The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 10 Aug 1999
to 11 Aug 1999
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Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 03:00:01 -0400
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There are 32 messages totalling 995 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. "Heels First" or "Heels Last" (6)
2. HEELS FIRST OR HEELS LAST (3)
3. about Pepito La Chofa and hate mail
4. Tango Magic
5. Rueda...fantastico!
6. Re :"Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
7. another definition
8. "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk (4)
9. From "Book of Five Rings"
10. TangoRadio
11. Tango in northern Germany?
12. Correct lead into the cross
13. [El Indio y Mariana Workshop/Show in Denver Aug 12-15]
14. Thanks to Colorado Tango Week Visitors
15. Assistants needed for Tango-L
16. Jorge Nel in Tucson
17. Origin of Heels Last (perhaps) Uncovered!
18. <No subject given>
19. Omar Vega
20. "Tangringo" humor & Flabella's shoes
21. Sydney and Melbourne?
22. Women leading
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 11:52:28 +0200
From: Per-Anders Tengland <perte @TEMA.LIU.SE>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
John has a good point. In fact Eric Jeurissen made this point at a
workshop I took with him in May. He said that walking with the heal
first gives a more rhythmic feel and one might want to use this way of
walking to some tangos. Using the balls of the feet is more smooth and
might work better with other tangos. Or you might mix within one and the
same tango depending on how the music changes. There is no right and
wrong here. However, he also emphasized what Juan wrote, that whatever
way you walk the foot should in general be (relatively) flat in relation
to the floor.
For me this was very clarifying. I had been taught to walk ball steps,
as if this was the only way to walk. But watching some top dancers I
could see that they often walked heel first.
Good idea to rais this topic, Arthur!
Per-Anders
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:21:44 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: HEELS FIRST OR HEELS LAST
Several list members are of the opinion that although they were taught to
perform the tango walk toes first, they observed that some tango instructors
walk heels first. They also noted that some "good tango dancers" walk with
their heels first; "some only occasionally, some frequently, some always".
Furthermore "some instructors teach to walk, heels first".
Most of those members also are of the opinion that this way of walking,
"heels first" has some advantages.
They are also of the opinion that "since there are no rules, everything
goes".
I have also encountered all of the above, and believe that there should be
absolute freedom for anyone to dance as it pleases him or her.
Not long ago we were discussing that popular art in some way reflects the
culture that originated it.
If we talk about Italian cuisine, or chinese food, or Japanese theater, we
all know what we are refering to. Those elements reflect the culture of
those nationalities. We might like it or not, but they have their own
caracteristics; something that makes each of them unique and different than
anything else.
The Argentine Tango walk reflects the exact way the COMPADRITO walks; a
dancing like, arrogant, daring,TOE FIRST,gait.
We should also look at other dances as an example, RUMBA for instance,
originated in the way the black slaves walked in the heels of Cuba, up an
down, avoiding stones or other obstacles, while carrying loads of sugar cane
on their heads.
Slow, quick, quick, the uper body and the head straight, the hips
ondulating. Now foreigners may modify this "RUMBA WALK",
AND THEY DO, some look well, but they are dancing something that looks like
rumba but is not rumba.
Some dancers come from ballet, others come from ballroom dancing, they all
try to import their own rich experience into ARGENTINE TANGO, YOU MAY ALSO
DO THE SAME, but let me tell you if you dance heels first, and show the
soles as you do it,
you are dancing something simmilar but not the real thing.
We know that exactly some of those changes created the "OTHER TANGOS",
American and International.
You may change the Spaghetti recipe, I hope you get good result with your
meal, but you can be certain, it will look like spaghetti but it is not
going to be the real ones.
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 08:48:35 -0600
From: Lisa Battan <lbattan @USWEST.NET>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
During a recent workshop with the members of Tango Mujer, Rebecca Shulman
suggested that, when I lead, I walk heal first. I had previously led heels
last. Rebecca pointed out that leading with heels first gives added
stability to my lead and transmits a greater sense of rhythm to my partner.
