750  Which is harder, leading or following ?

Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 11:45:45 +0900
From: astrid <astrid@RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Which is harder, leading or following ?

Huck Kennedy argues:
(quote Evan)

> > I could not disagree more strongly with the latter point,
> > though. It is often assumed that leading is more difficult
> > than following [...]
> >
> > This, however, has nothing to do with the comparative
> > difficulties of the two roles. It is simply a consequence
> > of the fact that it is the lead who initiates movements for
> > the couple--nothing more.
>
> "Nothing more?" Huh?

Yes, Huck, and the woman executes those movements. Compared to the woman's
movements, the man's moves are rather simple (ok, the giro enrosque is
difficult. What else ?). To give you another one of those authentic
Argentine tanguero quotes: "Without the woman, the man's dance is nothing."

>
> Look at it it this way -- if even a modest follower can
> dance with his or her eyes closed, how can it possibly be as
> hard as leading?

Now, before all our male specialists on this list get together, slap each
other on the shoulder and tell the world what the woman's role really
amounts to, let me point out, that your statement just shows, how little you
have understood of the follower's role.
The woman is not navigating, she is not paying attention to other dancers,
she is listening to the man. She is directing all her senses towards the
man, and is trying to perceive his smallest hint of a move, because in many
cases it is difficult to know what the man will do next.
In order to be able to concentrate better, and shut out other outside
perception, so that the man's lead can become the sole stimulus that enters
her consciousness, she closes her eyes....

>
> Following is a different skill, is difficult, but...please,
> let's get real.

Yes, let's get real, Huck. We don't need any unreflected big talking.

>

.Gavito then said, "A follower, if she works

> hard, can become good within, oh, five months." Another
> pause, while the audience digested this. Then Marcela
> said, "For a leader, there is so much...learning the
> music, how to express,...to become good, ten years."
>
> That's good enough testimony for me.
>

Let me give you a few more samples of what godlike Gavito says to his
students. "I have been dancing tango for 48 years. And I am still learning."
(the students humbly lower their eyes and contemplate their wormlike
existence in his divine presence.) "I prefer to teach students who have no
dance experience at all. Studying for years with other teachers will only
make a student develop a lot of bad habits." (the student lowers her eyes
and understands, that all her dance skills are worth nothing, nothing in
front of this master, and that she will have to start all over again,
acquiring his special style, preferably in a series of private lessons for
150 $ a piece) I was not among those he asked to go home with him, so I
cannot tell you, what else Gavito will say about himself in private...

Astrid

P.S.
I still love to watch Gavito on stage, but without Marcela it is only half
as fascinating...