Miles apart embrace

[tangobro]

I think this is one of the more difficult things in tango - the leaders musicality is expressed for and through the follower, and i think it is ok - and sometimes necessary for the leader to be "off the music" if that gives the follower space to be "in the music". I worked on this for a long time - my teacher kept telling me that i had to feel the music in the followers body, not my own, and i just didn't get it.

Also: I personally don't trust the audio and video synch on any streaming service, so whatever musicality (or lack thereof) we see might be an illusion.

In her workshops Virginia Pandolfi would say that the leader & follower should be at different portions of the beat, so that the follower could arrive in the midpoint of the beat. Other teachers (leaders) have not been as precise about the timing, other than to say that it is the woman that should be led to arrive on the beat.

I've uploaded some vids on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Tangobro

and yes the synch can definitely be off, it's a mistake to judge musicality by youtube.

 

[ArbeeNYC]

If a leader is at a milonga with an unknown lady, he must first "test" her abilities with simple moves.
If a lady says, "I've been studying tango for 10 years. Show me something!"; then it's time to spice up the dance.

If you go around testing your partners, you may not have any left. Just watch how she dances with other guys, after a while you learn to figure out if she'll be a good match for you or not. Just dance simply and musically, period. You don't have to do all that much, just do it well. A lot of folks seem to have a hard time grasping this concept.

If a lady says "show me something," that's a signal for me to abandon ship. If you can't dance for the sake of mutual satisfaction and enjoyment, you might want to reconsider your involvement with tango (I'm speaking in generalities here, not about you in particular) or devote yourself to swingo or nuevo.

 

[Vincenze]

If you go around testing your partners, you may not have any left. Just watch how she dances with other guys, after a while you learn to figure out if she'll be a good match for you or not. Just dance simply and musically, period. You don't have to do all that much, just do it well. A lot of folks seem to have a hard time grasping this concept.

If a lady says "show me something," that's a signal for me to abandon ship. If you can't dance for the sake of mutual satisfaction and enjoyment, you might want to reconsider your involvement with tango (I'm speaking in generalities here, not about you in particular) or devote yourself to swingo or nuevo.

I never really watch how other guys and ladies dance, unless they are super good.
If I see a nice stranger, I don't have to wait until somebody tries to dance with her and watch them.
I "test" a lady to find out which steps she can't do. If she is a beginner, it's Ok with me.

I have a list of great followers who have the attitude "show me something". They are always ready to try something new. They can dance more challenging dances like milonga.
I also have a list of followers who can't dance milonga (whatever). They even say outright, "I don't dance milonga!" I don't bother them.

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

Religion. I saw an occasional partner of mine switching from a regular open embrace to a miles apart, arms-extended one. Even the teacher could not take her in his arms. From moderate muslim (not eating pig, things like that) she had turned into a more severe form. Hiding her hair, keeping guys at range.

& she kept dancing tango? I’m finding that one tough to believe. If true, she sounds like an interesting lady!