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Making the flower bloom.
Prerequisit - Moves.
Last Page Update - 2-24-08
The leader determines the tempo and direction of the dance, depending on the music, furniture, and other people on the floor. ~ But it is the follower who accepts his lead and, when she does, makes the dance worth doing. ~ She knows what she is and what she can do, and who she is with. ~ So she makes the dance what no other dance can be. ~ Whatever she wants it to be.
To be sure, the leader may try to look good too, and some succeed in a way. ~ But it is by far the lady who makes Tango Tango. ~ The leaders are but musicians playing the instrument. ~ They may be maestros, but it is the follower who will be the ‘Strad’. ~ She is the most wonderful of insturments. ~ The one that makes it all come out so beautifully.
What exactly makes Tango so sensuous and inviting? ~ It is to me that every time the lady dances to entrance, they do... ~ The ladies know they can do this most all the time.., but Tango lets them!
It is very poetic isn’t it. ~ And even erotic? ~ But to me it is that Tango is an art form. ~ Another way to go. ~ To vicariously live, see, and appreciate the world around us. ~ To do what you would otherwise be unable to do.
All these descriptions and more flow from my head as I think of Tango and the beauty that followers can produce. ~ It is like Rachel who inspires me in another artistic mode of mine. Causing me to love what I’m doing even more, and for me to do it better still.
This is what followers need to know. ~ That when they dance they are both the artist and their own creation. ~ They need to inspire themselves. ~ To put in their all.
We’ll describe these extras to the dance. ~ The ‘adornos’ and ‘embellishments’ that make it all that it can be for you. ~ They are the icing on the Tango cake. ~ The layers of which are the walk, and then the moves made over the walk. ~ Now we add this final touch.
But first, as these extras are often spontaneous, fresh, and original, we’ll ask for help from you. ~ Particular adornments. ~ Ideas. ~ What you’ve done or have seen that you thought was nice. ~ Whatever extra you do when there is time to do it. ~ Please tell us. ~ Else they may be like that tree that falls when there is no one there to hear.
Those who would share can do so here. ~ The ‘Feedback Page’. ~ Write what you wish and I’ll respond. ~ We’ll give credit for any such assistance, unless asked not to.
Rule number 1. Never do anything unless there is time to do it.
The leader must be aware of what you are going to do, if it cannot be done on your own without involving him, and within the beat and timing of the step he is leading. ~ IOW, don’t do anything that will disrupt the leader’s plan. ~ Nothing extra at all.
Unless.., you know there is the time for it. ~ A quick snap embellishment as your foot moves between midpoints, to the beat of the music you are both dancing to. ~ That from which you should know if you have the time or not. ~ Think about that timing. ~ You will know...
Or.., when the leader is specifically leading you into an embellishment, and knows what you are going to do. ~ *If* you feel like doing it.
Or.., that he is giving you ‘empty time’ to fill entirely on your own.
Followers, do not disrupt the leader’s feet. ~ Never prevent their freedom to move on the floor. ~ Or you may very well fall flat on that floor with him.
But that is not to say you should not play. ~ You must do your part. ~ It still takes two to Tango and always will. ~ Doing your part will not only make the dance much nicer, it will also change you from a follower into a true Tanguera dancer. ~ Just do it as it should be done.
How each of these situations should be handled are below.
* Embellishments created by the follower, within the moves of the dance.
They must be totally on your own and MUST not interfer with the leader’s plan.
These can be quick and snappy steps made between the midpoints of a walk, that do not cause hesitation to anything otherwise being done. ~ A quick cross at the ankles, done either in front, behind, or both, by the moving foot as it is passing the one your weight is on.
Circular motions called pencils can be done at the floor by the moving foot. ~ These can be done constantly while the follower is ‘tilted’ forward and the leader is taking her around in a circle. The follower draws circular traces on the floor with the toe of her moving foot, as she is rotated on her weight bearing foot. Any number, any size...
While waiting for the leader to move, the follower may tap her toe on the floor behind her, ~ Feigning impatience.
More types are to be added and described. ~ Followers can also watch other followers to learn more possibilities.
* Embellishments led by the leader, within the moves of the dance.
Throughout the dance, a leader will give ‘invitations’ to the follower for her to add things that are her’s alone. ~ She need not do them.., but when she does the dance becomes a true Tango ‘conversation’. ~ The invitations are for her to add herself in Tango expression. ~ Leg crawls, ‘shoe shines’, enganches and such. ~ She can do this... ~ It is Tango. ~ She can allow free flow to her sensual nature, her connecton to the leader and the music, her creativity in any Tango way she wants to go.
These invitations are given in many forms. ~ What are essentially secondary leads from ‘you know who’. ~ He can simply extend a leg that gets in the follower’s way. ~ She can then decide what to do. ~ To slither up and down that leg while taking her time, or simply to step over it and move right along. ~ The follower decides how much she wants to do, and with who. ~ And if she shows she wants to slow, the leader will give her the time to do so.
There are many such ‘invitations’ and we’ll be talking more about them here, very soon. ~ For now we’ll work on some basics. ~ There’s a fine line between some ‘moves’ as such, and the ‘adornos’ that can become an integral part of that move.
