3635 Randy Does Rio, Part 5
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 07:00:35 -0700
From: randy cook <randycook95476@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Randy Does Rio, Part 5
"Of Turtles, Teddy Bears, and Tango
Andre is a tall young man, long-legged and limber.
His wife, Alice, is a personal trainer in Ipanema.
Together they have created a style that combines the
precise footwork of tango and the bodily looseness of
samba.
Their trademark is swirling turns with front and back
sacadas. Watching them, I think of windmills in
Holland, ocean waves, and fishermen casting their
lines. I get to watch a lot, because Andre and Alice
love to demonstrate. During our class, they repeat
the patterns over and over again, until my eyes begin
to blur and all I see is the swish of the loose cotton
fabric of their legwear.
I turn to my partner, a short, chubby woman of middle
years. I embrace her gently, because I want to
transfer some of the soft wind and water power that I
have just witnessed in the demonstration. But it is
like trying to get a turtle to fly.
We begin the pattern. My partner struggles valiantly
to do the molinete. This is very hard for her, since
she comes to a complete stop with each step. My eye
catches a glimpse of her broad midsection and her
stubby legs in the open position, waiting to receive
my sacada.
I pivot, aim, and fire. Since my partner is standing
still, my sacada nearly knocks her over. Desperately,
she grasps my shoulder and hangs on as I try to
transfer my weight and finish the step. She winds up
in my arms, heart pounding, all semblance of posture
abandoned. I am her life raft on a stormy sea.
"Troque!" Andre and Alice tell us to change. One by
one I get to try most of the ladies in the class.
They are nearly all flat-footed beginners with no
axis, no posture, no flexibility, no conception of how
to move. This was supposed to be an advanced class.
Frustrated, I look around to see how the other couples
are doing. I see no windmills, ocean waves or
fishermen casting their lines. I see men wrestling
with turtles, storks, camels and teddy bears.
The men are mostly good dancers. I believe they are
capable of doing the patterns. But not with partners
who can't stand on one leg without falling over.
How did this happen? Why are the men so good and the
women so bad? I know that there are good followers in
Rio. I've seen them at the milongas. I have even had
the good fortune of dancing with some of them. But I
can't imagine where they learned. It seems only the
beginners come to class.
Then I get a new partner. She is a pleasant looking
blonde woman with a good figure in a soft woolen
blouse. Her hands are soft too, and as she rests her
arm on my shoulder, I feel that she is relaxed. She
says her name is Lisou, like the tango by Quarteto
Almagro.
After two hours of dancing in chains, it is such a
relief to dance with someone who can actually...dance.
Andre and Alice announce the end of class. They turn
down the lights and tell us to "bailar libre"--to
dance freely. With Lisou, this comes easily. I'm not
trying to practice the steps we have been working on,
yet I find them appearing in our dance like sea otter
or dolphins, poking their heads out of the water and
asking us to play. I feel the windpower, the ocean
waves, the "mill" in the molinete.
With Lisou, I remember why it is I love to dance.
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 11:17:27 -0700
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
I can assure you, Randy,
that there is no woman who can not dance molinete.
There are only men who do not know how to lead it.
Why women are getting worse at most lessons?
Because they are trying to make the steps themselves, while they should only
listen to a good lead, that is all. What they can do if there is no one?
And if they are making the steps themselves, men should follow them.
But our men are not able to follow, they must lead!
That is why everybody at those lessons look like struggling bears.
Igor Polk
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:13:32 EDT
From: Richard deSousa <Mallpasso@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
I disagree with you, Igor. The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner without
pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
molinete is the backstep and few women can do that step correctly without lots of
practice. Unfortunately, most teachers do not emphasize this to their female
students
El Bandito de Tango
In a message dated 7/21/2005 11:18:10 Pacific Daylight Time,
ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM writes:
I can assure you, Randy,
that there is no woman who can not dance molinete.
There are only men who do not know how to lead it.
Why women are getting worse at most lessons?
Because they are trying to make the steps themselves, while they should only
listen to a good lead, that is all. What they can do if there is no one?
And if they are making the steps themselves, men should follow them.
But our men are not able to follow, they must lead!
That is why everybody at those lessons look like struggling bears.
Igor Polk
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:50:48 -0400
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
Hi Richard,
I agree with you. The turn for the woman is one of the hardest steps of
tango. We spend time in every class teaching and showing the women how to do
the turn with good technique. Most people have a terribly difficult time
learning to pivot enough before doing the back cross so they end up away
from the leader.... To make matters worse, the leaders must learn to
actually lead the turn while doing their own steps at the same time the
woman steps. Of course, if you only do the ocho cortado or a half turn, it's
easier to accomodate for poorly done steps. However, even then the technique
must be practiced. This ability or technique is what separates the best
dancers from the not so good.