I found her suggestion, for a women who is leading, to be very helpful.
Lisa Battan
Boulder, Colorado
Per-Anders Tengland wrote:
> John has a good point. In fact Eric Jeurissen made this point at a
> workshop I took with him in May. He said that walking with the heal
> first gives a more rhythmic feel and one might want to use this way of
> walking to some tangos. Using the balls of the feet is more smooth and
> might work better with other tangos. Or you might mix within one and the
> same tango depending on how the music changes. There is no right and
> wrong here. However, he also emphasized what Juan wrote, that whatever
> way you walk the foot should in general be (relatively) flat in relation
> to the floor.
>
> For me this was very clarifying. I had been taught to walk ball steps,
> as if this was the only way to walk. But watching some top dancers I
> could see that they often walked heel first.
>
> Good idea to rais this topic, Arthur!
> Per-Anders
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 16:57:57 +0200
From: Alexis Cousein <al @BRUSSELS.SGI.COM>
Subject: Re: HEELS FIRST OR HEELS LAST
SERGIO wrote:
> The Argentine Tango walk reflects the exact way the COMPADRITO walks; a
> dancing like, arrogant, daring,TOE FIRST,gait.
I'm ROTFL imagining all these BsAs people walking toe first in the
street ;). They don't. Unless, of course, people like Todaro and
certainly Pepito weren't "compadritos", of course ;}.
Most of the people I've seen develop a toe-first walk seem to do it out
of aesthetical considerations, and many of them use a more extreme form
in stage dancing than social dancing, where the same people sometimes
even tend to walk "normally" with heel first (which would be rather
awkward were this their natural gait, unless they're more "natural" in a
stage setting?). For most of them, it seems to take some learning and
some effort to walk toe-first (it certainly requires muscle tension in
muscles that aren't usually trained well, if you want to continue
walking smoothly), which may explain why they elect not to use the same
gait in more informal settings.
I tend to agree with the other posters -- the way you place your feet is
essentially an element of style only (if you move the rest of the body
correctly, i.e. smoothly). In different settings, a different style
style may be appropriate (possibly as a result of a different attitude,
a milonga being less formal than a stage setting).
BTW, dancing heels first and "showing your soles" isn't synonymous --
particularly for leaders who have higher than normal heels on their
shoes. Some pretty good dancers having heels that are so large that
they'd be hard pressed to land on the ball of their feet unless they
started to tiptoe ;).
--
<standard disclaimer: these are my personal views, not SGI's>
Alexis Cousein al @brussels.sgi.com
Systems Engineer SGI Belgium
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 08:10:56 PDT
From: Pepito La Chofa <badchioce @HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: about Pepito La Chofa and hate mail
Hi Listeros,
I'm sorry I have to write about myself, but I just can't overlook what has
been happening any more.
Since I wrote my views about New Tango and its advocates and teachers,
someone has been sending hateful e-mail to many list members' personal
e-mail addresses, signing with my name.
That wasn't me.
My only e-mail address is badchioce @hotmail.com (yes, "chioce" and not
"choice").
I do not condone this person's conduct in any way, and I find it sad that
someone would resource to unrelenting slandering as a way to counter my
opinions.
IMPORTANT: Please do not reply to this (my) posting adressing the TANGO-L
list. If you would like to correspond on this subject I beg of you to reply
to me personally, since this has nothing to do with tango.
I have taken the decision to post to the group after months of patient
consideration.
If anyone feels offended by me taking this liberty, please accept my
appologies.
Sincerely,
Pepito La Chofa
(no aliases, no hate, no multiple personality, just a guy with strong views)
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Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 14:14:50 EDT
From: CB Rose <CCBTango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tango Magic
I saw TANGO MAGIC via a friend's video recording and could not get enough of
it. I must have watched it 3 or 4 times in one day looking for little things
that I "might" have missed in the other viewings.
