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Digest from 9 Aug 1999
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There are 16 messages totalling 913 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. R: Italian dance, my take.
2. R:Italian dance, translation
3. News from Buenos Aires
4. Tango" Styles"
5. USA, Boston: Argentine Tango "Orgy" on WGBH Channel 2 on August 13
6. Fw: Muzzled in Sunnyvale
7. Salida
8. "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk (2)
9. Fwd: Returned mail: Can't create output: Undefined error: 0
10. Toe/heel leads and 8CB/patience (2)
11. Re :"Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk (2)
12. Looking for two tangueros
13. Correct lead into the cross
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 10:14:15 +0200
From: Miguel Angel Garcia <garcia @MCLINK.IT>
Subject: R: Italian dance, my take.
Non avrei dovuto tentare una spiegazione complessa in una lingua che non
domino abbastanza, e meno ancora tentare delle ironie. Quel che volevo dire:
1) il ballo dei tarantolati non ha nessun rapporto col tango, tranne nel
senso che qualsiasi espressione culturale e' in rapporto con qualsiasi
altra;
2) non e' neanche un ballo nel senso attuale del termine; e' la danza
frenetica di una o varie donne, che nell'immaginario popolare si credeva
fossero state punte da un ragno velenoso, la tarantola. Gli antropologhi
hanno dimostrato che la presunta puntura non esisteva, che si trattava di
una reazione psicologica alla condizione di disagio delle donne nelle
campagne del sud italiano, equivalente alla "isteria" scoperta nel nord
europa alla fine del secolo scorso;
3) il ballo dei tarantolati non esiste piu', e' un fenomeno storico; ci sono
dei tentativi di ricostruzione artistica, ovviamente di senso molto diverso
al ballo originale.
4) il mio maldestro tentativo di ironia metteva in rapporto il carattere
solitario e nel contempo di rito collettivo, ritmico e orgiastico, del ballo
dei tarantolati con analoghe caratteristiche della disco music. "Orgiastico"
non significa in nessun modo "amoroso" o "festivo", anzi.
4) c'e' inoltre la "tarantella", un ritmo popolare del sud italiano molto
allegro e vivace. E' stato portato in Argentina dall'immigrazione italiana.
Non ha attecchito ne' si e' integrato nella musica popolare argentina, come
il valzer o la mazurca; si mantiene in alcuni circoli di immigrati piu' o
meno nostalgici, e nei ristoranti italiani della Boca, a uso e consumo dei
turisti.
5) il "pizzico" ha un rapporto con la tecnica di suonare gli strumenti a
corda detta "pizzicato", ma e' un'espressione musicale originale del sud
italiano che ci porta ad uno strumento, il "mandolino", che non ha
attecchito in Argentina, nonostante fosse portato dagli immigrati.
6) se uno si chiede perche' i ritmi e le tecniche musicali del sud italiano
(con la probabile eccezione della canzone napoletana) hanno avuto poca
capacita' di penetrare nella cultura argentina, una spiegazione puo' essere
che, mentre negli Stati Uniti l'immigrazione italiana era in gran parte
originaria del sud, nell'Argentina era originaria del nord. Tra il sud e il
nord Italia ci sono forti differenze culturali.
_/\/\_/\____ Miguel Angel Garcia - garcia @mclink.it
____________ http://www.team2it.net/barrio
Messaggio Originale-----
Da: Don Kelley <don.kelley @ATT.NET>
A: <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Data invio: domenica 8 agosto 1999 18.36
Oggetto: Italian dance, my take.
> Dear t-Listees,
>
> My high school theater backgrounded her "taranta" (or "tarantata" or
> "tarantella" or "tarantolati") dancers with the story that their dance was
> held as the safest cure for the effects of tanantism by the citizens of
> Taranto, a southern "heel" city of fair Italy. Possibly the vector of that
> malady was the European wolf spider or the tarantula, which I first saw at
> Cleveland's West Side Market, crawling from under a bunch of green
bananas.
>
> The dance's vigorous action purged the disease from the...how did she
> put it..."gyrating" persons. Now I read the t-List to learn that this
dance
> is (or was) an orgiastic and amorous and festive dance and, along with the
> pizzica, is stock of my joyous disco favorites.