Secondary leads normally will be to stop or interfere with the followers direction of travel that is already started by the frame. ~ The leader reverses his direction of travel or rotation, to send the follower off in a new direction.
This is usually done by physically blocking the travel with the leaders leg or foot for instance, or implied, which comes more from the frame again. ~ A reversal of the leader’s shoulder movement, to the turn that is taking place. ~ The follower immediately stops and reverses too, matching her shoulders and therefore direction to that of the leader’s.
The leader may ask for a ‘Voleo’, ‘Gancho’ or other move at any time, and to it he may add special effects of his own. ~ Those such as ‘intensity, or ‘height’.., perhaps to a particular knee or other part of the anatomy.
He may want to add some extra movement, slow it down or speed it up, or maybe change position or tradition. ~ All of which are done to the Tango ‘move’ being done during the Tango ‘walk’. ~ You can find descriptions of many Tango moves in Tango Talk here on this site and elsewhere, elsewhere. ~ The leads that cause these Tango moves to happen are examined in detail on the previous Moves page. ~ They are the ‘modifications’ made to whichever of the three basic directional steps is being made at the time.
One of the nicest ways to learn of them is to watch them being done. ~ I’ve suggested movies for this reason in another section of the lessons.
But here we are to dress them up. ~ They’re already being done. ~ Take any one and think about it ‘plain vanilla’ wise. ~ Now add the sprinkles as we tell you how. ~ We want you to know that *you*, the ‘following’ tanguero, is the one in charge of how the dance will look to all who watch it being done.
The leader is always looking to produce action, excitement, and beauty with visual variety, and so he asks you the follower to help him do the things he cannot do himself. ~ The follower must be ready to respond to these extra signals at all times. ~ They are done to put the icing on the Tango cake. ~ They are also what keeps you ‘interested’.., and in the zone.
They are not ‘sequences’ by any means. ~ Again they are just nicer ways to make and take those single step moves that are always being led. ~ ‘Fancy’ things done in the short time between when your weight comes off a particular foot and then is put back onto the same foot.., to the beat of the music and tempo of the leader, either in the same or another place.
Leads will take the form of quick shoulder shakes, sudden stops to the direction you are moving, direction reversals, and other more subtle signals from the leader. ~ Movements led by the leader are responded to because the follower knows she is to be as putty in his hands. ~ But also like a whip he is cracking. ~ Loose and limber. ~ Even mean at times. ~ Able to snap to any direction, flip extremities as in ‘backlash’, or go high or low with her body, or perhaps just a straight leg or bent knee high into the air. ~ The leader will test her endurance, responsiveness, and desire to Tango. ~ A follower must be ready to accomodate all his perversity.
More will be written here.
* Embellishments while followers are stopped and have ‘empty time’.
Followers I know you know that when the leader stops moving from place to place, it is your signal to not go anywhere either. ~ But he is still waiting for something to happen. ~ No need to ask. ~ This is your chance. ~ He is giving you time to contribute to the ‘conversaton’ that the two of you are having. ~ Be there!. ~ Make it interesting and not one-sided. ~ Fantasize. ~ Respond in ways that relate to the distance between you and him. ~ The distance you created, or allowed.., as you placed your arm on his when you started the dance. ~ When you placed your hand somewhere between his right elbow, to as far around the back of his neck as his far shoulder. ~ Enjoy yourself to that degree, to the fullest. ~ Your leader knows his place. ~ Your hand has told him where that is. ~ You are doing Tango.
Do I need to explain further?
Yes...! ~ Here are examples...
For a start, remember that your free leg is to appear relaxed and loose as it hangs down from your hip. ~ So if you are standing still and the leader slowly rotates you on your axis, the free leg will undulate under you. ~ Swinging outward a bit and forming an arc behind you and to your side. ~ In somewhat of a circle, swinging behind your other leg when moving in that direction. ~ The other way, it may go so far as wrapping the leader’s leg too. ~ It comes about from the circular path of the hip to which it’s attached. ~ So do not resist it’s freedom to move on it’s own. ~ Let it go. ~ *Help* it in fact, to be and do what it is supposed to do in a natural looking way. ~ As for the leader’s leg wraps that may occur? ~ Relax and let them happen as he rotates or turns you either way. ~ They’re not done to ‘clamp and hold’. ~ Just the leg swinging too and fro. ~ If the leader intends moving on, he will tell you so. ~ If he wants to keep your lag wrapped on his, he will tell you that too. ~ He may simply stop the ‘fro’ and keep you there, while he does a layover to 45 degrees. ~ At that point you should just enjoy the ride.
One more thing. ~ As bad as being behind the beat of the music, one should not cause their leg or body to move and happen ahead of time either. ~ Finishing ahead of the music and it’s beat always looks contrived. ~ Let the movements flow with the music as you hear it coming to you..,and they will seem as liquid flowing. ~ Not the mechanical robotic look of some.
More examples to be given and written.
* Rule number 2. Follow rule number 1.
Followers must be constantly on guard against causing a crash. <g> ~ Never involve the leader with an unexpected leg wrap for instance. ~ Know what you can do, and always expect that he will not expect what you’re going to do. ~ Never do an adorno that will stop the move or motion that he’s in the middle of. ~ This should be common sense, but it had to be said for a common reason. ~ People do stupid things. :-)
TIMING
More to be written.
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