The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 8 Oct 2000
to 9 Oct 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 03:00:00 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 8 Oct 2000 to 9 Oct 2000 (#2000-273)
There are 3 messages totalling 127 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Chicho & Lucia
2. Helaine's dance floor
3. learning to lead
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Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2000 13:03:38 -0400
From: Sherry <dimmers @PILOT.MSU.EDU>
Subject: Chicho & Lucia
When I first started studying Tango, I wondered how the professionsl
could put on shows dancing just one dance. My backgound wasw ballroom
and I was used to much variety in dancing for shows. But now, for me
every couple interprets the music, chofregoy differently, which is why
peolke can enjoy an entire evening of watching "just one dancse". This
gsets me to Chico & Lucia. They certainly offer a different perscpctive
to Tango which is the richness this dancse offers. When I see them
dance, I think o;f2 puppies or lion cubs playing together. I enjoy their
perscpreitve , & the fun they seen to habve even if I lnever try to
learn something of their style. In ballroom there is the syllabus to
follow, in tango only hyour imagination.
Sherry
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 17:39:14 PDT
From: Art Silva <arttango @HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Helaine's dance floor
Dear Helaine,
I imagine you have some responses on the floor problem by now, but I'll
offer mine, also.
I had a square dancing acquaintance who went around with his troupe
doing demonstrations and setting up his portable floor that he carried in
his pickup. This is how he did it: his basic unit was a 4 x 8' sheet of
5/8" plywood. On two edges of this he had about a l x 4" strip of some
solid wood like fir (soft pine probably wouldn't hold up) attached with glue
and nails and overlapping the edge by half it's width, creating a "shiplap"
effect. In addition about a 7' strip of the same was attached down the
middle of each sheet. (I think possibly two strips spaced equally would be
a little better.) These units, if you can visualize it, were capable of
fitting together. They were secured together along the overlapping edge
with about l or l& l/4" countersunk wood screws, with care that each screw
was below dancing level of the surface, and also that the placement of the
screws was precisely the same on each unit, maybe 5 on the long side and 3
or 4 on the short side, this precision so that if one had to, the units
could be used interchangeably, although my notion of it would be to code the
units so that they went down in the same relationship each time as little
variations in screw placement are hard to avoid. Also, the outside of two
ends of the floor would not have an overlap and would need support
underneath, either attached or provided each time. With portable battery
powered drills with screw bits, the floor could be assembled or taken apart
rather quickly. The units would be fairly heavy, too much for one person
and a good workout for two.
The units should be varnished on both sides for durability.
They should be stored exactly on edge or else flat to prevent the
possibility of warping, though in 10 days not much of a problem, but I'm
partly presuming that these would be saved for future times?
It would be good to have tools, extra screws handy, and someone good at
using them at each session, as the holes can get stripped, too many of which
might cause an edge to rise up. This system would require care in handling
as these units couldn't be thrown around or slammed down without possibly
damaging the overlap.
The plywood needs at least one smooth side of course, and a little
extra durability could be had by using waterproof glued sheets of exterior
grade costing a few dollars more.
Here, the plywood would run maybe $l5 each sheet, $5 for screws, glue,
and strips, plus labor. In Italy I don't know costs.
Such units, with reasonable care and maintenance, would last many
years. The floor would be quite resilient, nice for dancing. Probably long
term storage should be flat. With the double strip backing you might be
able to do it with l/2" plywood, but I would try that with one sheet before
committing to it.
If this seems likely to you I can make a few tiny models of matte board
and send them to you, or to others who might be interested.
Best wishes,
Art Silva
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Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 12:28:43 +0200
From: Hannes Rieger <hrieger @GMX.DE>
Subject: Re: learning to lead
astrid wrote:
> The best of all teachers I know once had me spend the better part of a
> private lesson lying on the floor (yes !), with my shoulders on the floor,
> and my pelvis rolled over to the side, legs pulled in, and him kneeling over
> me stretching the muscles in my waist. The miracle happened when he finally
> allowed me to get up. He danced with me and our bodies moved in perfect
> unison, me smoothly following whatever lead, moving like in a trance.
> Any more questions ?
Wow! The best of all teachers I know was lying on the floor one hour or
so
just behind the feet of the women leading their feet with his hands to
show
clearly the movement of boleos. Maybe he's the same teacher (from
Berlin)...
End of TANGO-L Digest - 8 Oct 2000 to 9 Oct 2000 (#2000-273)
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