USA to dance to instead of DJed work.
-Best ... again ...
Emre
PS: If you have read this far you can read further I guess:... Istanbul
Tango Rocks. I recommend it to everybody to visit Turkey and dance tango
there. Great historic venues, international crowd etc... My two cents.
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 12:57:46 -0600
From: Emre Demiralp <emre@WOLFRAM.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Dear Carlos,
Thanks for your opinion. Let's not steer into what tango is and what
not... By the way my day of ballet practice is a two hour ballet class, 1
hour of pas de deux (partnering work) and 1 hour of variations jump work.
Even one hour of this 4 hour of stretch of exercise is more tiring than
the 7 hour tango all nighters I used to pull. So nope it's not
endurance... And after the 4 hours of ballet class I am tired as hell but
I still have the precise posture. It must be something else... Posting to
the list for the purposes of clarification.
Anyways Carlos thanks for sharing your view of tango. I would be
grateful if you could send your answers to my personal email address so we
don't inundate the list. Also if anybody doesn't have experience with
classical ballet technique it's ok if you skip this thread! :)
Thank your for your time.
Emre
On Wed, 12 Jan 2005, Carlos Rojas wrote:
> Take tango for what it is, a popular dance. That means that you dance the
> way you walk (true of all popular dances). That is all the biomechanical
> insigt one needs.
> If you go on a walk in the park with a woman holding to your arm, does it
> matter if she is tall or short?, slim or fat? Has a blue or red dress?, then
> is the same dancing any popular dance.
> 3 hours of walking is enough to make anyone tire, so chances are you are
> just tired, even if you are just 22 Y.O..
>
>
> Carlos Rojas
> Portland, OR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango
> [mailto:TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Emre Demiralp
> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 10:23 AM
> To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: [TANGO-L] Question about Tango technique
>
> Hi everyone,
> I have started dancing tango when I was 20 (two years ago) and recently
> I have started learning and practicing classical ballet as an amateur. The
> Vaganova ballet syllabus is very precise and strict about being on your
> and maintaining your axis and other biomechanics that tango is much more
> loose about. And you can't really cheat your way around it.
> Occasionally I go back and do tango and recognize that I slowly start to
> loose my posture after 2-3 hours of dancing. I have asked why this could
> be happening to some people with ballet,tango,ballroom and salsa
> background. Is it true that there's some natural imbalance in the tango
> embrace ? (That's compared to classical ballet) I also heard that it
> depends largely on the girl you dance with... If she has control and
> balance in her movements and etc. If you think about it with your left
> hand extended out and right hand wrapped around the lady, it's natural
> that you will have imbalanced muscle development on your upper back. ie
> your muscles on the right-upper-back will be over developed and etc.
> Things are a lot worse when it comes to height difference. But are there
> any articles you can point me to. Or any biomechanical insights... Is
> there tango movement constructed around perfect alignment with your axis ?
> It seems not to me... Maybe I need to be stronger with my ballet posture
> before coming back into tango not to be losing it during social dancing...
>
> Non technical opinions are also welcome!
>
> Thank you for your time... And please send this information to my personal
> email address unless you are also raising questions or wishing insight
> from the experience of this valuable newsgroup or think that it will be
> valuable to the group.
>
> Best
>
> Emre
>
>
> Also... as a...computer scientist and from my minimal experience in audio
> engineering...
>
> There are mathematically lossless audio formats. (Which I think Windows
> Media Player carries) That means you can have all the digital information
> in half or 3/4 the space. A CD with mathematically lossless compression
> algorithm usually can compress 700-800MB audio data down to from 300 MB -
> 500 MB (Classical, Tango music and such will be on the higher end of this
> space requirement where as digitally composed music such as Pop&Techno and
> etc will be on the lower end -- at least it was with the pseudo algorithm
> I worked on) And there will actually be no audio information lost in this
> compression. So you can squeeze more into that 250GB disk of yours :)
>
> Now what people say about sound cards, cables etc is another bottleneck
> and surely effects the audio quality. But again I guess all this technical
> discussion has not much to do with TANGO... And I wish there were more
> good quality live orchestras in USA to dance to instead of DJed work.
>
> -Best ... again ...
>
> Emre
>
> PS: If you have read this far you can read further I guess:... Istanbul
> Tango Rocks. I recommend it to everybody to visit Turkey and dance tango
> there. Great historic venues, international crowd etc... My two cents.
>
>
--
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 12:11:09 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Good posture, balance and axis control are key skills in ALL tango
styles, for both leader and follower.
I know, as a folk dance some dancers never studied technique so they
hunch or jut their heads forward.
I know, a few teachers do teach the "lean on your partner" or "hang on
your partner" style of tango, but leaning on or hanging is much more
common from beginners or intermediates who are first trying out close
embrace.
Volcadas and the leaning calesita are more advanced moves for people
with good abdominal strength, and they are momentary adjustments, not
permanent postures.
On Jan 12, 2005, at 11:22 AM, Emre Demiralp wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> I have started dancing tango when I was 20 (two years ago) and
> recently
> I have started learning and practicing classical ballet as an amateur.
> The
> Vaganova ballet syllabus is very precise and strict about being on your
> and maintaining your axis and other biomechanics that tango is much
> more
> loose about. And you can't really cheat your way around it.
