Jack Dylan wrote --------> I [took] some time and trouble to explain [the difference between an 'open' step and a 'crossed' step] but received no feedback. I hope you found my comments useful.
They were useful. Thanks! Part of the difficulty understanding what open and crossed mean is the terminolgy (in English, anyway). Naveira etc. are not talking about an open STEP, or crossed STEP, which would refer to a step or a stance of one person. They are talking about the relation between two people. (A crossed STEP is when a person crosses one foot in front of or behind another foot. Step 5 of the 8CB is a crossed step. When a man leads a molinete he may cross one foot behind another so he can do a half turn in place while she walks around him.) I have been mulling over just what good it does to know the difference between an open and crossed relation. Let's try the 8CB. Step 1. An open relation. I (the leader) can do step 2 as a sacada on her trailing right foot. This might help lead a parada or a boleo, for instance. Step 2. An open relation. I can do step 3 as a sacada instead of the usual step 3. Step 3. A crossed relation. I can do step 4 as a sacada, but my partner and I will have trouble. (We can still do a figure beginning in a sacada, but to do it smoothly we both must be quite expert and have a lot of body control.) That's what I've figured out so far. I should mention that years ago when Fabian Salas began teaching in Los Angeles I took all his classes. The first few he discussed open/crossed and other parts of his and Naveira's system. Later he quit doing that. I suspect their system is good for thinking up new ways of doing movements, but not for improvising them while dancing. Larry de Los Angeles ____________________________________________________________ Play it loud with a new car stereo! Click here! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/Ioyw6iigWK8SwmpnzXJzv0qPHhtIjTVfj8SXPz7VOCUdcXBQgonAOm/ _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l