Hey Anton, we have consistently taught students to enter the floor respecting to the ronda, preferably with the lady's back to the tables. Marching to the centre of the floor, following or followed by the lady is really ugly, but I think comes from our old social dance tradition where the men invited the lady and then escorted her to the floor. The difference is that, back then, the dance brackets were announced, so everyone was on the floor before the music (usually a band) started. So it does not work very well with Tango, when couples enter the floor after the music has started. BUT, I am guilty of passing.....I just hate tittering around behind couples rooted to the floor while they go through figures. Maybe you'll have to give me a yellow card. Oh, and I can't abide the way we all feel bound to affect the "Buenos Aires" interminable chat at the start of every song. Sorry, I like to dance, so I just listen for the music and go. That usually results in passing 5 couples, deep in conversation. Guys, it's not like the women are chaperoned by their mothers any more, or that you must leave them at the ladies tables, BsAs style. Can't you chat somewhere else? John
From: "Anton Stanley" <an...@alidas.com.au> From a recent post: "in the video is a good example), the men start the dance facing the tables, with the woman with her back to the tables." I can't say that I've noticed this as being the norm at Lo de Celia or anywhere else in Bs As. ....... The greatest impediment to good tango, in my opinion, is overtaking. (I'm sure most dancers at Lo de Celia would agree). ------ Again in my opinion, anyone guilty of either, except in the most extreme situations, should be banned from the floor. They are a menace. These practices, very typical in Australia and US and increasingly so in Bs As and I suspect elsewhere in the world makes good tango very difficult. If you can't trust the people around you it's just not tango! Anton _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l