>
> Thank you, List.
>
> Don
>
> P.S. "Pizzicata", I thought is was the music made by finger-plucking the
> violin's strings; shows me.
>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 12:55:17 +0200
From: "Gabriella C. Marino" <gcmarino @IOL.IT>
Subject: R:Italian dance, translation
In the interest of communication I've provided this off-the-cuff translation
of Miguel Angel Garcia's message in Italian.
Greetings to all,
Gabriella
who still feels like dancing
in tropical Parma, Italy
I shouldn't have tried to give a complex explanation in a language I haven't
mastered completely, let alone tried my hand at irony.
What I intended to say was:
1) the dance of the tarantolati has no relation with tango, except in the
sense that all cultural expressions are related to one another;
2) it isn't even a dance in the current sense of the term, it is the
frenetic dance of one or more women, who in popular imagination were thought
to have been bitten by a poisonous spider, the tarantula. Anthropologists
have shown that there was no bite, it was only a psychological reaction to
the underprivileged condition of women in the country towns of the south of
Italy, equivalent to the "hysteria" discovered in northern Europe at the end
of last century;
3) the dance of the tarantolati no longer exists, it is a historical
phenomenon; there have been attempts to recreate it artistically, obviously
with a very different sense from the original dance;
4) in my clumsy attempt at irony I intended to compare the solitary nature
and the collective, rhythmic and orgiastic rite of the dance of the
tarantolati with similar characteristics present in disco music.
"Orgiastic" doesn't mean "amorous" or "festive", it actually means quite the
opposite;
4) there is also the "tarantella", a popular rhythm of southern Italy which
is very cheerful and lively. It was brought to Argentina by Italian
immigrants. It didn't catch on nor did it become integrated in Argentinean
popular music like the waltz or the mazurka; it is still danced by a few
groups of nostalgic immigrants and in the Italian restaurants of La Boca,
exclusively for tourists;
5) the "pizzico" is related to the technique of playing string instruments
called "pizzicato" but it is a musical expression which originated in
southern Italy which derived from an instrument, the "mandolin", which did
not catch on in Argentina despite being introduced by immigrants.
6) if one wonders why the musical rhythms and techniques of the Italian
south (with the likely exception of Neapolitan songs) weren't able to
penetrate Argentine culture, an explanation may be that while Italian
immigration to the United States largely originated from the south, in
Argentina it originated from the north. There are strong cultural
differences between Italy's south and north.
_/\/\_/\____ Miguel Angel Garcia - garcia @mclink.it
____________ http://www.team2it.net/barrio
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 12:34:49 GMT
From: Lili khayatt <justlili @HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: News from Buenos Aires
The Argentine daily, Clarin, published an interesting article on Tango in
their Sunday issue. Their web site
http://www.clarin.com.ar
Click on Espectaculos, August 8 issue. Titles:
Baile del Tango El Cambio
La Guerra de los Roces.
Saludo tanguero
Lili
TANGO*GUEST HOUSE*TOUR
http://www.interlog.com/~elshaw/tght.html
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 10:33:52 EDT
From: Charles Roques <Crrtango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Tango" Styles"
I just had a chance to read the article from the Buenos Aires Clarin. See the
posting by justlili @HOTMAIL. I recommend it for those that can read Spanish.
It touches on something that comes up a lot on the tango list i.e. the debate
about what is traditional tango and what is style. The issue is just as alive
there as it is anywhere. It is not very long but does mention some names so
people have a reference point. I don't have time to translate at the moment
but if I have more time later this week I'll take a shot at it. Or maybe some
of you other "hispanoparlantes" out there could do it.
Charles
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 11:49:16 +0100
From: Anne Atheling <atheling @EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: USA, Boston: Argentine Tango "Orgy" on WGBH Channel 2 on August 13
A timely reminder: Buenos Aires to Boston: New "Tango Magic" Headlines
Evening of Tango Programs on August 13 in New England.
Tango has been called "the vertical expression of a horizontal desire."