> Occasionally I go back and do tango and recognize that I slowly
> start to
> loose my posture after 2-3 hours of dancing. I have asked why this
> could
> be happening to some people with ballet,tango,ballroom and salsa
> background. Is it true that there's some natural imbalance in the tango
> embrace ? (That's compared to classical ballet) I also heard that it
> depends largely on the girl you dance with... If she has control and
> balance in her movements and etc. If you think about it with your left
> hand extended out and right hand wrapped around the lady, it's natural
> that you will have imbalanced muscle development on your upper back. ie
> your muscles on the right-upper-back will be over developed and etc.
> Things are a lot worse when it comes to height difference. But are
> there
> any articles you can point me to. Or any biomechanical insights... Is
> there tango movement constructed around perfect alignment with your
> axis ?
> It seems not to me... Maybe I need to be stronger with my ballet
> posture
> before coming back into tango not to be losing it during social
> dancing...
>
>
Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:25:50 +0100
From: Christian Lüthen <christian.luethen@GMX.NET>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
On 12 Jan 2005 at 12:22, Emre Demiralp wrote:
> Occasionally I go back and do tango and recognize that I slowly
> start to loose my posture after 2-3 hours of dancing.
Hmm, sounds as if your *posture* is too strong??!!!
As Carlos correctly stated: Tango is a social dance! 'Normal' Tango
posture is normal daily life posture, if you go out for social
dancing! [that reads: I am not talking about stage/performance
tango!]
As a regular to "Tango Mekka" 'El Corte' in Nijmegen, The Netherlands
I can report that those - real - all nighters and marathons (were
you'd dance more than 12 hours in a row, and much more in a couple of
days in a row!), those real all nighters get better and better the
more the people are tired ... and relax!
Try not to think of tango of an external movement or posture! Let the
posture come/develop from the natural movement! Try not to think at
all! Let looooooooooooooooooose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christian
christian@eTanguero.net
https://www.eTanguero.net/
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:28:08 +0100
From: Christian Lüthen <christian.luethen@GMX.NET>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
You're right, Tom!
Good posture is essential.
But compared to Emre's original posting I asume you're talking about
a good 'natural' posture! Not an 'external', unnatural posture as
coming with ballet dancing.
Christian
On 12 Jan 2005 at 12:11, Tom Stermitz wrote:
> Good posture, balance and axis control are key skills in ALL tango
> styles, for both leader and follower.
>
> I know, as a folk dance some dancers never studied technique so they
> hunch or jut their heads forward.
>
> I know, a few teachers do teach the "lean on your partner" or "hang on
> your partner" style of tango, but leaning on or hanging is much more
> common from beginners or intermediates who are first trying out close
> embrace.
>
> Volcadas and the leaning calesita are more advanced moves for people
> with good abdominal strength, and they are momentary adjustments, not
> permanent postures.
>
christian@eTanguero.net
https://www.eTanguero.net/
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 13:11:11 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Carlos Rojas wrote:
>Take tango for what it is, a popular dance. That means that you dance the
way you walk (true of all popular dances). That is all the biomechanical
insigt one needs.<
My 2 cents:
If you imply that Tango walk is the same as a normal walk, I disagree. The
Tango walk is and has been affected since its origins as popular dance.
Then, during the beginnings of Tango men used high heel boots (French heel).
The mechanics of walking with high heel boots forced or rather assisted men
in stepping and sliding on the ball of the feet first, whereas the massive
French heel helped them to maintain balance. Also, there was a slight shift
of the hips as men walked or danced. An observer of those times, Ricardo
Guiraldes, said that men danced as if they were pulling nails of the floor
with the heels.
These days the tango walk has been refined, and stylized, but even then it
remains distant from the normal walk.
Best regards,
Bruno
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 01:31:19 -0800
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
I am sorry Tom, but I disagree with you.
First of all, "lean on your partner" and "hang on your partner" is not the
same.
I wrote about it here:
https://www.virtuar.com/tango/tango_weblog.htm#apilado1.
Shortly speaking, the lean to a partner is the same way you lean against the
wall. You can not "hang" on the wall, you will fall down. In order to lean
and be relaxed you push inside the wall with a little force which is
maintained by legs. I am not sure that I explain it perfectly clear, but
this is the way it is. And this is a great way to dance! A lot can be said
about it. I can not fit it in a short message.
I prefer to dance in a style which I call Apilado. I lean all the time. And
my partner also. Every tanda in the night with partners who understand it. I
am telling you that this is great, if you know how to do it.
Sometimes I tell my best partners to lean even more. And all the time except
one I felt a great positive feedback.
Of course, one has to know how to do it.
There are other close embrace styles where there are no lean. But there are
several where there is lean: Canyengue, Apilado, Candombe.
Igor Polk
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:07:38 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Ouch my aching back!!
I imagine with utter horror the experience of dancing for six hours
with my partners hanging or leaning on me...
There are many styles of tango, and Igor's list helps point out that
diversity, but I don't agree with him about the advisability of
leaning. Yes, I've noticed: Some people hang, some lean, sometimes
they are angled almost to 45 degrees.
I am not a wall; nor is my partner.
