Dear Myk:
Sorry, for the delay in this reply but have been thinking about your questions,
all this time.
Re: all your specifics about embrace pressure, tricks, etc., the simple answer,
for me, still comes down to the same thing:
"whatever gives us a "bloody good dance.""
If one over analyzes any dance, it squeezes all the "juice" out of it.
Besides....the truth is, everything depends on the couple, the moment, the
night, the place, the music, the space, the onda, what I had for dinner and did
earlier in the day, as well as him/her. The best leaders and followers are
those who are so relaxed, confident and flexible, in their own center that they
can subtly feel where their partner is at, physically, at that moment AND
adjust to whatever conditions are presented in and outside of themselves, with
the infinite variables. I will usually give my partner subtle signs as to
what's comfortable(dialogue/connection), in our embrace, his pacing and steps,
in that moment, for me. For him to plan ahead for a certain pressure, tricks
or anything, skips the point of our specific connection.....then, he is in his
head instead of his body and missing the uniqueness of our pairing. A follower
may like a stronger embrace, more tricks
and speed, one day/milonga and the same one, entirely different things,
another. Same with leaders....not to mention the locations, orchestras/djs,
teachers present, etc. All of these things are at play and make your specifics
question almost unanswerable and moot. Tango dancing is an improvisatory "zen
of the moment" thing, rather than a pre-formulaic strategy. A good follower is
a simple creature. All we ask is that you, simply....whatever your particular
style of dance may be...be sensitive to our "signs"; don't bump us into other
people/furniture, constantly or grope us; stay on the beat and try not to bore
us with infinitely repetetive/inappropriate, steps/patterns. Everything after
that is "Gold".
Cheers, dnb
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