Sexy and syncopated, the tango has stirred sexual and political
controversy since it was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, more than a
century ago.=20
On August 13 at 8pm, WGBH celebrates the Argentine Tango with THREE
programs, all of which air on 'GBH/2.=20
Evening at Pops "Forever Tango" (8PM)
"Tango Magic" (9PM)=20
LA PLAZA's "Tango: Duel and Dance" (10PM).=20
First, EVENING AT POPS heats up Symphony Hall with the cast of Luis
Bravo's Forever Tango in this encore presentation. Born in the bordellos
of Argentina more than a century ago, the tango is described by show
creator Bravo as "a way of life." Hosted by dance legend Leslie Caron
(Gigi), this program features traditional and original numbers performed
by some of the world's best tango dancers and accompanied by
the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Keith Lockhart. The
program also includes Lockhart leading the Orchestra in Chabrier's
Espa=F1a Rhapsody and Ravel's Bolero.
Like the tango itself, the new special "Tango Magic" captures the
drama,sensuality and mesmerizing melodies of an immigrant community at
the turn of the century. Hosted by actor Hector Elizondo (Chicago Hope),
"Tango Magic" features four pairs of dancers, including Diego Di Falco
and Carolina Zokalski, the stars of Broadway's acclaimed "Forever
Tango", who also choreographed this program (and who are visiting
Boston just this week as guest teachers for The Tango Society of Boston,
Inc).
The musical journey back to traditional tangos begins with the lilting,
infectious melodies of the first song and continues through the melding
of music, dance, and commentary. While Elizondo tells the story of the
dance, the set design, lighting, choreography and costumes evoke the
different moods and periods of the tango. In a setting reminiscent of
the La Boca district of Buenos Aires at the turn of the century,
Elizondo tells of the birth of the tango and of the career of Astor
Piazzolla, the man who created the "New Tango" and brought the dance
back to life in the 1950s. Virtuoso violinist Gidon Kremer, bandonist
Ryota Komatsu, vocalists Maria Grana and Jose Angel Trelles, and
Piazzolla's own star pianist, Pablo Ziegler, join the Orpheus Orchestra
to bring tango music to life.
The encore presentation of LA PLAZA's "Tango: Duel and Dance" explores
the art, culture, and politics of Argentine tango=96enjoying a remarkable
renaissance in Boston and around the world. Featuring performances
by internationally acclaimed tango dancers and Boston tango aficionados,
"Tango: Duel and Dance" opens a spirited discussion of the stereotypes
associated with tango. The program also highlights the struggles of
women tangueros to assert their power within the traditions of tango,
with performances and interviews by the witty all-female tango troupe,
"Tango Mujer".
Once again, of special interest to tangueros in New England, the opening
sequence in "Tango: Duel and Dance" was taped at a "Tango by Moonlight"
on the Weeks Footbridge over the Charles River in Cambridge, MA - a
presentation of The Tango Society of Boston, Inc.
EVENING AT POPS is a joint production of WGBH Boston and the Boston
Symphony Orchestra, Inc. Executive producer and director is William
Cosel. Coordinating producer is Susan Dangel. Funding for EVENING AT
POPS is made possible by Fidelity Investments through the Fidelity
Foundation.=20
"Tango Magic" is a co-production of Automatic Productions and American
Public Television's Premium Service 10. The director is Larry Jordan,
and the producer is Erinn Williams. Executive producers are Pat
Philips and Ettore Stratta of Stratta/Philips Productions.
LA PLAZA's "Tango: Duel and Dance" is produced by Maria Agui-Carter.
Aimee Sands is LA PLAZA consulting producer; Carlos de Martin=ED is serie=
s
producer. Denise DiIanni is executive producer of local programming for
WGBH. Funding for LA PLAZA is provided by WGBH members, in partnership
with the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Fleet Bank.
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 11:54:21 -0400
From: "Walter M. Kane" <oldzeid @FRONTIERNET.NET>
Subject: Fw: Muzzled in Sunnyvale
>
> >Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 15:04:35 EDT
> >From: Charles Roques <Crrtango @AOL.COM>
> >Subject: Corrections
> >
> >Just a note to express publicly my gratitude for corrections by Alberto
Paz
> >re some statements I made on my recent posting. If my response to him
made it
> >to the list, pardon the repetition...