I am in the school of tango that prefers both partners to "maintain
their own balance". The most important reason to keep your own balance
is to protect both the leader's and follower's backs. This also enables
the follower to better power her own movements. It permits her to pivot
about her axis more easily.
I wouldn't call apilado a style so much as a technique, which I don't
recommend, aside from occasional special moves.
I'm curious about one thing.
I've never heard of Candombe referred to as a style of tango. I thought
it was a carnaval music or rhythm and/or dance of Uruguay. I notice
that the candombe rhythm has found its way into milongas, which is fun
for doing milonga tras pie. But I've never heard of Candombe called a
style of tango.
On Jan 13, 2005, at 2:31 AM, Igor Polk wrote:
> I am sorry Tom, but I disagree with you.
> First of all, "lean on your partner" and "hang on your partner" is
> not the
> same.
> I wrote about it here:
> https://www.virtuar.com/tango/tango_weblog.htm#apilado1.
> Shortly speaking, the lean to a partner is the same way you lean
> against the
> wall. You can not "hang" on the wall, you will fall down. In order to
> lean
> and be relaxed you push inside the wall with a little force which is
> maintained by legs. I am not sure that I explain it perfectly clear,
> but
> this is the way it is. And this is a great way to dance! A lot can be
> said
> about it. I can not fit it in a short message.
>
> I prefer to dance in a style which I call Apilado. I lean all the
> time. And
> my partner also. Every tanda in the night with partners who understand
> it. I
> am telling you that this is great, if you know how to do it.
> Sometimes I tell my best partners to lean even more. And all the time
> except
> one I felt a great positive feedback.
> Of course, one has to know how to do it.
>
> There are other close embrace styles where there are no lean. But
> there are
> several where there is lean: Canyengue, Apilado, Candombe.
>
>
>
> Igor Polk
>
> LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU.
>
>
Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:09:30 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
I support Carlos' comments more than Bruno.
The best way to beat your golf buddy is to give him a book on how to
golf. He starts intellectualizing on technique and his game goes to
hell.
90% of good tango technique is about learning to walk "naturally", and
for the women to "walk naturally backward". Only 10% is stylization in
the sense Bruno suggests.
The easiest way to mess up someone's technique is to teach them some
specific techniques about foot placement or legs. The WORST is to teach
them to lean, to go up on their toes, or to take "BIG STRIDES". Someone
who walked adequately when they arrived at tango, starts doing all
kinds of strange things:
- women stop following,
- women thrust their legs backward like sticks or
- women go up on tiptoes or squat as they walk backwards
- women injure their SI joints
- men start sticking their legs forward, mincing on their toes, or
coming up on their hips,
- they lose balance and posture
I think the problem is putting analytical/intellectual focus on
external things like the foot or the leg, instead of developing good
core foundational technique
On Jan 12, 2005, at 1:11 PM, Bruno wrote:
> Carlos Rojas wrote:
>
>> Take tango for what it is, a popular dance. That means that you
>> dance the
> way you walk (true of all popular dances). That is all the
> biomechanical
> insigt one needs.<
>
> My 2 cents:
>
> If you imply that Tango walk is the same as a normal walk, I disagree.
> The
> Tango walk is and has been affected since its origins as popular dance.
> Then, during the beginnings of Tango men used high heel boots (French
> heel).
> The mechanics of walking with high heel boots forced or rather
> assisted men
> in stepping and sliding on the ball of the feet first, whereas the
> massive
> French heel helped them to maintain balance. Also, there was a slight
> shift
> of the hips as men walked or danced. An observer of those times,
> Ricardo
> Guiraldes, said that men danced as if they were pulling nails of the
> floor
> with the heels.
>
> These days the tango walk has been refined, and stylized, but even
> then it
> remains distant from the normal walk.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Bruno
>
>
Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:43:18 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Tom Stermitz wrote:
>90% of good tango technique is about learning to walk "naturally", and
for the women to "walk naturally backward". Only 10% is stylization in
the sense Bruno suggests.<
Are you saying that we have to learn to walk naturally? Ok, so the way we
walk normally is unnatural. Got it!
Best regards,
Bruno
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 17:33:14 -0800
From: Iron Logic <railogic@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
IMO if a teacher asks students to ask naturally, most probably he has nothing to offer, or doesn t want to.
Walk is really the key to tango, biggest disservice a teacher can do is not to teach how to walk. Asking student to walk 'naturally', is a cruel joke really, perhaps expecting the student to go through the same "trauma' he went through;)
One of the reasons it takes so long to learn how to tango is students not paying enough attention on the 'walk'. Learning the walk in early days of learning, can dramatically accelerate one's learning.
A 'correct' tango walk
* Helps in rhythm: complete weight change at each beat[ as opposed merely touching the floor on beat, which actually is being perpetually 'behind the beat']
* helps in all pivot movements, because dancer changed weight completely
* better balance
* looks good, you can see the bodies moving to rhythm, you don t have examine dancers' feet to check if he is on beat
* in general most dynamics function better, for instance sacadas really need proper weight transfer
The tango walk
* begins with flexing of the knees and slight forward movement chest, the followers responds by fully extends her legs, her body does NOT move yet
* the leader extends his Legs into the space follower created
* On the beat, the leader slides his feet forward a little and performs complete changes in ONE movement, the force for the movement comes by pushing standing leg back. This automatically creates a 'pause' with the legs separated, just before the dancers collect, good time for ganchos, sacadas etc.