Yes, Piazzolla is hard to dance to and, I love most of his music for it
speaks of life- the anguish and emotions of living (heart and soul stuff).
Therefore, it was a real treat for me to see these incredible
milongueros/milongueras dance/tango to his music and that of Pablo Zeigler &
Co. I have seen Guillermina Quiroga and Roberto Reis perform as well as have
taken workshops from them. Their interpretation of OBLIVION was stunning and
beautiful - I had not seen them perform in this particular way before and it
was a real treat in creativity, talent and grace.
I will watch it again with the same eagerness and enthusiasm as the first
time.
CB Rose
Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 10:46:49 EDT
From: CB Rose <CCBTango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Rueda...fantastico!
I also agree "in the preservation of the Argentine Tango in it's authentic
forms" and...also applaud the creativity of "the new, the different, the
controversial." Congratulations to Daniel Lapadula and Fabian Salas! Don't
stop.....
CB Rose
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 20:24:50 -0700
From: Monica Ortiz <monica @IHATECLOWNS.COM>
Subject: Re :"Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
Dear Gentlemen,
>From this woman's point of view, the smoother the man walks the better. It is
not that pleasant to dance with men who make noise with their heels. Sorry!
It seems to me that those men who use the ball of the foot first
are more elegant and smooth (not to mention sexy) than those who
use the heel first.
Just because it's hard to do, it does not mean that you should not
learn it! Women have to learn it, so why not men?
Kisses,
Monica.
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Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 17:43:09 -0500
From: Karen Whitesell <kglass @IPA.NET>
Subject: another definition
Thanks to Charles Roques, I now have another great simile for tango to
add to my collection. To paraphrase Charles:
Tango is like an ideal mate--intellectually stimulating as well as
beautiful and sexy.
I am keeping notes on tango definitions so I can post them all over the
place... There are so many ways to explain tango...
Dance one for me,
Karen
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:15:55 -0400
From: Jorge Navarro <jorge @XMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
Artur wrote,
"Watch Armando (of the world class team of Daniela & Armando). Armando without a doubt takes some of his forward walks with a heel lead."
Some of the steps! But the majority of his steps land on the ball of the foot. Maybe he should teach what he practices.
You wrote,
"Watch Jorge Nel....some of the world's best Argentine Tango dancers."
Por favor, Artur, we all know your love for Jorge Nel, and he is an OK dancer and teacher, but he hardly belongs in the category of world's best.
World's best dancers had studied with the world's best teachers in Buenos Aires, many of whom are no longer with us, like Antonio Todaro for example. But the best ones that are still active, like Mingo Pugliese, will tell you that the most important part of the Tango is the walk, and one of the components of the proper walk is to land on the ball of the foot.
Regards,
Jorge.
=====================
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Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 00:45:48 -0400
From: Jorge Navarro <jorge @XMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: From "Book of Five Rings"
"...whatever else that is being sold these days on tango market..."
What is it that you are selling, Matej?
Go ahead, tell us - how are you different from the "Bridge to the Tango", "Planet Tango", and other commercial enterprises?
Don't tell us that you are not getting paid to teach and perform!
Best,
Jorge.
=====================
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Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 11:13:08 -0400
From: Alan McPherron <mcph+ @PITT.EDU>
Subject: TangoRadio
What's happened to TangoRadio? It was working fine a few weeks ago, but
now it seems to be stopped. -- Alan McPherron
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 21:44:27 +0200
From: Finn Hakansson <finn.hakansson @AXIS.COM>
Subject: Tango in northern Germany?
Hi,
Does anybody know of any milongas i Berlin or Hamburg
this Saturday?
Finn Hakansson
Lund, Sweden
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:10:30 -0600
From: tina <tinatango @IAMYOURS.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
Dear friends,
Staying on the same subject, but switching to women,
isn't it totally wrong for a woman to walk backwards (or forward) "heels
first"?
And if so, why whould a woman walk differently than a man?
Sincerely yours,
Tina Hart.
