[TANGO-L] FW: [TANGO-L] The "brutes" are not the open embrace people. It is the reverse. Re: [TANGO-L] Teachers who lead and follow

[Stephane Fymat <stephane_fymat@YAHOO.COM>]

Whether open or closed embrace, there is a difference between having an axis
and sharing it with my partner vs. not having my own axis and using my
partner's axis as my own.  I love dancing with a woman who has her own axis
and may choose to share it with me by leaning on me in a close embrace.  She
shares her power with me, and honors me with her trust in me to take care of
that which she can do perfectly well on her own.  I don't love dancing with
a woman who has no axis, and places the burden upon me without asking, by
leaning on me, so that now I must do the work of two people.  Women without
their own axis in close embrace lean on the chest to prop themselves up.  In
open embrace, they push down and grip your arms tightly to hold themselves
up.  Same thing either way.

We men do our version when we don't have our own axis - often by dancing
fast to recover our lack of balance in one step with the next step, and
recovering that one with the next one, until it's all one off-the-beat salad
of steps that unnecessarily jerks the woman around.

To no one's surprise on this list, if we take care of our own axis first, we
then have something to give to the other person.  In this case, shared axis,
and all of the wonderful feelings that come from that.

Stephane
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango
[mailto:TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Derik Rawson
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 10:47 AM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] The "brutes" are not the open embrace people. It is the
reverse. Re: [TANGO-L] Teachers who lead and follow

Dear Sean:

Hola!

The problem here, is that we are again dealing with an "out right lie and
fabrication" from Susan Miller and her "brutish" and  "controling" little
group of so-called "close embrace all the time" dancers.  If you do not
believe me, just click on the link below to see a picture of Susana Miller
dancing. As you  will see in the picture, she is absolutely leaning on her
dance partner.  She is not balanced on her own weight as you and her claim.
The so called illusion is BS.
If the man in this picture stepped away from her, she would fall flat on her
face.

http://www.rawsonweb.com/tango/Design/Assets/Images/wtsusanamiller.gif

The fact is that "close embrace all the time" follower has to be pushed
around physically by direct contact with the leader's body to take a step,
and that to me is far more "brutish" than a leader in an an open embrace
simply moving his body to indicate where the follower might want to go.

The fundamental problem with "close embrace all the time" followers is that
they most of them do not know how to follow a leader unless they are pushed
around.
They are not shown by the "close embrace all the time"
teachers how to follow a leader without body contact.

The "brutes" are not the open embrace people. It is the reverse.

PS-  Please read my E-mail to Trini below again....

Derik
d.rawson@rawsonweb.com

--- Derik Rawson <rawsonweb@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 07:02:08 -0800 (PST)
> From: Derik Rawson <rawsonweb@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: [TANGO-L] Close Embrace All the Time People
> To: patangos@YAHOO.COM, TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> CC: d.rawson@rawsonweb.com
>
> Dear Trini, I understand what you are saying and I agree with you 100
> percent. In Argentine Tango one tries to adapt and comunicate... be
> the best one can be for a partner, not try to control him or her.
> Derik


Derik
d.rawson@rawsonweb.com


--- "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@YAHOO.COM>
wrote:

> Hola Derik,
>
> Sean here. I would be very insulted if a woman told me that I have a
> strong lead. I strive to be very clear about my intention, but I try
> to never use my strength against a woman.
>
> There is no machismo in using your strength to move a woman, only
> brutality. Brutes are not welcome at our milongas.
>
> Just my opinion,
>
> Sean
>
> --- Derik Rawson <rawsonweb@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
>  <snip>
> men are the muscle (the drummers who provide a strong lead and often
> wear black clothing to try to be invisible in the background)
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
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>
>





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