I know this is may not be a complete description, nevertheless some ideas
Rai
Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET> wrote:Tom Stermitz wrote:
>90% of good tango technique is about learning to walk "naturally", and
for the women to "walk naturally backward". Only 10% is stylization in
the sense Bruno suggests.<
Are you saying that we have to learn to walk naturally? Ok, so the way we
walk normally is unnatural. Got it!
Best regards,
Bruno
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 09:40:36 -0500
From: Darya Kucherova <kucherova@ROGERS.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
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Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:17:16 -0800
From: Iron Logic <railogic@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
they feel they
are forced to do something extremely unnatural to their bodies and can
hardly pay any attention to music or their partners anymore. Intricacies
of tango-didactics! ;-)))
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I think usually its best to teach them exercises they can repeat outside the class. Yes its impossible pay attention to so many intricacies at the same time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
For instance, when women are instructed to
"collect" - that should be understood not as a command but as a desired
result - because once so instructed, they concentrate on their feet,
lots of tension travels down, lots of stress is applied to the foot, which
stops to support well, and the balance is lost
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Asking women to collect IMO is simply wrong teaching. What is necessary is the ability fully transfer weight in a controlled/conscious way and to always pass through the center. . there exercises for achieving this...anyway.
You are correct about consequences of women trying collect, result is they hop, 'run away' from the partner and balance is missing.
Technique can be counter intuitive, but it needs to be learnt I think there is no alternative, well there which is to be alternative be a beginner for long long time;).
Actually from what you posted, your problem is NOT with teaching technique, rather teachers simply providing descriptions of what they like to see, which is like a doctor trying to hide symptoms, without actually curing. This does not imply teaching technique is not the best way.
Yes the training needs to both psychological and physical. Simply knowing the mechanics does not be mean one can dance.
The other issue is there are lot of thse teachers danced for years and years and acquired skills and become great dancers, and now it is so natural to them and they do not know what they do anymore;). Fortunately it has an unintended benefit, students come to them for long long time.
Rai
Darya Kucherova <kucherova@ROGERS.COM> wrote:Tom,
I could not agree more! The more I learn about tango, the more I appreciate good teaching, because tango technique is so counter-intuitive. You gave examples yourself! For instance, when women are instructed to "collect" - that should be understood not as a command but as a desired result - because once so instructed, they concentrate on their feet, lots of tension travels down, lots of stress is applied to the foot, which stops to support well, and the balance is lost. In stead, my instructor would tell us to think about our spines, or to find our axis, and if the free leg is relaxed, that will result in the feet collecting. Same goes for big strides. They are a result of a lead for a woman who can understand it and relax the hip so that it goes where she is lead. It is truely amazing for me now (especially given all my previous experience with tiptoes and arched backs ingraned into my tango habbit) what you think or where you concentrate immediately reflects on how you move. In
general, the more result-driven instuctions are, there more wooden the dancers feel and look. I increasingly find that better instructors find a more, say, yoga-like approach to teaching, the feeling and relaxation driven instruction. Especially for women! For women half of the training seems to be actually psychological rather than physical; because for a contemporary woman to be suddenly completely deprived of individual choice and tuning in, and calming down, and relaxing is much more alien than shaking up, tensing up, making progress, heading on, keeping up and so on.
It is interesting how much effort and experience goes into teaching where the instructor wholly abstracts from the idea of the "image" of how the student must look while dancing versus always focusing on what goes on internally.
regards,
d.
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:33:11 -0500
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
I'm not sure but it seems like a lot of people are against the teaching of
having one's balance at all times. I don't understand how teaching women to
collect their feet under their bodies is either unnatural or
counterproductive. IMHO, the biggest defect that most unskilled followers
have is their failure to finish each step before they take the next one
(leaders suffer from this too). The word "collect" is just another way to
teach the person to change their weight completely each time they take a
step. Perhaps we are just getting caught in semantics, but I think the skill
of "collecting" one's weight (and naturally, one's feet) at each step is une
of the most basic and crucial skills needed to dance tango well. This
applies to men as well as women.
Good balance to all,
Manuel
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 10:20:13 -0500
From: Tanguero Chino <tanguerochino@NETSCAPE.NET>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
>... I don't understand how teaching women to collect their feet under
>their bodies is either unnatural or counterproductive. IMHO, the
>biggest defect that most unskilled followers have is their failure to
>finish each step before they take the next one.
Collecting makes the dance look more elegant. In an earlier post, Darya
is correct in pointing out that a relaxed follower just seems to do
everything better, including collecting. This leads to what I really
want to say - the leaders also has responsibility in the follower
collecting.
A relaxed follower will naturally collect when the leader works with the
follower's natural balance and axis. When a leader keeps pushing or
pulling the follower off her axis, the follower has no alternative but
to try to keep her balance by taking wide steps without "collecting".
The other reason why followers cannot collect is that the leaders do not
allow them to completely change their weight. They are already starting
the next step before the follower has finish.
Both of these faults come down to leaders who do not listen, and then
RESPOND, to their followers, but that's for another discussion.
Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups.