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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 23:15:39 -0700
From: Ted Crowley <Ted.Crowley @CERENT.COM>
Subject: Re: Correct lead into the cross
Stella Robinson wrote:
>
> 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.
Stella --
I don't believe you've "missed a fundamental": I'm
sure that the quote is just talking about the 8 count
basic pattern. But I'm not sure of the interpretation.
Here are my guesses, from most- to least-likely:
1. It's just terminology: you take your 4th step back and
the 5th (the cross) is considered a "close" rather than a
"step": therefore the "4th step took 2 counts instead of 1"
and there was no "5th step" in the "8-count" pattern. The
steps were 1,2,3,4,(close),6,7,8.
2. you take your 4th step back onto your right leg and remain
on it for (almost) 2 counts instead of one, delaying switching
weight onto your (crossing) left leg until just when you are being
led out of the cross. (some followers do delay this weight change)
3. instead of twice as long in time, it means distance. Since
the 5th step is closing the feet, perhaps the 4th step is taken
as a much larger step by some dancers. (but twice as long?)
4. I know variations of the 8 count basic where the man takes
a single double-long (time and distance) step while leading the
woman to take steps 4 and 5 (step-before-cross and cross) in the
same time period. Perhaps the quote refers to this varient?
Have I missed any?
-- Ted
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 19:03:40 PDT
From: sharon gates <sharon7301 @NETSCAPE.NET>
Subject: Re: [El Indio y Mariana Workshop/Show in Denver Aug 12-15]
El Indio and Mariana are wonderful dancers!
They performed in Buenos Aires at the CITA last March and were spectacula=
r!
Worthy of note was the way El Indio publicly thanked the two men that
influenced his dancing: Tete and Gustavo Naveira.
I hear that they will be teaching at the CITA-2000 - that would be great!=
Chao,
Sharon.
____________________________________________________________________
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webm=
ail.netscape.com.
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:33:56 -1200
From: Linda Floyd <linda @SEXCRAZED.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
I prefer a man who walks like a cat.
Thus my vote is clearly for "Ball of the foot" first.
Cats love tango,
Linda.
Free, fast e-mail accessible anytime, anywhere http://www.imaginemail.com
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 18:09:57 -0400
From: Laura Stevens <laura.stevens @CANOEMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Thanks to Colorado Tango Week Visitors
Regarding "women dancing with women"...
I see nothing wrong with artists exploring the possibilities of the dance and music. It is also fine to practice the lead and follow with another woman, although I don't think that any woman can lead as well as a man (who knows how to lead).
But if these women are trying to push an idea of women dancing with women in a milonga, then I must say - no way!
I want to dance with men. Period.
Sincerely,
Laura.
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Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 17:46:30 +0200
From: Sabine Fuchs <Sabine.Fuchs @SBG.AC.AT>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
I just can confirm what Lisa and Per-Anders wrote. I am dancing as a
follower for one and a half years and attended a beginners class as a leader
just before summer. I found it extremely difficult walking on my balls
forward, and more so with high heels. (And my training shoes don't even have
very high heels, just 3 1/2 cm, but it didn't work.) So I can't confirm the
impression that high heels or Cuban heels put the weight to the balls
automatically. After a while I tried with normal, flat shoes, and it went
better, but not really good. I don't want to suggest that anybody should
walk heels first like a German soldier, but a normal, "full-footed" step
which you can do flat IMO works better. Somehow I got the feeling that to
walk forward on my balls, I had to lift my feet and my knees so high and
that would make me look clumsy - bowing the ankle somehow forward to reach
the floor with my balls first.
(Of course I just did a beginners class and concentrated more on how to lead
the follower to the cross, to the ochos etc., and this was difficult enough.
I must say that after my first lesson my respect for men beginning with
Tango grew extremely - I think, the leaders part is the much more
complicated one!)
As a follower (walking backwards), of course the natural kind to walk is on
the balls. I don't think that I even put my heels down very often except
maybe to get more stability in turns.
