2654 feet?
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 22:50:58 -0500
From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: feet?
Bandito de Tango writes, <<<<Beginners usually tell me they prefer open
embrace because they can't see
their feet and that really freaks them out!>>>>>>>
My tango opinion only....I don't want anybody watching their feet;
whether it be leaders or followers,
Or close-embrace or open...
One of the most important parts of tango, whether close or open, is for
the follower to be able to feel the lead, no matter what style, without
looking at his or her feet.
Followers; close your eyes, and don't ever compensate....do exactly as
you feel your leader tells you to do. If it's wrong; great! They'll
learn to change their lead. If it's right, they are reinforced, and will
do it even better next time.
For followers; just take it easy, and do exactly what your leader's lead
says to do; that's the only way they'll learn good Argentine Tango. I
know; it sucks that you must put up with us, and I apologize for our
slow start, but damnit; we do the best we can!!
And to all followers....slow, slow, slow!!!! Slow your partner down,
nice and easy.....This is my biggest problem with beginners, and tango
list (what do you think?) I have to continually, over and over, tell my
beginner/intermediate partner to slow it down....no matter how slow I
go, and try to transmit......
Whether open or close, the leader has to have some resistance to work
with. Granted; fifteen years from now it may require very little, but
for now....please provide something to work with; lots of resistance and
responsiveness. But absolutely no watching feet!!!!
What do you think?
Michael from Texas
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 00:15:12 EDT
From: Mallpasso@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: feet?
I should clarify myself:
Beginners usually tell me they prefer open embrace because they can't see
their feet *in close embrace* and that really freaks them out!
In a message dated 8/16/2004 20:52:49 Pacific Standard Time,
michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM writes:
Bandito de Tango writes, <<<<Beginners usually tell me they prefer open
embrace because they can't see
their feet and that really freaks them out!>>>>>>>
My tango opinion only....I don't want anybody watching their feet;
whether it be leaders or followers,
Or close-embrace or open...
I agree!
One of the most important parts of tango, whether close or open, is for
the follower to be able to feel the lead, no matter what style, without
looking at his or her feet.
No problems there!
Followers; close your eyes, and don't ever compensate....do exactly as
you feel your leader tells you to do. If it's wrong; great! They'll
learn to change their lead. If it's right, they are reinforced, and will
do it even better next time.
Difficult for new followers!
For followers; just take it easy, and do exactly what your leader's lead
says to do; that's the only way they'll learn good Argentine Tango. I
know; it sucks that you must put up with us, and I apologize for our
slow start, but damnit; we do the best we can!!
No problems there either.
And to all followers....slow, slow, slow!!!! Slow your partner down,
nice and easy.....This is my biggest problem with beginners, and tango
list (what do you think?) I have to continually, over and over, tell my
beginner/intermediate partner to slow it down....no matter how slow I
go, and try to transmit......
Yeah, I have to slow the new followers too.
Whether open or close, the leader has to have some resistance to work
with. Granted; fifteen years from now it may require very little, but
for now....please provide something to work with; lots of resistance and
responsiveness. But absolutely no watching feet!!!!
Amen!
El Bandito de Tango
What do you think?
Michael from Texas
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 02:20:12 EDT
From: LGMoseley@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: feet?
Agree. Look at your feet when you are learning, but ignore them when you are
dancing. In any case, looking at your feet tends to lower you head. That is
heavy, and leads to you losing your own balance, and to causing your partner
to lose theirs.
Laurie
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 11:01:42 -0700
From: Jean-Marie Herve Michel <jhmichel@STANFORD.EDU>
Subject: Re: feet?
Yeah, i think the beginner should not watch his feet but the leader has to
understand that the follower could trip and injure him/her(self)
I rmeber during a yoga session, i was doing something complicated and the
instructor just said relax and my muscle started relaxing and he said that
resisting gives pain and wispered let it go and my muscles turned to
butter. I take that as a life lesson. I rmeber my first session was 5
minute and I was exhausted and he did a good job and gradualy build me
back to 1 hour.
It's the sae in everything.
herve
Quoting Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@yahoo.com>:
> Bandito de Tango writes, <<<<Beginners usually tell me they prefer open
> embrace because they can't see
>
> their feet and that really freaks them out!>>>>>>>
>
>
>
> My tango opinion only....I don't want anybody watching their feet;
> whether it be leaders or followers,
>
> Or close-embrace or open...
>
>
>
> One of the most important parts of tango, whether close or open, is for
> the follower to be able to feel the lead, no matter what style, without
> looking at his or her feet.
>
>
>
> Followers; close your eyes, and don't ever compensate....do exactly as
> you feel your leader tells you to do. If it's wrong; great! They'll
> learn to change their lead. If it's right, they are reinforced, and will
> do it even better next time.
>
>
>
> For followers; just take it easy, and do exactly what your leader's lead
> says to do; that's the only way they'll learn good Argentine Tango. I
> know; it sucks that you must put up with us, and I apologize for our
> slow start, but damnit; we do the best we can!!
>
>
>
> And to all followers....slow, slow, slow!!!! Slow your partner down,
> nice and easy.....This is my biggest problem with beginners, and tango
> list (what do you think?) I have to continually, over and over, tell my
> beginner/intermediate partner to slow it down....no matter how slow I
> go, and try to transmit......
>
>
>
> Whether open or close, the leader has to have some resistance to work
> with. Granted; fifteen years from now it may require very little, but
> for now....please provide something to work with; lots of resistance and
> responsiveness. But absolutely no watching feet!!!!
>
>
>
> What do you think?
>
>
>
> Michael from Texas
>
>
> LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU.
>
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 15:22:21 -0400
From: Miamidances@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: feet?
Beginners worst enemy, their feet. The dance doesnt matter, it happens in all of styles of dance. Beginners think that they need to see their feet. The only time they should look at their feet is when they are in class, without a partner, and looking into the mirror. For those of you that dont have mirrors I feel sorry for you, Ive have had to work without mirrors in the past.
Even with 60 feet of mirrors for students to look into, the students that are having problems, are looking down at their feet, or at the instructors feet, THEY NEED TO LOOK AT AND SEE THEIR OWN FEET, LOOKING INTO THE MIRROR ONLY. This is the only time students should look at their feet.
When they get into dance position they should look where they are going, not where they are stepping. This is one of the toughest things to get thru students heads. I wish I knew the answer other than, STOP LOOKING AT YOUR FEET. I told one student to get a neck brace and force himself to stop looking at his feet.
One of the funniest sights is new students walking forward and backward, attempting to go in a straight line. Sober adults and children do the strangest things when the first try to walk in a straight line. I like to joke with the adults, and tell them that this practice for their DUI roadside sobriety test.
Tango Forever
Randy