> >Many thanks Alberto,
> >Charles
>
> >Your message dated Sat, 07 Aug 1999 07:29:00 -0700 with subject
"Re:
> >Embrace" has been submitted to the moderator of the TANGO-L list:
Shahrukh
> >Merchant <merchant @ALUM.MIT.EDU>.
>
> Dear Charles,
> The good news is that I sent you a copy of my posting, so you were able to
> read it at your convenience without somebody deciding what you should read
> or not.
>
> The bad news is that the 900+ other subscribers to the list will have to
> wait for Big Brother to decide if they are old enough to be able to read
the
> message.
>
> Alberto
> Thank you for visiting Planet Tango
> http://www.hooked.net/~tangoman/
>
>
>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 11:02:40 -0500
From: Stephen P Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Salida
JC wrote:
>The 8CB has flourished because it works, it gives the teacher
>something to develop many moves off of, and gives the student a
>repeatable practice pattern.
The 8CB does have the pedagogic virtue of providing a frame of
reference for students to learn other patterns, and in my opinion that
accounts for some of its use. Use of the 8CB as a repeatable practice
pattern is not a virtue; it's the problem. Students/dancers can
easily come to rely on it too heavily as an element of their dancing.
JC continued:
>I think the 8CB comes from the need for beginning students to leave
>their first 1 hour lesson able to dance "something" and be ready to
>go to a milonga (or stay for the milonga, in the case of lessons
>prior to a dance) and dance at least a little bit. ... How many drop
>out because they can't "go dancing" right away?
I was once a beginning leader (having been assigned that role by my
gender and modern teaching methods). I went to my first milonga after
two group lessons. I knew only the 8CBw/DBS and forward and backward
ochos, which I could not execute very musically. Given all the
couples on the dance floor, I found it almost impossible to dance with
my limited knowledge. I was forced to withdraw from the dance floor
early in the evening. What a disappointment--and a lesson.
At that first milonga, I learned how important navigation is to
leaders. Gradually, I learned that walking is the most basic element
of navigation. I also recognized that most leaders do have
considerable experience walking through crowds--and even at walking
through crowds with another person, perhaps holding hands. This is
the reason that Susan and I now emphasize walking skills in our
beginning group lessons.
In the first group lesson, we typically teach beginners
>>... to shift weight to the music, walk in line, walk outside, pause,
>>walk to the cross, and to do forward ochos
--with an emphasis on musicality and navigation.
In the second group lesson, we typically teach beginners
>>... side steps, how some elements can be put together to construct
>>an 8CB with weight shift (rock step) ...,
and back ochos--again with an emphasis on musicality and navigation.
I would submit that someone who attends our first group lesson is
better prepared to venture onto a crowded social dance floor than I
was after two lessons that emphasized use of the 8CB/wDBS.
--Steve de Tejas
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 13:41:11 EDT
From: Arthur Greenberg <AHGberg @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
Hi learning dancers:
It is a misconception that all good Argentine Tango dancers move forward with
a step on the ball or toe of their foot on each and every step.
Watch Armando (of the world class team of Daniela & Armando). Armando
without a doubt takes some of his forward walks with a heel lead.
If you have some more doubt to dispel enroll in one of Armando's classes. He
does in fact teach the heel lead in his classes to beginning pupils as well
as intermediates (and advanced).
Watch Jorge Nel, one of the most prominent teachers in Florida, on the dance
floor......you will observe heel leads. Jorge does not teach heel leads in
his classes.....however you will see that when he is performing some of his
fabulous dancing of Argentine Tango he does in fact use heel leads.
It is not a hard and fast "rule" that one must use a "toe/ball of the foot"
lead and teachers who are teaching it are teaching this heel lead technique
with some consistency and are in harmony with some of the world's best
Argentine Tango dancers.
Some will complain that this is one of the inconsistencies of Argentine
Tango that needs to be amended and pursued with some more more consistent
technique teaching by all Tango teachers. Everyone is entitled to their
opinion. What is factual is what I have stated above. I know that is so
because that is how I have been taught and how I dance. The heel lead does
exist, is used by super dancers and taught in classes across the US and
throughout European countries wherever Armando and Daniela hold their work
shops.