Sabine (Salzburg, Austria)
>During a recent workshop with the members of Tango Mujer, Rebecca Shulman
>suggested that, when I lead, I walk heal first. I had previously led heels
>last. Rebecca pointed out that leading with heels first gives added
>stability to my lead and transmits a greater sense of rhythm to my partner.
>I found her suggestion, for a women who is leading, to be very helpful.
>
>Lisa Battan
>Boulder, Colorado
>
>Per-Anders Tengland wrote:
>
>>He said that walking with the heal
>> first gives a more rhythmic feel and one might want to use this way of
>> walking to some tangos. Using the balls of the feet is more smooth and
>> might work better with other tangos. Or you might mix within one and the
>> same tango depending on how the music changes. There is no right and
>> wrong here. However, he also emphasized what Juan wrote, that whatever
>> way you walk the foot should in general be (relatively) flat in relation
>> to the floor.
>>
>> For me this was very clarifying. I had been taught to walk ball steps,
>> as if this was the only way to walk. But watching some top dancers I
>> could see that they often walked heel first.
>>
>> Good idea to rais this topic, Arthur!
>> Per-Anders
>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 12:32:37 -0400
From: Shahrukh Merchant <merchant @ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Assistants needed for Tango-L
Assistant and/or coadministrators needed for Tango-L!
- To handle correspondance related to Tango-L
- To handle approval of new posters' articles
- Etc.
Tango expertise is not required, but list administrator experience
(particularly with listserv) would be very helpful.
The time involved is "measurable" but not large (and will of course be
proportionately less with multiple administrators, which are needed as
the list has grown to 1000 members).
Please send e-mail to tango-L-request @mitvma.mit.edu if you are
interested or willing, with any information you feel is relevant.
Shahrukh
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 13:16:50 +0100
From: white95r <white95r @HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
Tina,
Walking backwards it is almost impossible to land on ones heels unless the
upper body leads the movement. Of course, this is the curse of almost all
tango beginners, men or women. For women particularly, (men do not walk
backwards as much) the manner of walking backwards is one of the most
important techniques to be learned. Landing on one's heels when walking
backwards will guarantee you about as bad a dance as you can get ;-)
Manuel
Original Message -----
From: tina <tinatango @IAMYOURS.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
> Dear friends,
>
> Staying on the same subject, but switching to women,
> isn't it totally wrong for a woman to walk backwards (or forward) "heels
> first"?
>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:25:17 -0700
From: Kathleen Bober <kbober @FLASH.NET>
Subject: Jorge Nel in Tucson
JORGE NEL will be in Tucson, Arizona for two workshops next week.
MILONGA
Sunday, August 15, 4-7 pm
$35 advance registration, or $40 at the door.
SALSA
Saturday, August 21, 1-3 pm
$25 advance registration, or $30 at the door.
Location: University of Arizona Gittings Building, Room 130 or Room 4
(first building west of Campbell Avenue on north side of University Mall)
For Registration, please call Mara Carlson (Ventanita del Tango) at (520)
791-3073.
******************
And on Thursday, August 19, there will be a Milonga with Jorge Nel at the
Sheraton El Conquistador from 9-midnight. The resort is located at 10000 N.
Oracle in Tucson. The milonga will be in the Dos Locos restaurant and is
free of charge.
******************
For more information about the milonga please contact me
<kbober @flash.net>, and for more information about weekly classes, milongas
and special events visit <http://tucsontango.homepage.com>.
We hope to see you in Tucson!
Kathleen Bober
(I have no financial interest in the Jorge Nel workshops, which are
sponsored by Ventanita del Tango)
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 15:27:14 -0500
From: Frank Williams <frank @INDY.BSBE.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
Heyo friends,
...just my $0.02...
Linda wrote:
> I prefer a man who walks like a cat.
> Thus my vote is clearly for "Ball of the foot" first.
