2722  Fast-Track Teaching Apilado or "Milonguero" Style Dancing

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 12:11:34 -0600
From: Brian Dunn <brian@DANCEOFTHEHEART.COM>
Subject: Fast-Track Teaching Apilado or "Milonguero" Style Dancing

Dear List,

What is the FASTEST way of mastering apilado technique (frequently referred
to as "milonguero style")? Here is a method that works for us:


1. Get everybody into couples, and practice the following "asymmetrical
commitment": the LEADER can stand alone, stable and secure, with his weight
in the foward part of the balls of his feet, and perhaps slightly up into
his toes. The follower should settle into the leader "headlight to
headlight", with no hands, while he remains strong and stable like this, and
take up a slightly MORE COMMITTED posture in which she REQUIRES the leader
to be there to remain stable for her own security. Test this by having the
follower back away from the leader: he should have no difficulty standing on
his own. Then have the leader back GENTLY away from the follower NO MORE
THAN AN INCH OR SO, and see if she "falls into him." Reassure the
followers that "this is only a test." Don't do this while dancing -
partners are just weight-shifting at this point. Practice this until
everybody gets it.


2. Have the FOLLOWER procure from somewhere a nickel or a quarter (dimes and
pennies are less satisfactory). If necessary, the teacher(s) give the
FOLLOWER an appropriate coin.


3. Have the leader take up a forward-projecting position as indicated above,
with vertical spine and neck, and forward-tilting legs with a flex at both
hips and knees. WAIT FOR HER in this position.


4. Have the follower place the coin on her own solar plexus (a little below
the sternum) OR on the leader's solar plexus (her call) and HOLD IT THERE
while she takes up the embrace with the leader, as described above.


5. Once she removes her hand from the coin, the couple settles into the
embrace, with hands and arms placed as desired. REGARDLESS of hands and
arms, their MUTUAL goal is to keep the coin, the physical symbol of their
metaphysical connection, in place throughout the dance. ALL ELSE (fancy
footwork, rigid technique goals, what the last teacher said, etc.) is
secondary to this goal for the purpose of this exercise.


6. For most people starting this exercise, the coin will fall between them
at some time, with much mutual hilarity for the couple. Chase the coin down
and GIVE IT TO THE FOLLOWER to place on herself again, and renew the
process. Discuss issues that come up, and suggest solutions.


7. Rotate partners, but the FOLLOWER keeps the coin.


8. More advanced dancers can then take on "apilado challenges" to execute
various kinds of moves without dropping the coin. If you keep the coin up,
it's apilado.


In our experience this exercise is very successful, and produces the fastest
results. We use it as the keystone of a set of exercises and techniques
focusing on different types of connection, and how to test the presence or
absence of different kinds of connection in different situations.

Try it, I think you'll like it. I'll continue in another posting about why
I think this exercise seems to work so well...

A bit of background: In between four tango trips to Buenos Aires and three
to Europe, my partner Deb Sclar and I have been teaching tango, hosting
milongas and events, and DJing in Boulder and Denver for the last five years
(full-time for the last two). In that time, we have taught thousands of
people in group classes and hundreds of private lessons (300 so far this
year) in the Colorado market, which as Sergio noted, can be characterized as
primarily "close embrace salon" dancing. Over the years, the vast majority
of our clients and students are interested in improving their close embrace
social tango dancing, without any reference to "milonguero style" in
particular. In our own social dancing, we dance primarily close embrace
salon, and also enjoy apilado/"milonguero" dancing and "nuevo tango" with
the right partner and music.

All the best,
Brian Dunn
Dance of the Heart
Boulder, Colorado USA
www.danceoftheheart.com

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 16:25:01 -0400
From: Mary Ellen Tormey <metormey@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Fast-Track Teaching Apilado or "Milonguero" Style Dancing

Brian wrote wonderfully picturesque and helpful descriptions of how to learn
to "assume the position" of Apilado or "Milonguero" Style:

<<4. Have the follower place the coin on her own solar plexus (a little
below the sternum) OR on the leader's solar plexus (her call) and HOLD IT
THERE while she takes up the embrace with the leader, as described above. >>

Great advice, but it occurred to me that some tanguera are designed such
that they would never be mistaken for a young boy. Other than binding the
breasts for this exercise, what would you recommend??? In your experience
does this really work without the woman having to arch her back in a painful
way?

