Re: [TANGO-L] The Shape of the Molinete/Giro.

[Barbara Garvey <barbara@TANGOBAR-PRODUCTIONS.COM>]

!Caray! I am constantly amazed by the overanalizing of technique on this
forum. Of all the basic tango movements for followers, the molinete is,
IMO, the most difficult, but most of the tricky aspects are not being
addressed in this discussion. The number of steps it takes to get around
the leader depends on the length and speed of the leader's giro -- there
are hundreds of possible variations. The four steps of the molinete,
back, side, forward, side, continue until the leader indicates that she
return. Obviously the molinete begins and ends wherever the man so
marks. The hard parts are that the follower (I am not talking about
close embrace molinetes where the woman does not turn her hips, but
simply crosses behind and in front) must be consistent in her length of
steps, must maintain the same distance from her partner, must maintain
her own balance perfectly while not disturbing his, must try to keep her
upper body parallel to his as best she can, etc. etc. and so forth. In
my experience teachers such as Graciela Gonzalez, Florencia Taccetti,
and in San Francisco Nirmala Dillman have been the clearest in
explaining and training in the molinete's intricacies.

The misnamed "syncopation" or quick-step often used on the back-side
sequence depends on the music. I won't comment on the differences
between traditional and modern tango music because I believe that if one
can't do basic tango movements to the music it isn't tango and that's a
whole other forum. Let's not go there again, folks :-)

Abrazos from Puerto Vallarta,
Barbara
www.tangobar-productions.com