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:44:09 -0800
From: Iron Logic <railogic@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
>>>>>>>>>
I'm not sure but it seems like a lot of people are against the teaching of
having one's balance at all times.
>>>>>>>>>>
Ability to keep ones balance is a must, to have separate axis or to share an axis is a matter of choice.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I don't understand how teaching women to
collect their feet under their bodies is either unnatural or
counterproductive. IMHO, the biggest defect that most unskilled followers
have is their failure to finish each step before they take the next one
(leaders suffer from this too).
The word "collect" is just another way to
teach the person to change their weight completely each time they take a
step. Perhaps we are just getting caught in semantics, but I think the skill
of "collecting" one's weight (and naturally, one's feet) at each step is one
of the most basic and crucial skills needed to dance tango well. This
applies to men as well as women.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Collecting feet is merely an effect and yes it comes from transfer of weight. Therefore what needs to be learnt and practiced first is to change weight. Like I said there are many ways to do this.
If you ask a beginner to collect feet, most likely he/she starts to jump, skill really needed is not aquired.
May be we are talking about the same thing here, but in my opinion description is very important. In reality once the follower or leader learns how to transfer weight, they will have learn how to collect feet slowly [opposite of "collecting feet" exercises]. This helps in balance because the trailing feet acts like an anchor, its great receiving sacadas etc.
By the way I think the real skill is in collecting feet without transferring weight ;))
Regards,
Rai
WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:I'm not sure but it seems like a lot of people are against the teaching of
having one's balance at all times. I don't understand how teaching women to
collect their feet under their bodies is either unnatural or
counterproductive. IMHO, the biggest defect that most unskilled followers
have is their failure to finish each step before they take the next one
(leaders suffer from this too). The word "collect" is just another way to
teach the person to change their weight completely each time they take a
step. Perhaps we are just getting caught in semantics, but I think the skill
of "collecting" one's weight (and naturally, one's feet) at each step is une
of the most basic and crucial skills needed to dance tango well. This
applies to men as well as women.
Good balance to all,
Manuel
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 10:47:41 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
Deconstructionism, or "depending on context, words can cause confusion."
A word might be translated poorly. Sometimes Tango teachers are not
native speakers of English. A ballerina hears the words balance or lean
completely different from a "normal" person. What works for a tall
student, might not work at all for a short person.
The main problem is that many teachers don't think through their
received knowledge, and don't consider the context. They simply repeat
what their teachers taught them as if one technique fits everyone, or a
particular word makes sense.
Inappropriate context is a big issue. Most students do not intend to
dance on stage. They are in tango for social dancing. But many teachers
present athletic or performance versions of tango. Many teachers have a
dance background, or else they model from and study extensively with
tango teachers who are trained dancers. But 95% students are not
trained dancers.
It is essential to choose words and demonstrate movements appropriate
to the great majority. Talk to the 5% separately.
"Collect feet":
I've watched teachers train up a whole room of beginners to step-stop,
step-stop, step-stop, and in the ochos to stop-pivot-step,
stop-pivot-step. This directly trains them up to dance poorly. Simply
walking "normally". stepping on the beat is much better.
The problem is that the word "collect" implies stick at the middle,
which is a staccato musicality. Standing upright with feet together is
a more comfortable balance-habit that needs to be unlearned. A flowing
musicality provides a better default or foundational habit, and allows
the dancer to explore the space and time between each step. It takes
practice to develop. Staccato is sometimes useful, but is better
learned as a decoration on top of flowing. The staccato-collect habit
eliminates boleos, which require a flowing habit.
Better: Step on the beat, flow from step to step, "Pass by close".
Connect at Sternum:
Some teachers say connect at the sternum. A brief consideration makes
you realize that this is a useless, harmful (or just plain wrong)
suggestion... the sternum runs from the solar plexus to the neck. So
imagine two dancers sticking out their culos, trying to fit sternum to
sternum. Maybe this is appropriate in one context: a short, thin woman
with a tall man.
Better: "you meet where you meet, that is your connection point"
Up on Toes (balls of feet):
Toe balance is comfortable for a ballerina, but even she needs to learn
to relax the hips, keep heels down and become grounded rather than pull
up into the air. A "normal" person up on toes, walking backwards has a
very difficult time avoiding bent knees and crouching posture. (It is a
natural defensive reaction from feeling uncomfortable going blindly
backwards).
Better: As you walk backward, "Keep your heels downward", "lightly
graze the earth with your heels"
"Reach", "Take big steps", "straight legs"
The single most harmful instruction to a beginner is to tell them to
take big steps. Harmful because spiraling and dancing for six hours per
night can cause injury to the back or SI joints.
People usually walk more or less peacefully and normally before tango.
Teacher tells them to reach or take big steps, so they start to do all
kinds of unbalanced and awkward movements. They lean forward to reach
legs backwards, they arch to reach for a long step, their butt muscles
tense up, they make their legs look like sticks. They no longer follow
the stride length of the leader.
Better: "stretch your tummy (or specifically your soas)", "feel your
heels connect to your leader's chest"
"No moves heeps"
This is my favorite tango mythology. Time and again I've heard
Argentines admonish N. Americans not to move their hips. But, just look
at them on a dance floor: every single one moves their hips. Maybe a
salsa dancer coming to tango has excessive hip movement, but if you
tell a non-latin person not to move their hips, you get a stiff,
un-grounded walk.