Respectfully,
Arturo
AHGberg @aol.com
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 14:07:42 EDT
From: Arthur Greenberg <AHGberg @AOL.COM>
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From: Arthur Greenberg <AHGberg @AOL.COM>
Reply-To: AHGberg @AOL.COM
To: TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU
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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:41:11 +0000
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
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Hi learning dancers:
It is a misconception that all good Argentine Tango dancers move forward with
a step on the ball or toe of their foot on each and every step.
Watch Armando (of the world class team of Daniela & Armando). Armando
without a doubt takes some of his forward walks with a heel lead.
If you have some more doubt to dispel enroll in one of Armando's classes. He
does in fact teach the heel lead in his classes to beginning pupils as well
as intermediates (and advanced).
Watch Jorge Nel, one of the most prominent teachers in Florida, on the dance
floor......you will observe heel leads. Jorge does not teach heel leads in
his classes.....however you will see that when he is performing some of his
fabulous dancing of Argentine Tango he does in fact use heel leads.
It is not a hard and fast "rule" that one must use a "toe/ball of the foot"
lead and teachers who are teaching it are teaching this heel lead technique
with some consistency and are in harmony with some of the world's best
Argentine Tango dancers.
Some will complain that this is one of the inconsistencies of Argentine
Tango that needs to be amended and pursued with some more more consistent
technique teaching by all Tango teachers. Everyone is entitled to their
opinion. What is factual is what I have stated above. I know that is so
because that is how I have been taught and how I dance. The heel lead does
exist, is used by super dancers and taught in classes across the US and
throughout European countries wherever Armando and Daniela hold their work
shops.
Respectfully,
Arturo
AHGberg @aol.com
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
--JAA02712.934118843/hugo.smfa.edu--
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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 12:31:03 -0600
From: Wayne R Williams <WAYNE_WILLIAMS @HP-LOVELAND-OM2.OM.HP.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
>It is a misconception that all good Argentine Tango dancers move
>forward with a step on the ball or toe of their foot on each and
>every step.
i propose that whether the heel or the ball of the foot strikes first
is immaterial.
in the spirit of the dance what matters is the quality of the walk
that is conveyed to your partner. for example, focusing on flexing
all of your joints, hips through knees through ankles will have a far
better pay off (versus concentrating on heel versus ball of foot) so
that you are not dancing on "wooden peg legs".
an image that helps to integrate this for me, which includes flexion
of the foot, is to imagine that you are pressing into into sand with
each step - this is especially valuable if accentuated in the milonga
but carries through to the other tango forms as well.
or in the spirit of initiating a women's movement and then following
her to completion of the step - this should result in your foot
placement on the floor being coincident with hers (music obviously
synchronizes this as well). the feeling conveyed to her is as if your
upper body is floating through space.
for me heel versus ball is more of a stylistic issue concerned with
the external visual quality of the dance - which is fine, however, for
me i'm more concerned with how my movements effect my partner than for
those watching.
wayne williams
boulder colorado
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 14:59:27 EDT
From: Charles Roques <Crrtango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Toe/heel leads and 8CB/patience
For the sake of brevity I'd like to offer some thoughts on two subjects
together.
Toe/heel leads: As Arthur Greenberg noted it is not such a hard and fast rule
of which to use. I deal with in the following way in my classes. The general
idea is to develop an easy walking stride, not unlike the way we walk down
the street. I find that for beginner students it is difficult to think about
walking on the balls of the feet because there are too many other things to
think about. I feel it is ultimately more graceful to walk on the balls of
the feet but one should first master the walk itself. In the intermediate
classes is where I reintroduce it and try to get them to understand it by
using the walk of a cat as an example. One of the nice things about
developing this technique is that your partner doesn't feel your steps
landing hard on the floor which is what you often feel walking on the heels,
especially with beginners. Not to mention that it looks graceful. Even so it
is natural to step with the heels once in a while. I do it sometimes as do
many other dancers. Try to develop a soft smooth landing whether it is on the
heels or not. One warning though - be careful that you are not stepping on
your heel at too sharp an angle and with too much forward momentum because
your foot might slip out from under you. In other words, walking on the balls
of the feet should be more of a goal to achieve than a beginning principle
and even then be flexible about it.
