Re: [TANGO-L] Skating + Tango

[Michael Kass <kass @pixar.com>]

On Feb 27,  4:04pm, Jay Rabe wrote:
> Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Skating + Tango
> Michael,
> Thanks so much for the reply. But I'm sure this is a good discussion for the
> whole list, so I've copied to it. When I sent my first question to you I had
> intended to send it to the list but sent it personally instead.
>
> In any case, your description makes perfect sense. But since I too struggle
> with balance, and yes, especially on enrosques, please elaborate on your
> comment about "dropping the free hip below the standing hip." I can only see
> this possible by bending the free knee. Am I picturing the mechanics
> correctly?

Yes, I think you're picturing the error correctly.  Here's how I think of
it in skating.  Suppose you're standing normally with your feet together.
If you lift your right foot, you'll fall over to the right.  In order
to avoid this, you have to do something to move some weight over to the
left.  The incorrect, yet most natural way to do this is to displace
your hip slightly to the left while bending your upper body to the right.
The result is that you end up balanced over your foot, but
your body has a kink.  It's not very attractive, you are not free to
move equally well in any directions afterwards, and if you try to turn
from this position, you'll wobble.  In skating, the proper way to move
your balance over your left foot is to lift your right hip.  In ballet,
you'll be taught to keep your hips level, but in skating, since you're
on just a thin metal blade, you have to lift the free hip significantly
above the standing (or skating) hip.  Here's how to get the feel of what
we do on ice.  Stand straight on two feet with your feet together.
Now, point your right foot (leaving the right toes on the ground)
while keeping your right leg straight and not moving your left side,
or your upper body at all.  When you lift your right hip to allow this,
you should find yourself perfectly balanced over your left foot.

Lifting the free hip is definitely learned, not natural.
I don't know whether or not it's appropriate in tango to keep the free
hip as lifted as is necessary in skating, but it's critical to avoid
letting the free hip drop below the standing hip.  Otherwise, there's
not way you can be properly balanced, and there's no way that you can
turn without wobbling.

Hope that helps . . . .

--Michael




> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: "Michael Kass" <kass @pixar.com>
> Reply-To: kass @pixar.com
> To: "Jay Rabe" <jayrabe @hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Skating + Tango in D.C.
> Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 20:19:36 -0800
>
> On Feb 25,  1:23am, Jay Rabe wrote:
>  > Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Skating + Tango in D.C.
>  > Michael,
>  >
>  > Could you elaborate? How has your skating background helped you learning
>  > tango?
>
> Mostly balance, posture and ability to turn.  After ice dancing for years,
> enrosques aren't very intimidating.  Most tango beginners can't stand
> properly on one foot.  They drop the free hip below the standing hip. It's a
> very natural thing to do, but it's bad news in tango and absolute death for
> ice dance.  If you're able to stay precisely balanced on a thin metal blade,
> staying balanced over a whole shoe seems easy.
>
> --Michael
>
>
>
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>-- End of excerpt from Jay Rabe



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