62  Lifting

Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 11:45:09 -0700
From: Sergio <sergio@NCINTER.NET>
Subject: Lifting

">From a female perspective, who receives both leads from various leaders, I
strongly disagree with being "lifted", even slightly. "

When it come to "calesita" the lead is "please stay on your axis on one leg
and rotate". this message can be conveyed by naturally placing the follower
on her right leg keeping her there and then rotating.

There are advance dancers that use the "pressure" on the left axillary area
(arm pit) to indicate : normal dancing (normal frame), lifting (this is very
subtle) to indicate "elevate" the body or the leg, when the leg is brought
up during adagio or wrapping of the leg around the body of the leader.To
indicate "down" by removing the presence of the arm from the arm pit
downward, at this time the follower goes down and extends one of her legs to
the side. This could also be lead by applying pressure downward on the
followers back or side.

A lifting of the right hand of the man (this could be done on the back of
the lady) also is used to indicate, "Syncopate" or to indicate "lock behind"
as the man walks backward and the lady forward, so she will lock her right
foot behind the right one.
The pressure is removed: she does not lock, the pressure up is applied : she
locks.Sometimes, mostly in milonga indicates both lock behind and syncopate
at the same time.
The word "lifting" is used to indicate a slight pressure, very subtle lead.
It does not mean that the lady is really elevated or pushed up with energy.

Going back to "Calesita", when it is originated from other places different
from the typical after the step to the side, then this
so called "lifting" becomes more useful.

Any lead is a combination of several elements of which the body and the
chest are the most important ones but when more complicated figures are done
then there is requirement for other 'marks'.
When you dance milonga with contrapaso (syncopating) you certainly alternate
steps done on the beat with syncopations.
You have to coordinate those steps with your follower, the lifting indicates
"syncopate" the removal of the lifting indicates
"go back to the regular beat".

Finally there are several schools when it comes to leading, they all combine
body and hands, some use hands more, others try to use the chest as much as
possible and decrease or omit the use of hands all together. One way is not
superior to the other, when done properly. Both schools are important and
there are elegant examples of both of them.
Nito and Elba or Osvaldo Zotto on one side and Gustavo Naveira on the other.
At times the shifting of the body to change weight from one side to the
other to induce boleos and amagues could look more obvious or even awkward
than the subtle use of hands in combination with the right frame and timing.

Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 01:43:26 +0900
From: astrid <astrid@RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP>
Subject: Re: Lifting

when the leg is brought

> up during adagio or wrapping of the leg around the body of the leader.

What is "adagio" ?

Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 02:35:21 +0800
From: michael ditkoff <tangomaniac@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Lifting

I've been following the messages about calesita and how to lead it. I lead women into calesita from the cross or after leading her to step side left (from her perspective.) In both cases I have her on her left foot whereas others use her right foot. The slight lift on her frame, not on her arm, tells her "don't move."

I had to practice going in a circle so as the woman doesn't lose her balance or break her back. I used a circular garbage can to practice molinetes. This helped me make sure my calesita was a circle and not some other geometric figure.

Michael
Looking forward to the New York Tango Festival next week.
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