4872  Evolution of the embrace

Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:39:10 -0500
From: "Tango Society of Central Illinois" <tango.society@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Evolution of the embrace
To: "Sergio Vandekier" <sergiovandekier990@hotmail.com>
Cc: tango-l@mit.edu
<cff24c340704100939i15176ec3geb7363d203238d72@mail.gmail.com>

On 4/10/07, Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> At present we have people that always dance in "close embrace", people that
> always dance in "open embrace", people that use an "elastic embrace", people
> that adapt the embrace to the circumstances of the moment with respect to
> available room, type of music, partner, inspiration, etc.
>

Sergio,

Thanks for provide an interesting informed answer to Caroline's
question on variation in embrace.

In my 2 trips to Buenos Aires, I saw almost no "open embrace - always"
that could not be attributed to disoriented (i.e., navigation
challenged) apparent tourists, and very little "elastic embrace", even
in less crowded milongas. The main difference I saw was postural
differences (apilado more common downtown, less so away from
downtown). Could you inform us at what milongas one would find a
signficant number of dancers in "open embrace - always" or in
"flexible embrace".

Thank you.

Ron

Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:27:39 -0700
From: "Igor Polk" <ipolk@virtuar.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Evolution of the embrace
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>

Renoir. Paris. Spring. Park. "Ball at the Moulin de la Galette", 1876:
https://www.mystudios.com/art/impress/renoir/renoir-moulin.html

Igor Polk
https://www.virtuar.com/tango/tango_weblog.htm

Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:27:57 +0000
From: "Sergio Vandekier" <sergiovandekier990@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Evolution of the embrace II
To: tango-l@mit.edu

Ron says: "In my 2 trips to Buenos Aires, I saw almost no "open embrace
- always"
that could not be attributed to disoriented (i.e., navigation
challenged) apparent tourists, and very little "elastic embrace", even
in less crowded milongas. The main difference I saw was postural
differences (apilado more common downtown, less so away from
downtown). Could you inform us at what milongas one would find a
significant number of dancers in "open embrace - always" or in
"flexible embrace"."
Thank you.

I do not wish to re-start a discussion about which form of embrace is better
or more prevalent.
I have said many times before that tango is very rich, it has different
styles, different embraces, and adjusts itself to different circumstances.
It is excellent for social dancing and for exhibition.
It is improvised and very creative in all its forms. * No style or embrace
is superior to any another one *.
Just dance the way you like and allow the others do the same.

My last paragraph on a prior note said: "At present we have people that
always dance in "close embrace", people that always dance in "open embrace",
people that use an "elastic embrace", people that adapt the embrace to the
circumstances of the moment with respect to available room, type of music,
partner, inspiration, etc. "

I certainly was not limiting that statement to Buenos Aires. I referred to
people all over the world that dance tango today.

IMO this will continue as long as there are instructors teaching tango in
all its forms and possibilities.

As to Buenos Aires, it is convenient to be specific about what we understand
by "open embrace",
It does not mean that we dance at arms length, we dance close, with a
minimal "light" (space) between the chests (as I described before).

In that respect Tango in open embrace is danced in no place and all over,
depending on the available space to dance at certain moment.

A couple of weeks ago we went to "Sunderland" a club in my neighborhood of
Villa Urquiza. Many of my friends from the USA and from here where present.

(Timmy Tango and Joanne from Cleveland, Amy Kalio from Detroit, Osvaldo
Zotto and Lorena, Carlos Copello, and many others such as Anton Gazenbeek
and Sergio, etc.). Osvaldo Zotto and Lorena gave an impromptu exhibition in
typical Salon (elastic embrace).

Most people there dance that style and adjust their embrace (like in many
places) to the available space.

These days there are practicas for almost any style in Buenos Aires. Villa
Malcom, La marshall, Sin Rrumbo, etc.

It is obvious that if you organize a successful milonga, this milonga is
going to be crowded. You will have to dance in very close embrace with short
steps. To have a milonga for Open embrace with all sort of firuletes or
embellishments, plus elaborated moves would mean to have plenty of space
which usually is not available in Buenos Aires, but it is in many places
outside Buenos Aires, in Argentina and abroad as well.

Navigation skills are different and perhaps more difficult to learn for a
tango in elastic embrace with all sort of embellishments. This certainly
can be done socially, it is necessary to adjust the embrace and the type,
and amplitude of embellishments to the available space and circumstances.
You should not dance this way till you are certain of navigating without
colliding or touching other dancers.

Those that are used to dance in different forms are able to do it without
problems.

Those that are used to dancing in open embrace, usually sit and socialize
while the floor is crowded, waiting for the end when there will be more room
so that they can dance.

Many in that group feel that the woman could be bored if they dance only in
close embrace, with short steps, in a repetitious way, with few or no
embellishments. (summary: walks, front or back ochos, simple turns, a few
sacadas, variations in rhythm).

The ones that only dance in close embrace seem to have a strong dislike for
those that dance in open embrace with embellishments. This happens mostly
outside Argentina. This probably is due to the fact that abroad there are
many dancers that are beginners when they go to the milongas and are still
unable to navigate the floor with respect for the other dancers.

The more you know about tango and its different styles the more you will be
able to do under different circumstances without interfering or upseting
anyone.

Best regards, Sergio

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Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 17:57:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ming Mar <ming_mar@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Evolution of the Embrace
To: tango-l@mit.edu

"Close embrace" predated tango, as can be seen in some
of Renoir's paintings. An 1876 painting of an
afternoon dance in Paris can be seen here
<https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/renoir/moulin-galette/>
and three 1883 paintings of dancing couples can be
seen here <https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/renoir/dancers/>.



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