644  outdoor dancing

Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 13:07:38 -0500
From: Bibib Wong <bibibwong@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: outdoor dancing

List members,

In ref to various postings on placing substances (talcum or sand) over the
open dance floor to facilitate dancing, I have a question:

We saw people dancing open air in Bs As, what do they do? What about in NYC
by the fountain area? The ground there is made of old (eroded?) narrow and
rounded edged brick pavers.

Last year I drilled a hole at my sole dancing on concrete <g>. This year we
have asphalt which is smoother, but last night I noticed my feet were also
tired.

Side track: is it rude to recommend to the DJ to pick more steady rhythmic
tunes which hopefully will inspire the leads to attempt close embrace? I
have to admit that it is not an effective solution if the dance community is
not into this style.

Is it fair to say that the leads' part, by nature, may not deploy as much
pivots as the ladies'? I felt that the leads might be stamping away while
being carried away with the beautiful ambiance, without realizing the
potential injury for the followers.

It is an outdoor "milonga", and if I follow the "golden rules" of tango
etiquettes, I should not comment about it.

Am I getting to be too "bitchy"?

BB

Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 12:05:57 -0700
From: Jai Jeffryes <doktordogg@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: outdoor dancing

--- Bibib Wong <bibibwong@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Is it fair to say that the leads' part, by nature,
> may not deploy as much
> pivots as the ladies'? I felt that the leads might
> be stamping away while
> being carried away with the beautiful ambiance,
> without realizing the
> potential injury for the followers.

The leader's part has a lot less pivoting than the
follower's. This is a fundamental difference in the
two parts' vocabulary of movement. This is why men
have to put a lot of extra practice to achieve halfway
decent pivots when they do need them (and back steps
which we also do a lot less of than followers do).

I think it's always appropriate to address issues of
safety with any partner. Usually I say that when
dancing, shut up. Nobody needs a lesson at a milonga.

(I doubt any man who ever told a partner what to do
has ever read this on the list and changed his mind
about it. The dancefloor teachers cavil about it and
ask if this includes "coaching". Yes, it does... just
shut up already.)

I consider safety an exception to the
shut-up-and-dance rule. Nobody's well-being needs to
be jeopardized. It is always correct to address
issues of safety. If your knees are getting hurt, or
you're gonna be dropped, or your gonna be kneed in a
soft spot, it's always correct to speak up.
Hopefully, it's fair to give your partner the benefit
of the doubt that he or she didn't intend to put you
in danger, so the problem can be addressed calmly.

No, this doesn't include a sore neck from getting
leaned on, or mussed up hair.

Jai