Ahh patience, a difficult virtue: One should not really expect to take one
or two tango lessons and then jump onto a crowded floor. Whether it is from
the 8CB or not. Many of the great dancers and teachers speak about growing up
in Buenos Aires and attending milongas for as long as a year or more and just
watching! (Danel did this as a thirteen year old) I personally waited four
months before I danced with anyone. Tango is a difficult and complex dance
but then again that is why it is so beautiful. One should not be intimidated
by it but I let students know from the very first day that they are not
studying your typical dance and to think about it more like taking a course
at school. There is a lot of history and etiquette in tango as well as many,
many steps. Try to attend as many practices as you can and polish your steps,
go to milongas and watch couples move around (one can learn a great deal from
observation) and then when confident move out on to the floor. Be patient.
And above all don't try to speed up by taking several classes at the same
time. It doesn't work. You only end up knowing lots of incomplete, sloppily
executed steps.
Cheers, Charles
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 15:58:39 EDT
From: "Laurie Moseley (at home)" <LGMoseley @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Toe/heel leads and 8CB/patience
i don't know what is right and wrong in the relative merits of toe or heel
leads. Most of the professional dancers on my videos seem to use a toe lead
for most (?all?) of the time. The main point against a toe lead is that it is
not the way that we normally walk, so to use such a lead involves not only
learning, but unlearning as well.
The following points argue in favour of a toe (ball of foot) lead:
1 You can take a longer stride
2 Each step is more controlled in that you can (a) feel for the floor (b)
withdraw the foot without transferring any weight to it (c) withdraw the foot
after transferring some weight to it or (d) move your weight back if you have
transferred all your weight to it (e) perhaps it encourages you to keep the
standing knee flexed (f) it almost forces you to keep your weight forward
3 When you eventually transfer the weight from the ball of the foot back to
the heel, there seems to be an automatic effect of bringing your hip forward,
which gives the panther-like look to the walk.
There are probably more points than these in favour, and some against, but I
can't think of them at the moment - so it's back to Medline for me.
Safe Ganchos
Laurie (Laurence)
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 07:51:08 +0800
From: Juan Rando <juan @STARWON.COM.AU>
Subject: Re :"Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
I agree with the statement that all good dancers do not use a ball step
as a mater of course. One of the wonderful variations of Argentine
Tango.
Something I have noticed in some circumstances, and I do invite comment,
is that some very good dancers, although not taking strickly ball steps,
will take very flat steps. Certainly the emphasis in the way they are
moving forward seems to be consistent with performing a ball step,
despite a slight raising of the toe. This is particularly the case with
more modern style dancers.
I've spent much time learning with Daniela & Armando, and I adore their
style of dancing, and there does seem to be more of a emphasis on heel
steps in their style anyway.
Another interesting idea is that traditionally, Argentine tango dancers
wore a Cuban/French heel, which is consistent with dancing on the balls
of your feet, as these heel throw your weight forward, in much the same
way that a ladies high heel shoe will. It is certainly unbalancing to
try and heel step in these shoes.
Regards,
Juan Rando
Perth, Western Australia
Arthur Greenberg wrote:
>
> Hi learning dancers:
>
> It is a misconception that all good Argentine Tango dancers move forward with
> a step on the ball or toe of their foot on each and every step.
>
> Watch Armando (of the world class team of Daniela & Armando). Armando
> without a doubt takes some of his forward walks with a heel lead.
> If you have some more doubt to dispel enroll in one of Armando's classes. He
> does in fact teach the heel lead in his classes to beginning pupils as well
> as intermediates (and advanced).
>
> Watch Jorge Nel, one of the most prominent teachers in Florida, on the dance
> floor......you will observe heel leads. Jorge does not teach heel leads in
> his classes.....however you will see that when he is performing some of his
> fabulous dancing of Argentine Tango he does in fact use heel leads.