As a matter of anatomical necessity, cats have no choice but to walk on their
toes. In my opinion, this does not imbue them with any particularly unique
characteristics that are worthy of emulation. All predators that stalk exhibit
some form of stealth. For me, there's no place for STEALTH or STALKING in
tango dancing per se, and that's why I so dislike the cat analogy.
"Smoothness" I gladly endorse! Smooth forward walking with heels striking
first is more difficult than balls of feet striking first. That doesn't mean
one must be dogmatic. (BTW, and avoiding puns, my pointing setters stalk as
smoothly as any cat!) One of the beauties of this art is the freedom. On this
question I side with all of the tango anarchists out there...
> Cats love tango,
Hmmm... I'd love an expansion on that observation off-list, Linda. ;-)
Best regards to all,
Frank in Minneapolis
--
______________________________________________________________
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frank @indy.bsbe.umn.edu Department of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 4-105 BSBE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) 312 Church Street SE.
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home) Minneapolis, MN 55455
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 14:52:53 -0600
From: "Brian P. Dunn" <bpdunn @IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Origin of Heels Last (perhaps) Uncovered!
Arturo Greenberg writes:
>>>
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....
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....
<<<
Last summer, Juan Bruno ("The Kid from Ciudadela") visited the
Denver/Boulder area and told a story about how, as a young milonguero, he
became amazed watching some classical dancers with their precise balletic
footwork. He became obsessed with bringing this elegance into his own
dance. One of the things he chose to focus on was what he called the
"heels last" approach to footwork.
In listening to him, it seemed to me that what had impressed Juan was the
elegance of a "level footed step" which he saw used by the classical
dancers, as opposed to a clear, obvious heel-first-and-toes-in-the-air
landing by the typical milongueros of the 40's and 50's. According to him,
before he brought this new styling to the milongas, "heels first" was
universal and unvarying. He took a lot of heat for his style, but
eventually won some adherents.
Soon after his visit, the heels-first/heels-last question arose in a Boulder
group class taught by Valeria Solomonoff (a member of Tango Mujer). In a
demo, she asked the class to decide whether she was walking heel first or
heel last. No matter which she did, it split about down the middle in each
case. Her point was that all else being equal, neither choice need be a
powerful visual statement. The graceful "level footed step" that appealed
to Juan need not depend upon which part of the foot lands first; that's just
how he chose to describe and teach it way back when.
Brian Dunn
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 14:26:36 -0700
From: Colette Jacquet <colliedo @YAHOO.COM>
Subject: <No subject given>
Please send all Tango-L mail to my new address as of
immediately. It is
colliekj @yahoo.com
Thanks,
Colette Jacquet
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Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 19:20:49 EDT
From: Arthur Greenberg <AHGberg @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last" tango walk
Dear Jorge:
Far be it for me to be in conflict with Mr. Todaro. I am just a poor boy
trying to dance Argentine Tango in my style as I was told to do. I was told
that there were no rules in Argentine Tango. That's what makes this dance so
appealing. No rules! No regulations! No stipulations! No Tango police to
tell you that you must dance Tango this explicit way or that explicit way. Be
sure that your toes come down first. It is assinine to tell someone that
there are no rules in Tango....then to present hard and fast rules. Everyone
is entitled to their opinion.
I invite you to come and get on the dance floor next to Jorge Nel to compare
your dancing with his. I have never seen you dance so I do not know how your
Argentine Tango compares. It is perplexing to me that you read my post and
misquote me in such a blatant manner as to say that I placed Mr. Nel in the
best of the world Tango dancers. I reiterate for your benefit what I did
say.....and I quote," Jorge Nel is the most prominent dancer in Florida". If
you wish to challenge that statement, I am prepared to do so. If you wish
to comment on what I say or for you to alllude to some love affair I have
with Jorge Nel's dancing please pay better attention to what you read and
quote me properly. That would be so much appreciated. As to what people say
about their dancing or about Argentine Tango dancing, I personally pay much
more attention to what they do out on the dance floor in performance of this
dance. Talk is (cheap) easy! Putting your dancing where your mouth is, is
more realistic, so much more difficult than espousing theories, but in
the final analysis much more real than conversation.!
