5198  No arms?

Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:04:05 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
From: "Melroy" <melroyr@xtra.co.nz>
Subject: [Tango-L] No arms?
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>

A while ago, at a milonga, there was a little game.
We had to dance with random partners, with just a balloon between our
chests!
No arms, and we had to move around the floor in line of dance, preferably to
the music, while others watched us sharply.
I'm not sure if there were any other rules or things to do, but if you lost
your balloon you were out!

I can say from experience that in this situation it is definitely possible
to lead back steps etc. (carefully).
I don't want to think about the physics of it, but it was a lot of fun!
Not to compare with actually dancing Tango of course.

Mel.

Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:09:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: steve pastor <tang0man2005@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] No arms?
To: Nina Pesochinsky <nina@earthnet.net>, tango-l@mit.edu

Perhaps you are familiar with the Tango and Chaos site by Rick McGarrey. This text is from
the site https://www.tangoandchaos.org/chapt_2secrets/7natural.htm

"First, the dancers in the following pictures stay straight and centered so that the muscles
in the back, legs, ankles, and feet can relax. Forward movement is first led by the upper
body... it begins with a slight tipping forward, leading with the chest. This communicates the
energy to the follower just before the step is taken, and it allows both partners to remain tall
and upright. The torso and upper body of the leader should surge forward and arrive right over
the leading leg when it touches the floor, so that all of the weight is instantly transferred onto
a straight leg. The result is the classic tango walk???surging forward with the music, and
stepping solidly into the floor. The couple should flow effortlessly, using the weight of the
torso for forward momentum, without excessive pushing from the legs and ankles of the
leader."

I have had several to many instructors who teach this way of leading.
Perhaps you would like to comment on this information?

Nina Pesochinsky <nina@earthnet.net> wrote:
It is an incredible mistake to teach people to dance without arms.
Great male dancers never lead "from the chest". Instead, they lead

>from the embrace, which includes everything. Leading "from the chest"

results in dancers walking like chickens and stepping on the woman
because the arms that hold her are asleep. Not to mention annoying
the women with a dead, empty embrace.

If you don't like holding women in your embrace, then you are right -
you do not need the arms.

Where did people get these ideas of "leading from the chest"? I have
never heard any of the great masters (Mingo Pugliese, Carlos Gavito,
Pepito Avellaneda, and others) to ever teach this. The embrace is
what ahs always been emphasized.

Best,

Nina



Quoting Miguel Canals :

>> Melroy wrote:
>>
>> A while ago, at a milonga, there was a little game.
>> We had to dance with random partners, with just a balloon between our
>> chests!
>
>
> A milonga? I'll be sure I stay away from any milonga run by the organizer/DJ.
>
> That aside. I've done this exercise in class to emphasize the
> importance of having the torsos of the dancers facing each other
> (dis-association). I've also done lots of exercises of leading with
> no hands to emphasize the importance of leading with the chest in
> close embrace.
>
> MC.
>
>
> Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people.
> Go to Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at
>
>

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