>
> It is not a hard and fast "rule" that one must use a "toe/ball of the foot"
> lead and teachers who are teaching it are teaching this heel lead technique
> with some consistency and are in harmony with some of the world's best
> Argentine Tango dancers.
>
> Some will complain that this is one of the inconsistencies of Argentine
> Tango that needs to be amended and pursued with some more more consistent
> technique teaching by all Tango teachers. Everyone is entitled to their
> opinion. What is factual is what I have stated above. I know that is so
> because that is how I have been taught and how I dance. The heel lead does
> exist, is used by super dancers and taught in classes across the US and
> throughout European countries wherever Armando and Daniela hold their work
> shops.
>
> Respectfully,
> Arturo
> AHGberg @aol.com
> West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Hi learning dancers:
It is a misconception that all good Argentine Tango dancers move forward
with
a step on the ball or toe of their foot on each and every step.
Watch Armando (of the world class team of Daniela & Armando). Armando
without a doubt takes some of his forward walks with a heel lead.
If you have some more doubt to dispel enroll in one of Armando's
classes. He
does in fact teach the heel lead in his classes to beginning pupils as
well
as intermediates (and advanced).
Watch Jorge Nel, one of the most prominent teachers in Florida, on the
dance
floor......you will observe heel leads. Jorge does not teach heel leads
in
his classes.....however you will see that when he is performing some of
his
fabulous dancing of Argentine Tango he does in fact use heel leads.
It is not a hard and fast "rule" that one must use a "toe/ball of the
foot"
lead and teachers who are teaching it are teaching this heel lead
technique
with some consistency and are in harmony with some of the world's best
Argentine Tango dancers.
Some will complain that this is one of the inconsistencies of Argentine
Tango that needs to be amended and pursued with some more more
consistent
technique teaching by all Tango teachers. Everyone is entitled to their
opinion. What is factual is what I have stated above. I know that is
so
because that is how I have been taught and how I dance. The heel lead
does
exist, is used by super dancers and taught in classes across the US and
throughout European countries wherever Armando and Daniela hold their
work
shops.
Respectfully,
Arturo
AHGberg @aol.com
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 18:15:21 -0700
From: David Orly-Thompson <david.orly-thompson @US.PWCGLOBAL.COM>
Subject: Looking for two tangueros
I'm trying to reach Bill of Portland, Oregon tango scene (lately a
participant of LA workshops).
If anyone knows him not to be on this list, but knows how to reach him,
please let me know.
Thanks
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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:40:24 -0400
From: Stella Robinson <stella_robinson @EMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Correct lead into the cross
Hi, all!
Thanks to so many of you answering privately to me
about the lead into the cross.
I just wanted to share with you the results.
It turns out that most of the suggestions were very useful to me and the men
that I dance with.
The only comment that did not help and did not make sense to us was the one
about needing to cross when "performing the longest step of the 8 basic
pattern (starting from the first step, all are equal except the Nr 4 which
is double in length)".
Besides the point that I don't care about memorising the steps
and patterns (I just want to follow!), I've never heard about "the longest
step...is double in length".
Please tell me if I missed something imporatant in learning
the fundamentals of Tango or this is just another proponent of
the dreaded basic 8-step.
Many thanks,
Stella.
FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 19:56:05 PDT
From: John Trimble <john.trimble @EXCITE.COM>
Subject: Re: Re :"Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
During workshops here in Dallas with Valorie and Alberto, I worked on
"transmitting the beat" on more rhythmic music. I don't fully understand
the mechanics of it, but in my case and others that I've seen, leading with
the heel or, more especially, connecting to the floor with the full flat of
the foot, can make my pulse for the beat more pronounced for my partner. On
the other hand, toe lead can be quite subtle and effective for more lyrical
music. I've only been dancing a year and a half, so I'm no expert, but it
seems a good idea to me to work through various foot and ankle stylings to
see what works best in different situations, just as I use different
embraces in different situations.
John
John Trimble
john.trimble @excite.com
or backup john_trimble @hotmail.com
My web page has social dance venues in Dallas
http://home.switchboard.com/dancewithme
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End of TANGO-L Digest - 9 Aug 1999 to 10 Aug 1999
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