Better: This one you have to demonstrate carefully, show just how much
hip, and how to achieve a grounded feeling.
On Jan 25, 2005, at 8:20 AM, Tanguero Chino wrote:
> WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>> ... I don't understand how teaching women to collect their feet under
>> their bodies is either unnatural or counterproductive. IMHO, the
>> biggest defect that most unskilled followers have is their failure to
>> finish each step before they take the next one.
>
> Collecting makes the dance look more elegant. In an earlier post,
> Darya
> is correct in pointing out that a relaxed follower just seems to do
> everything better, including collecting. This leads to what I really
> want to say - the leaders also has responsibility in the follower
> collecting.
Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:00:37 -0500
From: Darya Kucherova <kucherova@ROGERS.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
Dear Manuel,
Never have I denied the "must" of collecting as unnatural. Just as you say, I am being lost in semantics, because my point was that really good teachers do take semantics into consideration. I said that in order to achieve the same result of two feet collecting, a really good teacher (thank you, Regina!) will ask a dancer to center and relax the non-supporting leg, which will bring ankles together, no muscle or stress involved. Whereas perhaps a less conscious teacher would tell us to collect, without giving it much of a thought of how this simple move should be regulated. And the result is that followers (I can't say for the leaders, because I am not so familiar) acquire the most difficult habbit to boot - tense legs. Because they use them all the time to collect, why would they relax the hip muscles for boleos?
cheers,
d.
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:39:03 -0500
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
Dear Darya,
The problem with the direction that this thread has taken is that we've
ended up in a semantics discussion rather than a discussion of teaching
methods. There is no way that just because a teacher exhorts his or her
students to "collect", that this means that they are necessarily failing to
communicate more details and instructions. We teach people to always try to
be "in their center" or in balance. Saying "collect" your feet under you is
just another mnemonic device. Along with that goes "relax your knees", "keep
your feet down, but don't put weight on both", etc. It's impossible to
describe and enumerate all possible instructions as each class, each lesson
and each individual is unique and requires his or her own tailored
instruction. I see this all the time.
Anyway, someone also said that the reason women do not find their balance is
because the men push or pull them around instead of leading *and* then
following them. This is true and valid in many cases. However, I find that
many women have extreme difficulty in learning to finish each step. At the
beginning levels, women must learn these techniques and skills. I can tell
immediately if a woman "collects" her weight properly. I dance in close
embrace and therefore, there is absolutely no pushing or pulling involved.
If the woman follows my lead and steps on her feet one at the time staying
with me, she collects her weight properly and there is no problem. ON THE
OTHER HAND, if she's continually loses her balance or takes more or less
steps than I lead (with my body and embrace), it's extremely likely that she
has no balance and is in a continuous state of "falling". This student is
obviously in need of more attention and instruction about how to "collect"
her feet, transfer her weight or whatever words one wants to use to describe
her needs.
There is also the fact that men also suffer from this condition. There are
lots of guys who are always "falling". They never quite successfully lead
their partner and their dance looks forced or awkward. They too need to
learn to "collect", "balance", "complete their steps before taking the next
one", etc.
Excellent balance to all,
Manuel
visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com
----Original Message Follows----
From: Darya Kucherova <kucherova@ROGERS.COM>
Reply-To: Darya Kucherova <kucherova@rogers.com>
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:36:59 -0500
From: Alberto Sanders <tangotango@EUROPE.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - There is a book :)
Hello
Now that I have read it I can tell you that is a great book !
And specifically addresses all this questions about technique.
Where descriptions of movements, like %99.9 of all this e-mails, can't acolmplish the desire outcome.
What genereates great movement is the internal process of the dancer.
This concept by the way, I just toked it form the Tango awareness book, and it works and its great.
of course is explanin in greated detailed.
Warm regards to all,
Alberto
>
> Deconstructionism, or "depending on context, words can cause confusion."
>
> A word might be translated poorly. Sometimes Tango teachers are not
> native speakers of English. A ballerina hears the words balance or lean
> completely different from a "normal" person. What works for a tall
> student, might not work at all for a short person.
>
> The main problem is that many teachers don't think through their
> received knowledge, and don't consider the context. They simply repeat
> what their teachers taught them as if one technique fits everyone, or a
> particular word makes sense.
>
> Inappropriate context is a big issue. Most students do not intend to
> dance on stage. They are in tango for social dancing. But many teachers
> present athletic or performance versions of tango. Many teachers have a
> dance background, or else they model from and study extensively with
> tango teachers who are trained dancers. But 95% students are not
> trained dancers.
>
> It is essential to choose words and demonstrate movements appropriate
> to the great majority. Talk to the 5% separately.
>
>
>
>
> "Collect feet":
>
> I've watched teachers train up a whole room of beginners to step-stop,
> step-stop, step-stop, and in the ochos to stop-pivot-step,
> stop-pivot-step. This directly trains them up to dance poorly. Simply
> walking "normally". stepping on the beat is much better.
>
> The problem is that the word "collect" implies stick at the middle,
> which is a staccato musicality. Standing upright with feet together is
> a more comfortable balance-habit that needs to be unlearned. A flowing
> musicality provides a better default or foundational habit, and allows
> the dancer to explore the space and time between each step. It takes
> practice to develop. Staccato is sometimes useful, but is better
> learned as a decoration on top of flowing. The staccato-collect habit
> eliminates boleos, which require a flowing habit.
