Re: [TANGO-L] how different? - open, closed (was Just two styles)

[michael <tangomaniac @JUNO.COM>]

Olel:
You are correct that there is no torso in open position, which is why I can't dance open position. The woman feels so far away from me, I need a cell phone to communicate the lead. "OK, salida, go to the cross. Pivot to left for front ocho, etc...."

You feel the leader's intentions through his arms instead of his upper body. The danger is that the leader will use his arms to pull and push to lead instead of rotating his shoulders. I see a lot of people who dance open breaking their frames. (Now I know what that "breaking" noise is.) I see men in open position leading molinetes by tilting to one side to push the woman around the circle. What's even worse. These leaders attempt to lead the open box. They step backwards to their left, and pull the woman around with their arms.

When I dance in close embrace, I can lead better because there is more physical contact with my partner. The woman can feel my intention through my upper body and I can feel how she is following through my upper body.

I don't understand how you can follow with the eyes. The leader can be doing something completely different than the woman. Molinete is an example. While the woman dances back-side-forward or forward-side-back or forward-side-forward, the man is the center of the circle. I don't know how watching the man communicates to the woman what to do. Intuition doesn't work. The woman should follow what the man LEADS, which ISN'T always what he INTENDED.

Michael
Only 29 days to the New Year's Eve Milonga at Dance Manhattan in New York

-- Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k @HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
Well. Obviously my experience with open embrace is at beginner level, hence my description of the style. How can you "listen with your torso" if there is no direct torso contact? My perception is that you follow with eyes, intuition and memorized steps. I forgotten to add hands lead. Have I missed something?

Cheers, Oleh K.
http://3clicksdesign.com/tango.htm

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