Manuel
>From: Richard deSousa <Mallpasso@AOL.COM>
>I disagree with you, Igor. The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
>for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner
>without
>pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
>molinete is the backstep and few women can do that step correctly without
>lots of
>practice. Unfortunately, most teachers do not emphasize this to their
>female
>students
>
>El Bandito de Tango
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:05:54 -0700
From: Jean-Pierre Sighe <jpsighe@SIGHES.COM>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
I agree with you when you say that :
"The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner
without
pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
molinete is the backstep..."
I might add that men MUST know the molinete the same way women do. I've come
to realize that some men out there have the weird notion that the molinete
is only for women. They couldn't be more mistaken!
Jean-Pierre S.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 1:14 PM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of
molinete
I disagree with you, Igor. The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner
without
pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
molinete is the backstep and few women can do that step correctly without
lots of
practice. Unfortunately, most teachers do not emphasize this to their
female
students
El Bandito de Tango
In a message dated 7/21/2005 11:18:10 Pacific Daylight Time,
ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM writes:
I can assure you, Randy,
that there is no woman who can not dance molinete.
There are only men who do not know how to lead it.
Why women are getting worse at most lessons?
Because they are trying to make the steps themselves, while they should only
listen to a good lead, that is all. What they can do if there is no one?
And if they are making the steps themselves, men should follow them.
But our men are not able to follow, they must lead!
That is why everybody at those lessons look like struggling bears.
Igor Polk
Keep unwanted email out.
Visit www.spamsubtract.com for more information.
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 19:36:56 EDT
From: Richard deSousa <Mallpasso@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
I agree... you have no quarrel with me... both partners have to maintain
their axises otherwise they'd upset each other's balance.
In a message dated 7/21/2005 16:10:13 Pacific Daylight Time,
jpsighe@SIGHES.COM writes:
I agree with you when you say that :
"The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner
without
pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
molinete is the backstep..."
I might add that men MUST know the molinete the same way women do. I've come
to realize that some men out there have the weird notion that the molinete
is only for women. They couldn't be more mistaken!
Jean-Pierre S.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 1:14 PM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of
molinete
I disagree with you, Igor. The molinete is one of the most difficult steps
for a woman to execute as she has to rotate exactly around her partner
without
pushing or pulling him off his axis. The most critical portion of the
molinete is the backstep and few women can do that step correctly without
lots of
practice. Unfortunately, most teachers do not emphasize this to their
female
students
El Bandito de Tango
In a message dated 7/21/2005 11:18:10 Pacific Daylight Time,
ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM writes:
I can assure you, Randy,
that there is no woman who can not dance molinete.
There are only men who do not know how to lead it.
Why women are getting worse at most lessons?
Because they are trying to make the steps themselves, while they should only
listen to a good lead, that is all. What they can do if there is no one?
And if they are making the steps themselves, men should follow them.
But our men are not able to follow, they must lead!
That is why everybody at those lessons look like struggling bears.
Igor Polk
Keep unwanted email out.
Visit www.spamsubtract.com for more information.
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 23:16:17 -0400
From: Michael <tangomaniac@CAVTEL.NET>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
Sorry, Igor. I don't agree with you. Even a correctly lead molinete doesn't
guarantee a woman will execute it correctly. If a woman doesn't finish her
pivot, she won't move around the man. She will move away from the center of
the circle. It's not the back step that's so difficult. It's the PIVOT
before the back step that is so difficult. It takes a long time for a woman
to understand what it takes to finish the pivot. She must be relaxed and
have flexibility in the waist so that she can pivot without turning her
chest away from the man. It's not so great for a woman to pivot and on each
step her chest is facing a different direction.
Michael Ditkoff
Washington, DC
Have to go back to work after enjoying the NY Tango Festival
Last cruise was on the Staten Island Ferry
Next cruise is from Vancouver to Seward, Alaska
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 2:17 PM
Subject: [TANGO-L] Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
> I can assure you, Randy,
> that there is no woman who can not dance molinete.
> There are only men who do not know how to lead it.
>
> Why women are getting worse at most lessons?
> Because they are trying to make the steps themselves, while they should
only
> listen to a good lead, that is all. What they can do if there is no one?
>
> And if they are making the steps themselves, men should follow them.
> But our men are not able to follow, they must lead!
> That is why everybody at those lessons look like struggling bears.
>
> Igor Polk
>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 21:35:23 -0700
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Re: Randy Does Rio, Part 5 - the greatest secret of molinete
Lead is not an order.
It is creation of opportunities, building the virtual path in space, time,
and dynamic, inside which a woman moves, dances, enjoys music, rely on
support, chat with the man, gets surprise and pleasure.
In a dance with a beginner follower, lead also includes knowing how to cut
off her ways to execute the movement wrongly. With the good lead she has no
other choice, but to dance good. That is why dancing with beginner followers
is a necessary part of becoming a good leader.
Igor Polk
