First, I want to thank Igor for bringing this up, more or less bolding going where no man has gone before (I exaggerate, of course.) I came close to commenting on a light is characteristic of better dancers post a short time ago. "Resistance" creates a better connection between two bodies. It can help create a feeling of two bodies being joined so well that the man feels the woman's steps almost as if they are his own. It is similar to the sense we have of where the parts of our own body are - proprioception. (Good posture and clear transfer of weigh when stepping are also required.) I have seen over and over again, that women learn to "give more resistance" from their instructors. As time goes on, they forget this lesson as they are told repeatedly by male dancers that they are "being too heavy". This is think of as the community leveling effect. There seems to be a desire to achieve technical excellence and the ability to follow with barely a touch. This comes at the expense of the more earthy feeling of two bodies being joined in dance. And, as Igor points out (I think), it also comes at the expense of eliminating some movement vocabulary. This "lite" form of tango, to me, has more of a intellectual flavor. I've begun to think of it as "Nice Tango". And, by the way, more resistance can be achieved without "muscle tension", just as running downhill can be done without much effort by letting gravity move your body. Neither way of dancing AT is more right, except in the preferences of the dancer. I prefer more resistance, rather than less. I admit though, that I too, am awaiting Igor's post on scientific evidence. The complexities of the human body have so far defied my feeble attempts at quantification.
Michael <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Igor: I now exactly what resistance is-- and why it's bad for dancing. There's a big difference between a firm lead--and resistance. Why would I want a woman to resist my lead? I want my partner and I to move around the floor like figure skaters, effortlessly, with minimal effort. Resistance causes muscles to tense and it's difficult to move a tense muscle. I went to a yoga therapist for three years to squeeze the tension out of my body, there was so much. I am so sorry you feel you have to dance with resistance. I'm even sorrier for your partners who have to dance with resistance. Michael I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango ----- Original Message ----- From: "Igor Polk" To: "'Michael'" ; "'Igor Polk'" ; Cc: Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 3:48 PM Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect Dear Michael I am so sorry you have no idea what resistance is.. Once you learn it, you will find it for yourself that you do not need any "substantiation". You just will not want to dance in any other way. Still, there is substantiation. I wrote quite a lot about in on my website. Not complete yet, sorry.. Igor Polk -----Original Message----- From: Michael [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 12:23 To: Igor Polk; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected]; Michael Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect Igor: I agree completely with Carol that less resistance is desired. Resistance causes muscles to tense and when they tense, it's difficult to move them. However, you wrote that there is strong scientific substantiation. Where is the substantiation. Michael I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango ----- Original Message ----- From: "Igor Polk" To: Cc: Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 2:00 PM Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect I missed that, sorry.. Carol: "the more advanced the dancer, the less resistance is desired, because it allows more nuance." Actually it is opposite: Stronger resistance in body and in hands allows way more nuances. And there is strong scientific substantiation to that. Igor Polk _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l --------------------------------- Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
