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A Little Clarity From An Earlier Post

In today’s post I used 2 terms that caused a bit of consternation.

To be clear I used the terminology of the video.

Let me clarify what *I mean* with the usage of those terms.

‘Frame’. This refers to the structure and posture of EITHER dancer in the co-combined typical asymmetrical embrace as displayed below.

Which is described as Lead Left arm/hand to Follower Right arm/ hand embracing while the Lead Right goes around the Follower’s body/back under the bra line, with fingers closed; And the corresponding Follower Left goes around the Lead’s back with fingers closed, and the palm rests on the Lead’s T8 spinal vertebrae.

‘Frame’ DOES NOT refer to an embrace that the Follower can use to stabilize themselves against or off of, or as a scaffolding that Follower can hang off OR be supported by.

‘Frame’ does NOT refer to a presentation format for performance based Tango. No! Never this.

If you think that’s what the embrace is for, you are mistaken.

An embrace is there to lightly and ever so gently communicate thru exceedingly lite physical contact the conversation between the partnership. It is not there to push, pull, squeeze, direct, or to control the partnership in any way, shape, or form. It is there to facilitate commutation between the partnership.

‘Frame’ refers specifically to the upright posture of both dancers while generating an infinitesimally small, very, very tiny amount of forward intention – a little lean forward – un pequito – while engaging the typical asymmetrical embrace format. That is ‘Frame’. If you are deriving anything else from the use of that word, don’t. Keep it limited to the definition above. Capice ?

‘Picture’. – Oy this one…The Follower is NOT presenting or showing off. This is NOT performance Tango.

It is allowing for the Follower’s normal engagement of the 5 Social Figures of Argentine Tango and the space to breathe in them in time to the musical interpretation suggested by the Lead (while at the same time allowing for Follower interpretation as well), and more importantly the proper time to exist without being rushed by their partner.

‘Picture’ means that the Follower is the focus of the Lead’s attention. If anyone is watching what they should see is the Followers motions AND NOT THE LEAD being ‘flashy’.

That’s what these terms mean by my standards. It is also what I believe the video demonstration was about.

Let me be crystal clear here: I do NOT advocate or promote PERFORMANCE BASED TANGO IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, or FORM. Nor will I ever!

Anyone that knows me knows that I have an apoplectic response to the mere mention of it, let alone having to sit thru it.

Social Tango is what I promote and it’s a hill I WILL die

Photo Credit: Me. Dancer: Jannie Lund

That is all.

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Keep something in the back of your mind: What you’re seeing in a youtube video is a couple that is performing for the 15th row for a room full of people. They’re not social dancing! Whereas this website is all about ‘Social Tango’  or how to make things function on a social dance floor. Social Dance floor ? Your local milonga! They are showing you flashy moves as a presentation, to show off! But not stopping and talking about how this works which is what you need to see. This website and all of it’s content show you the how and  why you’d want to put that piece of vocabulary there, or how to make things work. This website is all about those things and more!

You could watch Tango YouTube videos and thereby spend your time, trying to infer, and figure out how things may work in that particular situation. Bend your body this way or that, twist and force this position or that. Place your foot here or there and figure it out. This is known as Tango Twister.  Which can be a lot of fun, but more than likely it won’t help you, because you’re missing something: The explanation from an experienced teacher showing you how to properly excute this stuff from a Leading Perspective as well as from a Following Perspective!

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