2678 re; progress report
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 23:21:56 -0500
From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: re; progress report
Bravo, Randy,
Randy wrote <<<<<<<After all the discussions on starting with walking
vrs the D8CB, I decided to try something different and made the change.
I have a new group that have been comming regulary for 3 months.
Teaching them in open position to start does not work. They will arm
wrestle and stare at each others feet and never learn to dance properly.
After two months of only teaching them to dance in close embrace, from
the start has had amazing results. Yes, it does work. First impressions
are lasting. If they start in the open position they will probably stay
open for the rest of their dancing.>>>>>>>>>
I feel strongly that close embrace "milonguero tango" should be the
first style of tango taught to beginners, and yes; just walking,
walking, walking. And completely without the D8CB included. I believe
that it provides a much stronger basis in the basics of dancing
Argentine Tango. The main key here is for the leaders to learn to stay
forward and lead with the chest, which later actually becomes leading
with the whole body/upper torso, but never with arms. And when beginners
can learn to lead and follow like this, they will have a much better
understanding and knowledge of technique to use later if they want to do
salon or stage or fantasia.
To give my opinion on Michael's questions <<<<<Very exciting! More
details, please! That is to say, what kinds of exercises did you start
them out with? Did you dispense with the practice hold altogether? Your
choice in whether you want to discuss this in open forum or privately.
My partner and I have been debating this ad nauseum, and we're getting
ready to start up a new series of classes. I am *very* interested in the
approach you took. I want to teach only close-embrace (salon or
apilado), but my partner thinks we'll lose students by making them use
close-embrace from the start. That whole "don't want to get physically
close to a stranger" thing.>>>>>>>>
Michael, you bring up a good point here. Us Americans are unused to this
close embrace. Hell, we stand three feet away just to talk to one
another! Here's what I have to say in my experience (starting at very
first with a modified open), but quickly switching to
apilado/milonguero, thank goodness. Hope some of this will help those
interested in teaching or learning Tango Milonguero.
We have a wonderful milonguero/apilado teacher in Houston who starts
like this.
1. Follower's hands on leaders chest (use mostly the heel
of palm for best effect, just above nipples, not on shoulders), with
leader's hands gripping upper arm of follower, very near shoulder.
Leader should use hands to contact BONES of follower, not skin. Show how
PRESSURE is applied in horizontal fashion, never downward, by staying
all the way forward on balls of feet. This is not weight, it's pressure.
Chest up, head up, never look down, arms move only because chest moves.
2. Walk, with music, with emphasis on stepping on the beat.
Leaders to lead with chest, not feet. And followers to REACH back with
their legs stretching from not just the hip, but actually the rib cage,
finding the floor, and allowing their leader to "SEND" them to that
foot. Both leader and follower to be concentrated on moving toward, or
away from, their partner's STERNUM, with feet placed very close to, or
even touching. Leader's left to follower's left, and right to right,
etc.
3. Then some "syncopated" walking featuring both quick
steps and amagues, always reinforcing chest up, head up, no looking at
feet, weight forward, and walking straight toward your partner's middle.
Quick steps to be indicated by slight increase of momentum a split
second in advance. Amague steps to be indicated by leaders trailing heel
not leaving the floor, and making sure he stops when he's right over his
axis. If he goes further than this, he's indicated to his partner that
she's to continue with another step.
All of this provides excellent grounding in milonguero technique, while
allowing the students a little space, and to start getting used to the
very close embrace to follow shortly.
4. Then she modifies the embrace to; leader's left hand
high behind his back, his right hand around his partner. Follower's left
hand on her hip, and her right on leader's chest in same position as
before. This gets the partners just a little closer together, and still
discourages any use of arms to lead or follow. All lead and follow is by
upper torso only. If she detects any pushing, pulling, leaning back,
etc, it's right back to first, (practice) embrace for more work,
emphasizing again the pressure between partners which accentuates the
transmission of intention, etc.
5. Repeat 2 and 3 above, over and over, in this new
embrace.
6. When everybody seems to be getting most of this down,
she'll introduce the milonguero embrace (not salon), and have everybody
practice everything they know in their new, sternum to sternum, all the
way close embrace. This is usually at the fourth to fifth lesson in a
seven-week session. Always reinforcing the same basic
principles....chest up, head up, straight down the middle, always weight
forward.
All of these exercises and preparation seem to help make the class ready
for the close embrace, and very grounded in the basics of Argentine
Tango. The last two classes she'll introduce cross-footed walking, and
the ocho cortada, going back to the first "practice" hold to introduce
them, and allow everyone to move into close embrace as they feel
comfortable in these new steps.
Of course, it's very difficult to really put all this into words, or a
curriculum, or even a class schedule....all classes are different, and I
can't describe adequately Joan Bishop's teaching technique. But I can
say, with authority and finality, that it's the best I've ever
experienced, as far as any beginner's or intermediate classes. For those
interested in learning or teaching Tango Milonguero (not salon)......in
no particular order........Susana Miller, Joan Bishop, Robert Hauk,
Barbara Durr, Robin Thomas, Jennifer Bratt, Cacho Dante, Tom Stermitz,
and several others, I'm sure; but not many others in the U.S., I know!
There is nothing like dancing Tango Milonguero; when you take your
partner in your arms, and settle the situation with your breathing, and
take off with the slightest of plie's......its heaven!
Warm regards, and happy Tango Milonguero to all,
Michael from Houston
michaelfigart@yahoo.com
281-731-5237
