Exactly. This is the difference between following and dancing.
At 09:27 AM 9/23/2007, Tom Stermitz wrote: >My main point is that the follower's musicality is expressed to a >great degree by the quality and changes she puts into the connection. >By changing her connection and choosing her movements she decorates >time, space and movement. I guess she is also decorating his >thoughts.... Sometimes he notices. > >This creates extraordinarily luscious dances. A "perfect" follower >who does everything I lead but doesn't use this quality of >connection, is boring, like she doesn't have a personality or a voice. > >On Sep 23, 2007, at 12:33 AM, Krasimir Stoyanov wrote: > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Tom Stermitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Tango-L" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 2:14 AM > > Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect > > > > > > Some comments: > > > >> - by resisting movement or self-powering, > > > > This will effectively destroy the dance, both resisting or self- > > powering are > > LEADING, not following. > >Apparently you have never experienced this. Have you ever danced with >a good Argentine follower. Have you ever danced with a really good >follower who absolutely knows the music? There is a a quality of >leading in the followers role, just as there is a certain amount of >follow in the lead. > > >> - by allowing stationary or moving momentum to slow the changes of > >> tempo > > > > Slow the changes of tempo? What do you mean by that? > >A body at rest has stationary momentum. In order to start moving, it >needs a force (Newtonian Physics). The question is how fast or slowly >this occurs. Maybe there is more force applied in a short time, or >force is resisted/delayed in order to slow the movement. > > >> - by leaning or being more vertical, > > > > In a tango danced correctly, the leader determines the lean, not the > > follower. This follows from the walking technique, the follower cannot > > manage the lean without doing incorrect things with the posture. > >Both parties can determine the lean. Personallly, I don't like the >big lean, but it is always an option. > > > >> - by pushing into the floor or pushing off, > > > > This needs clarification, every body pushes into the floor, > > otherwise they > > will fall down. What is pushing off the floor? Changes of the > > height above > > the floor are very important instrument for the leader, so it is > > not correct > > for the follower to modulate it. > >When a follower changes weight, she presses the ball of her foot into >the earth, settles into her hips and engages. It is nice when her >connection also engages with the leader. At the beginning of a step >the leader has more pushing-off ability than she has resistance, so >her resistance is more futile (so to speak). Still, she can resist or >go easily. On the other hand, when the follower arrives to the next >step the leader is at the end of his stride, so if she engages >strongly with the floor she can slow him down. Although this is an >option, personally, I find it to be heavy. > > >> - by allowing a slower response or a more sprightly response. > > > > Correct walking while following simply reacts passively to the > > lead, if it > > is slow, the reaction is slow, etc. > > Slowing a lead is not something good for the dance, it destroys the > > rithm, > > and should be avoided, unless there is a serious reason. > > Sharping a slow, smooth lead is a disaster in most cases. > >Absolutely untrue. Passive reaction is extraordinarily boring. > >I do feel a large part of the musicality comes from the leader who is >proposing the steps. But, the follower does need to contribute. > > > >> - by slowing or speeding up the speed of the moving leg > > > > I agree with this, but must be done very carefully. > > > > In fact, this is the only instrument for a follower to use freely - > > the > > moving leg. But still, it requires a lot of experience for it to > > work in a > > good manner. > >To arrive at intermediate, a follower needs to learn how to follow >the steps in the basic sense. This issue of slowing or smoothing the >free is easily learned at this point, and is one of the essential >quality-of-movement requirements for her to ACHIEVE intermediate. > > >> - by resisting or releasing early or late in the movement > > > > This would be very bad thing unless the skill level is unbelievably > > high. > > And as we all do not posses such skills, it is not for us. > >I'm not talking about beginners. I'm talking about the transition >from intermediate to advanced. > > >> - by resisting or releasing early or late in the music > > > > Could you elaborate? > >She can speed up the first half of the stride or the second half. >This can be with respect to the music or with respect to the leader's >movement. She can rush her weight change, or she can hold back to the >"T" of the BEAT. In other words she can decorate TIME OR SPACE. > > > >> - by leaving a step or arriving to a step early or late with > >> respect to the music or lead. > > > > Possibly, but again - it is a high level skill. Usually this is > > simply bad > > follow. > > > >> (2) The manner in which the woman engages with her partner IS THE > >> FIRST AND MOST INTERESTING > >> decoration in tango. It is one of the most significant ways for the > >> woman to express musicality. Decorating the connection is far more > >> interesting than the visible decorations we usually think about. > > > > Interesting, could you tell us more about this idea? > >Basically, this entire post is about how the follower decorates the >connection. > > > >Tom Stermitz >Denver and San Diego Tango Festivals >http://www.tango.org > >_______________________________________________ >Tango-L mailing list >[email protected] >http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