Best,

Maire

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 18:30:19 -0600
From: Deb Sclar <deb@DANCEOFTHEHEART.COM>
Subject: Re: Fast-Track Teaching Apilado or "Milonguero" Style Dancing

Maire wrote:

"Great advice, but it occurred to me that some tanguera are designed such
that they would never be mistaken for a young boy. Other than binding the
breasts for this exercise, what would you recommend??? In your experience
does this really work without the woman having to arch her back in a painful
way?"

Thanks for sharing your response to Brian's note, and for asking a great
question. At Brian's suggestion, I'm taking the liberty of replying to you.
As Brian's teaching, performing and life partner, I contribute equally to
designing exercises such as this one for our students.

Your question is a great one because, with our lady students (myself
included!), the issue of practicing tango WHILE protecting ones' back
(regardless of cup size!!!), is a VITAL one. Exercising good posture that
protects the health of our spines not only enhances the full pleasure and
promise every dance holds, but ensures our ability to dance for MANY years
into the future, not to mention 'lasting' through an all-night milonga or
tango festival without being reduced to crawling off to the chiropractor on
Monday morning, for example!

Getting back to the 'coin' exercise Brian described, my suggestions to
followers involves an exploration of adjustments to body posture with
SPECIFIC respect to easing any tension experienced in the spine. I encourage
followers to relax their knees, focusing their weight forward in the balls
of their feet with open toes. It's important also to have individuals
experiment with deepness of knee-bend and its' affect on the lower back -
students can make important discoveries about where/how they hold tension
and/or release it in direct relationship to locking or unlocking their
knees.

Another point of exploration: relaxing toward your leaders' center with YOUR
center (NOT your upper body!) is also key (and MUCH lighter for the
gentleman - protecting HIS spine as well, a 2 for 1). Maintaining this
connection feels lovely and permits the possibility for ladies to lengthen
naturally through the spine without stress. You might discover this has the
additional benefit of 'freeing' your feet, legs and hips so they feel light,
flexible and available for all kinds of simple or complex vocabulary.

If I lock my knees, arch my chest away or collapse in my upper body to go
for the dreaded 'head' lead, the spine is distorted, which will only lead,
at best, to discomfort later (but probably SOONER!). Plus, it doesn't LOOK
comfortable, either!

That said, every BODY is different. Any suggestions we teachers make are
JUST that: suggestions. Ultimately, the individual has to honestly discover
what feels and works best in THEIR body to promote freedom and ease of
movement within the tango vocabulary.

Hoping this is useful in addressing your concern/question...please keep me
posted if you pursue this exercise further - we'd be very interested in your
experience and will be glad to provide and/or field additional comments.

Saludos & happy spines to all,

Deb Sclar
www.danceoftheheart.com

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 20:57:02 -0500
From: "Christopher L. Everett" <ceverett@CEVERETT.COM>
Subject: Re: Fast-Track Teaching Apilado or "Milonguero" Style Dancing

Deb Sclar wrote:

><snip>
>
>If I lock my knees, arch my chest away or collapse in my upper body to go
>for the dreaded 'head' lead, the spine is distorted, which will only lead,
>at best, to discomfort later (but probably SOONER!). Plus, it doesn't LOOK
>comfortable, either!
>

Many of the leaders I admire, have very erect spines and well bent (often
15 to 20 degrees) knees and keep their shoulders quite level (with very
specific exceptions). Such men often have very slim waists.

Other very good dancers with a larger stomach lean forward more while still
keeping their backs straight, possibly (I'm guessing here) to offer a more
vertical chest surface, which followers might find more comfortable or
easier to follow.

I have a small gut myself, and I've noticed that leaning forward can make
my butt stick out--very uncomfortable, especially in the middle part of the
right side near the point of the shoulder blade where all the tension
gathers.
Another problem I notice is that my knees easily lock out in neutral
position
with my butt sticking out--A Bad Thing (TM).

Speaking only for myself, elongating my spine makes dancing in close
embrace
much more comfortable, especially with shorter partners, where leaning over
them to accommodate them doesn't seem to help them anyway, and just plain
hurts my body. Tucking my tailbone in a bit (to a neutral position--not
all
the way forward) makes keeping my spine elongated and knees bent much
easier.
As a bonus my balance also markedly improves when I do this.
Altogether, this
combination makes a night and day difference in my dancing: I gain comfort
and fluidity and followers feel a clearer lead.

Of course, as I have no teaching qualifications, none of this constitutes
advice to beginners or any such thing. But some people may find it food
for thought.

--Christopher