Feeling the Man's Steps?

[JohnEm]

What registers to me as a follower is "noise". . . . . . .

The follower handles most of the work. The leader's primary responsibility is safety and navigation. This all starts from a clear signal. So how does a leader produce a clear signal? He reduces "noise". We've talked a lot about how the leader should step in this thread, but if we try to distill the comments, it really comes down to Stability. Noise is caused by extra muscle movements, above that which is needed to convey the lead. After a leader is able to reduce the noise they are producing through their body, then they can start deliberately adding it back in as a musical element. But it must be DELIBERATE.

Beautifully clear explanation!

 

[AndaBien]

...The leader's primary responsibility is safety and navigation. This all starts from a clear signal. So how does a leader produce a clear signal? He reduces "noise". We've talked a lot about how the leader should step in this thread, but if we try to distill the comments, it really comes down to Stability. Noise is caused by extra muscle movements, above that which is needed to convey the lead. After a leader is able to reduce the noise they are producing through their body, then they can start deliberately adding it back in as a musical element. But it must be DELIBERATE.

I think this is a good explanation.

When I began learning tango I would often ask teachers how to lead various steps. (If I didn't know that, I didn't know the step.) Their answers were often, "Well, you just lead it". I didn't get that for a long time, but I gradually figured out that that was the correct answer.

Sometimes I think of leading as pushing a shopping cart through a crowded store. All the leader has to do is establish a good connection and guide it in the direction he wants to go. (You could even do it to the background music, if you wanted to). No one would have to ask where to put their feet. Of course, the leader would have to focus attention on the cart, and not just give it signals as to where to go.

 

[dchester]

The leader's primary responsibility is safety and navigation. This all starts from a clear signal. So how does a leader produce a clear signal? He reduces "noise". We've talked a lot about how the leader should step in this thread, but if we try to distill the comments, it really comes down to Stability. Noise is caused by extra muscle movements, above that which is needed to convey the lead. After a leader is able to reduce the noise they are producing through their body, then they can start deliberately adding it back in as a musical element. But it must be DELIBERATE.

I've always felt that the leaders main responsibilities were clarity (of the lead), and comfort (of the follower). Those actually relate pretty close to your navigation (clarity) and safety (comfort).

 

[bordertangoman]

. So how does a leader produce a clear signal? He reduces "noise". We've talked a lot about how the leader should step in this thread, but if we try to distill the comments, it really comes down to Stability. Noise is caused by extra muscle movements, above that which is needed to convey the lead. After a leader is able to reduce the noise they are producing through their body, then they can start deliberately adding it back in as a musical element. But it must be DELIBERATE.

this is interesting...last night I managed to creat my own noise...I had a mouthful of cake
when a pugliese track came on and i wanted to dance, but i found I couldnt chew and listen to the music and dance at the same time......so I chose slow movements to swallow the cake then everything got much much better....

 

[LoveTango]

Speaking frankly, I fear the concept of the center often simply is kind of a smoke grenade to avoid a clear explanation of the lead in detail. And I think I am quite familiar with this concept back then since my TaiJi Chuan days.

José „El Turco“ Brahemcha (one founding father of VU style) once said: You lead with your whole body, head, or arms, or butt, what actually fits best.

It's interesting that you mentioned Taiji Chuan. I was told by a friend that having learned Taiji before must have helped me with Tango.

 

[opendoor]

TaiJi and Tango and TaiJi

It's interesting that you mentioned Taiji Chuan. I was told by a friend that having learned Taiji before must have helped me with Tango.

Hi, I don´t know what it means concerning the follower´s role. But for me it means the loose and untensed muscles of the arms and shoulder, then the core projection to somewhere in my breast (in TaiJi the center is located deeper), and finally the independent hip and leg section with it´s deep muscle layers that alway seeks for grounding and foundation.
If in TaiJi someone strikes and hits you, you try to discharge and conduct the energy through the hip into the ground. The same with volcadas, the woman does not transfer the energy onto arms or shoulders, its transfered through spine and upper body into the ground. As with colgadas: the idea is not to equilibrate the (horizontal) transfugal forces, but to stretch oneself and to imagine a linear line from your foot up to your head.

 

[LoveTango]

Hi, I don´t know what it means concerning the follower´s role. But for me it means the loose and untensed muscles of the arms and shoulder, then the core projection to somewhere in my breast (in TaiJi the center is located deeper), and finally the independent hip and leg section with it´s deep muscle layers that alway seeks for grounding and foundation.
If in TaiJi someone strikes and hits you, you try to discharge and conduct the energy through the hip into the ground. The same with volcadas, the woman does not transfer the energy onto arms or shoulders, its transfered through spine and upper body into the ground. As with colgadas: the idea is not to equilibrate the (horizontal) transfugal forces, but to stretch oneself and to imagine a linear line from your foot up to your head.

I didn't think this deep. I thought it gives me better sense of balance.