>
> Better: Step on the beat, flow from step to step, "Pass by close".
>
>
> Connect at Sternum:
>
> Some teachers say connect at the sternum. A brief consideration makes
> you realize that this is a useless, harmful (or just plain wrong)
> suggestion... the sternum runs from the solar plexus to the neck. So
> imagine two dancers sticking out their culos, trying to fit sternum to
> sternum. Maybe this is appropriate in one context: a short, thin woman
> with a tall man.
>
> Better: "you meet where you meet, that is your connection point"
>
>
> Up on Toes (balls of feet):
>
> Toe balance is comfortable for a ballerina, but even she needs to learn
> to relax the hips, keep heels down and become grounded rather than pull
> up into the air. A "normal" person up on toes, walking backwards has a
> very difficult time avoiding bent knees and crouching posture. (It is a
> natural defensive reaction from feeling uncomfortable going blindly
> backwards).
>
> Better: As you walk backward, "Keep your heels downward", "lightly
> graze the earth with your heels"
>
>
> "Reach", "Take big steps", "straight legs"
>
> The single most harmful instruction to a beginner is to tell them to
> take big steps. Harmful because spiraling and dancing for six hours per
> night can cause injury to the back or SI joints.
>
> People usually walk more or less peacefully and normally before tango.
> Teacher tells them to reach or take big steps, so they start to do all
> kinds of unbalanced and awkward movements. They lean forward to reach
> legs backwards, they arch to reach for a long step, their butt muscles
> tense up, they make their legs look like sticks. They no longer follow
> the stride length of the leader.
>
> Better: "stretch your tummy (or specifically your soas)", "feel your
> heels connect to your leader's chest"
>
>
> "No moves heeps"
>
> This is my favorite tango mythology. Time and again I've heard
> Argentines admonish N. Americans not to move their hips. But, just look
> at them on a dance floor: every single one moves their hips. Maybe a
> salsa dancer coming to tango has excessive hip movement, but if you
> tell a non-latin person not to move their hips, you get a stiff,
> un-grounded walk.
>
> Better: This one you have to demonstrate carefully, show just how much
> hip, and how to achieve a grounded feeling.
>
>
>
> On Jan 25, 2005, at 8:20 AM, Tanguero Chino wrote:
>
> > WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >
> >> ... I don't understand how teaching women to collect their feet under
> >> their bodies is either unnatural or counterproductive. IMHO, the
> >> biggest defect that most unskilled followers have is their failure to
> >> finish each step before they take the next one.
> >
> > Collecting makes the dance look more elegant. In an earlier post,
> > Darya
> > is correct in pointing out that a relaxed follower just seems to do
> > everything better, including collecting. This leads to what I really
> > want to say - the leaders also has responsibility in the follower
> > collecting.
>
>
> Tom Stermitz
> https://www.tango.org
>
--
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Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 11:38:19 -0800
From: Yale Tango Club <yaletangoclub@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
Hi all,
I don't do a whole lot of teaching, but the words I use are (I didn't think them up but I don't remember where I got them from, I learned from many different people):
- go through neutral, neutral being with your weight over your standing foot and the other foot loose but also under you. "Through" meaning you do this on your way from here to there. Does not imply pausing there, although if you were to pause this is where you'd do it. As a reason for this I tell them it brings their torso to the right place to convey or receive the next lead. When you're dancing very fast as in a milonga, or covering a lot of ground when you have the floor to yourself, neutral is not perpendicular to the floor but is adjusted for centrifugal force and speed, but it still has the free leg brushing past the standing leg.
- for the followers, I tell them to swing their leg backward from the hip (and in a controlled fashion) and to hold off on landing until they have received the distance info from the leader. The holding off is not freezing of course, merely they slow down the leg (as in a pendulum that slows) and finetune the size of the step. This is also the moment you see the leg stretched back beautifully, which is how a good follower manages to look elegant and poised (along with keeping her shoulders down and her head straight not jutting forward)
About hips, this goes under the heading of controlling your body parts. When I lead beginners, I get disconcerted by hips, legs, knees, ribs, shoulders and embrace buckling and flying out every which way. What visually characterizes good dancers is economy of movement. Ergonomics, if you will. The only non-economic movements are the embellishments, and ideally they are tight, controlled and pure. Ah, and this is how we keep at it forever.
Tine
Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG> wrote:
Deconstructionism, or "depending on context, words can cause confusion."
A word might be translated poorly. Sometimes Tango teachers are not
native speakers of English. A ballerina hears the words balance or lean
completely different from a "normal" person. What works for a tall
student, might not work at all for a short person.
The main problem is that many teachers don't think through their
received knowledge, and don't consider the context. They simply repeat
what their teachers taught them as if one technique fits everyone, or a
particular word makes sense.
Inappropriate context is a big issue. Most students do not intend to
dance on stage. They are in tango for social dancing. But many teachers
present athletic or performance versions of tango. Many teachers have a
dance background, or else they model from and study extensively with
tango teachers who are trained dancers. But 95% students are not
trained dancers.
