1697  What is a boleo

Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 01:54:18 -0400
From: Sergio <cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: What is a boleo

This note is intended to be read by beginners or by those that do not know
how to execute a boleo.

It is understood that the boleo is done by dancers that possess the skill to
have a good frame, and to execute weight changes properly.

Boleo is an adornment (un firulete-un adorno). It may be executed by the
man and by the woman. It may be done with either leg. It may be done alone
or in combination with other adornments.

The Boleo is done at the back.
Hooking your own leg to the front is called an "Amague". Some people trying
to simplify the terminology will call an Amague 'a front boleo'.

A boleo is done keeping the knees together side by side or the leg that does
the boleo places the knee behind the knee that supports the body.
It is a sudden movement towards the back, crossing the standing leg done
with the leg flexed at about 90 degrees for a high boleo or crossing
caressing the floor for a low one.

Practice is done as follows: 1- Step to the side with left and transfer your
weight to your left leg. 2-Bring your right foot close to the left one
caressing the floor with your foot.
3- Your weight is on the left leg, bend the right one 90 degrees. 4 - Pivot
on your left foot 90 degrees to your right. (you end up looking to the wall
that was to your right). 5 - Pivot on left back to the front (you go back to
look to the front wall). 6 - Your right leg is still bent 90 degrees, bring
your foot down close to the other. 7 - Open your right leg to the right.
This brings you to the position you had when you started this exercise, legs
apart. You may repeat as necessary. Keep your knees together as you execute
the boleo.

It is lead in several different ways. I will describe a simple form.
A (back)boleo of the woman executed with her left leg is done as follows:

You step side left with your left foot, at the same time you lead the lady
to step to her right side, with her right foot (step #2 of the base).

She is on her right foot now, as you lead the beginning of a back ocho. (She
would want to cross back with her left leg) but you interrupt that movement
using your right hand on her back. This causes her to flick back with her
left foot and pivoting on her right one, return her left leg to the front to
a resting position, by the other foot, or if properly led to combine the
back boleo with a front one (Amague), from here if properly led another back
boleo and a return to the front, to a resting position or to a front ocho.

The boleo could be small and low (a low boleo) or more obvious with pivoting
of the support leg of the woman (her right one in this case) a high boleo.
Some high boleos describe like and interrogation sign with the foot. (the
foot starts low and then elevates) as it is executed.

The type of boleo, high or low, may be lead by a slight pressure on the back
of the lady with the right hand, downward (indicates a low boleo) or upward
(indicates a high one).

Leading is a very practical matter it is difficult to describe it with words
although Tom Stermitz did it very eloquently and with precision.

Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 00:56:03 -0600
From: Tom Stermitz <Stermitz@RAGTIME.ORG>
Subject: Re: What is a boleo

>This note is intended to be read by beginners or by those that do not know
>how to execute a boleo.
>
>It is understood that the boleo is done by dancers that possess the skill to
>have a good frame, and to execute weight changes properly.
>
>Boleo is an adornment (un firulete-un adorno). It may be executed by the
>man and by the woman. It may be done with either leg. It may be done alone
>or in combination with other adornments.
>
>The Boleo is done at the back.
> Hooking your own leg to the front is called an "Amague". Some people trying
>to simplify the terminology will call an Amague 'a front boleo'.
>
>A boleo is done keeping the knees together side by side or the leg that does
>the boleo places the knee behind the knee that supports the body.
>It is a sudden movement towards the back, crossing the standing leg done
>with the leg flexed at about 90 degrees for a high boleo or crossing
>caressing the floor for a low one.

Sergio describes certain methodologies for executing a boleo.

My conception of boleo is slightly different from his. If I
understand his 90 degree boleo with knees together, then he is
describing a particular form where the body does not spiral, which I
first saw with Esther Pugliese..it is wicked fast.


My personal preference is boleos where the body spirals and the
supporting foot pivots on the ground. The leader's body either goes
with it or counter to it. The energy contained in a counter-body
boleo is pretty awesome.

So, (if I understand Sergio's comment) we have distinguished
FUNDAMNTALLY different boleos. There are many STYLISTICALLY
differentiated boleos; I personally concentrate on the spiraling
class, not the knees-together class.


So, for me, a boleo is a rebounding, spiralling action, led by the
leader executed by the follower (an interrupted ocho). The amague
(the fake) is something else, more of a "self-gancho" rather than a
boleo. I really don't use it much in my style.

If the boleo is defined this way, then the many varieties of boleo
have to do with energy and stylistic decorations by the follower
(high/low, early/late, circular/straight, front/back). I'm not an
expert in all these varieties.

Separating the DECORATION of the boleo from the FUNDAMENTAL movement
of a boleo, is pretty helpful when we wish explore all the stylistic
variations. The leader worries about the energy, the follower has
some freedom to decorate in different ways.

There are a number of really good women who can demonstrate the
stylistic variations. I particularly appreciate Florencia Taccetti,
who must have nearly 20 years of tango on top of a sound ballet
foundation.

I also love Gloria Arquimbo's boleo decorations. Simply stunning.


--

Tom Stermitz
https://www.tango.org/
stermitz@tango.org
303-388-2560