Respectfully,
Arturo
AHGberg @aol.com
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 22:24:01 -0400
From: "Walter M. Kane" <oldzeid @FRONTIERNET.NET>
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
Tina asked: Tuesday, August 10, 1999 12:10 AM
Subject: Re: "Heels First" or "Heels Last"
> .... why whould a woman walk differently than a man?
Please don't be offended by this, Tina, and I'm gonna try really hard not to
snicker and giggle as a multiplicity of answers just pop into my mind.
Perhaps we should have a contest. The first guy who comes up with 100 right
answers gets a pair of Flabellas with 4" heels.
Tangringo
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 23:42:11 -0400
From: Robin Tara <rtara @MAINE.RR.COM>
Subject: Omar Vega
Does anyone know the schedule of Omar Vega??
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 23:00:02 -0600
From: tina <tinatango @IAMYOURS.COM>
Subject: Re: "Tangringo" humor & Flabella's shoes
Congratulations, Walter M. Kane:
I am sure your pal Pepito..., I mean Alberto Paz is proud of you.
Now, tell us about those Flabella shoes again. How much are they and how
long is the wait?
Well, Shahrukh, it seems that a perfect candidate for your Assistant or
co-administrator for Tango-L has been found - TanGringo it is!
Sincerely yours,
Tina Hart.
_____________________________________________
Free email with personality! Over 200 domains!
http://www.MyOwnEmail.com
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 17:02:13 +1200
From: Neville Waisbrod <waisbrod @ACTRIX.GEN.NZ>
Subject: Sydney and Melbourne?
I have had a change of plans and will be in Melbourne on Monday the 16th of
this month to the 20th. Could someone please fill me in on lessons or
milongas for these dates. Does Melbourne have a web pge for Tango?
Thanks
Neville
Tamik Design
PO Box 410 63
Eastbourne
Wellington
New Zealand
Ph 64 4 5628 254
Fax 64 4 5628 252
Mobile 64 21 5628 25
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 00:57:37 -0600
From: Naomi Bennett <Naomiben @SWBELL.NET>
Subject: Women leading
When I was in B.A. for two weeks for private lessons, group and milongas, I
dances with many Argentine men. My female instructor for privates was one
of the very best leads I experienced that trip. She had so many moves and
steps to surprise me. She could be both subtle and strong. She was one of
the very best.
Laura Stevens said:
>Regarding "women dancing with women"...
>
>I see nothing wrong with artists exploring the possibilities of the dance
and music. It is also fine to practice the lead and follow with another
woman, although I don't think that any woman can lead as well as a man (who
knows how to lead).
Naomi Bennett
Austin, TX
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 23:55:56 -0600
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz @CSN.NET>
Subject: Re: HEELS FIRST OR HEELS LAST
I have seen great dancers who emphasize heels first or toes first.
Juan Bruno testifies that when he started tango all the dancers were
landing heel first. Upon reviewing ballet dancers he wondered if
landing toes first wouldn't be a more elegant way of walking. Showing
up at the milongas with his new way of walking led to insults and
derision, yet he says that the very same ones who were most
disrespectful later came back to him asking for assistance.
I'm of the opinion that this is a stylistic issue. It is the internal
and musical and romantic aspects of tango that are far more important
than how you land with your feet.
Hiding behind technique or style permits one to avoid things that are
more difficult.
Tom Stermitz
2612 Clermont St
Denver, CO 80207
Chautauqua Publishing / Ragtime Interiors
"On-Line Arts & Crafts Movement Resource Directory."
(303) 388 - 2560
stermitz @ragtime.org
http://www.ragtime.org/ragtime/
http://www.tango.org/dance/
End of TANGO-L Digest - 10 Aug 1999 to 11 Aug 1999
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