It is essential to choose words and demonstrate movements appropriate
to the great majority. Talk to the 5% separately.
"Collect feet":
I've watched teachers train up a whole room of beginners to step-stop,
step-stop, step-stop, and in the ochos to stop-pivot-step,
stop-pivot-step. This directly trains them up to dance poorly. Simply
walking "normally". stepping on the beat is much better.
The problem is that the word "collect" implies stick at the middle,
which is a staccato musicality. Standing upright with feet together is
a more comfortable balance-habit that needs to be unlearned. A flowing
musicality provides a better default or foundational habit, and allows
the dancer to explore the space and time between each step. It takes
practice to develop. Staccato is sometimes useful, but is better
learned as a decoration on top of flowing. The staccato-collect habit
eliminates boleos, which require a flowing habit.
Better: Step on the beat, flow from step to step, "Pass by close".
Connect at Sternum:
Some teachers say connect at the sternum. A brief consideration makes
you realize that this is a useless, harmful (or just plain wrong)
suggestion... the sternum runs from the solar plexus to the neck. So
imagine two dancers sticking out their culos, trying to fit sternum to
sternum. Maybe this is appropriate in one context: a short, thin woman
with a tall man.
Better: "you meet where you meet, that is your connection point"
Up on Toes (balls of feet):
Toe balance is comfortable for a ballerina, but even she needs to learn
to relax the hips, keep heels down and become grounded rather than pull
up into the air. A "normal" person up on toes, walking backwards has a
very difficult time avoiding bent knees and crouching posture. (It is a
natural defensive reaction from feeling uncomfortable going blindly
backwards).
Better: As you walk backward, "Keep your heels downward", "lightly
graze the earth with your heels"
"Reach", "Take big steps", "straight legs"
The single most harmful instruction to a beginner is to tell them to
take big steps. Harmful because spiraling and dancing for six hours per
night can cause injury to the back or SI joints.
People usually walk more or less peacefully and normally before tango.
Teacher tells them to reach or take big steps, so they start to do all
kinds of unbalanced and awkward movements. They lean forward to reach
legs backwards, they arch to reach for a long step, their butt muscles
tense up, they make their legs look like sticks. They no longer follow
the stride length of the leader.
Better: "stretch your tummy (or specifically your soas)", "feel your
heels connect to your leader's chest"
"No moves heeps"
This is my favorite tango mythology. Time and again I've heard
Argentines admonish N. Americans not to move their hips. But, just look
at them on a dance floor: every single one moves their hips. Maybe a
salsa dancer coming to tango has excessive hip movement, but if you
tell a non-latin person not to move their hips, you get a stiff,
un-grounded walk.
Better: This one you have to demonstrate carefully, show just how much
hip, and how to achieve a grounded feeling.
On Jan 25, 2005, at 8:20 AM, Tanguero Chino wrote:
> WHITE 95 R wrote:
>
>> ... I don't understand how teaching women to collect their feet under
>> their bodies is either unnatural or counterproductive. IMHO, the
>> biggest defect that most unskilled followers have is their failure to
>> finish each step before they take the next one.
>
> Collecting makes the dance look more elegant. In an earlier post,
> Darya
> is correct in pointing out that a relaxed follower just seems to do
> everything better, including collecting. This leads to what I really
> want to say - the leaders also has responsibility in the follower
> collecting.
Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org
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Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 23:41:19 -0800
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique
About collecting. Things should be simple. Even in Tango.
Gloria and Eduardo ( you know them, don't you? )
teach the following little trick. When you step, make a little tap with the
free leg.
Here is an ultimate collection of their video dances I have made by myself.
https://www.virtuar.com/tango/Gloria_y_Eduardo/Gloria_Eduardo.htm
You can see it for yourself how incredible they are!
To illustrate it, there are about 25 little photos on the page. With feet
collected!
( The CD is endorsed by G&E. Part of the profit goes to them ).
Igor Polk
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:26:04 -0600
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Question about Tango technique - reply to Tom
Somehow I suspect that their may be some differences in semantics at work
on this topic.
If the follower does not shift her weight entirely onto one foot and move
the free foot through a foot together position, she becomes relatively
difficult to lead. On the other hand, coming to a complete stop at the
foot together position should depend on what has been led. It would be
quite difficult to dance with a follower who either comes to complete stop
each time her feet are close together or simply moves from one step to
another without shifting her weight onto one foot and passing her free
foot through a foot together position.
Tom Stermitz wrote:
>"Collect feet":
>
>I've watched teachers train up a whole room of beginners to step-stop,
>step-stop, step-stop, and in the ochos to stop-pivot-step,
>stop-pivot-step. This directly trains them up to dance poorly. Simply
>walking "normally". stepping on the beat is much better.
>The problem is that the word "collect" implies stick at the middle,
>which is a staccato musicality. Standing upright with feet together is
>a more comfortable balance-habit that needs to be unlearned. A flowing
>musicality provides a better default or foundational habit, and allows
>the dancer to explore the space and time between each step. It takes
>practice to develop. Staccato is sometimes useful, but is better
>learned as a decoration on top of flowing. The staccato-collect habit
>eliminates boleos, which require a flowing habit.
>
>Better: Step on the beat, flow from step to step, "Pass by close".
With best regards,
Steve (de Tejas)
