Ask Maleva: A Tango Advice Column

February 2004

It's a very tricky thing to correct someone on the social dance floor and in my opinion really should never be done, even by teachers. It's not your place. Corrections are for the classroom or practica. (Warnings about floorcraft are sometimes given by the organizer of the milonga - I've heard this done and no one is offended.) If you really think someone ought to say something to him then go ahead and speak your mind, but chances are you will just offend him and he won't listen anyways. (People usually brush off corrections that are given to them on the dancefloor by thier peers.) But if you are getting so bruised by dancing with him then why would you care if he stops asking you? If he really is a hazard, then you should probably turn him down anyhow -- maybe that will give him the message that he needs to slow down.

But, if you choose not to say anything, there are a couple of things you can do to help avoid collisions.

First, keep your eyes open and if you see that he is about to step into someone, try to stop him...squeeze his hand, press his shoulder, inhale sharply, squeal...these all work!

Second, and very importantly, guys are not the only one who need to be careful on crowded dance floors. If there are lots of people around, be conscious and keep your feet on the ground. Just because your partner leads a boleo doesn't mean you have to kick your leg up behind you. Boleos come from a snap in the hips, not a lift in the leg, and you can do them with your feet together. Sometimes the snap is even more powerful when you do them this way, as none of the energy is diffused into the legs.

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Dear Maleva,
I am relatively new to Tango and I enjoy dancing with partners either newer yet or at my own level. Sometimes I dance with someone more advanced, and we have a hard time getting along on the dance floor. What do I do as a leader with a more advanced partner who adds flourishes that I am not leading? What if she wants a close embrace that doesn't give me room to navigate?
Simplicity is Best

Dear Simplicity,

People usually have the best dances with someone who is about at their same level, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your dances with the more advanced followers. If by flourishes, you mean embellishments, then those are not led, and you don't need to worry about them. The leg that the follower is standing on belongs to you, as the leader, and it is the follower's job to stay on it as long as you want her there. The follower free legs belongs to her and she can use it however she wants to express the music, through taps, kicks, circles etc. as long as she is always ready for your next lead. Don't let the embellishments scare you! Keep dancing, she is timing her adornments to fit into the step that you have given her and if you stop and watch or worry that she is not following then you will break the flow of the dance for both of you. A good follower can embellish without disrupting the lead at all.

However, if by 'flourishes' you mean she is going on automatic-ocho-pilot or doing unprovoked molinetes in a circle around you while you just stand there...(don't laugh, I've seen it happen!)...well, there's nothing you can really do about that, except realize that it's not your fault - she's the one not following.

Sometimes even tougher than dancing with someone with a different experience level than your own is dancing with someone who prefers a different sort of embrace than you do. Usually when you begin the dance you can get a sense of what sort of embrace the other person wants and find somewhere that is comfortable for both of you. If both people want it close, great, and if both people want it open, great. If one person wants it close and one person wants it open, it is really best to go open. A forced close-embrace is yucky. Also, in my opinion, a follower should try to give the leader the kind of embrace he is comfortable dancing with, especially if she is more advanced. However, there are plenty of followers who will go ahead and plaster themselves on you. If you are not used to doing steps with someone stuck to your chest, then it can be daunting. You can always make it clear to her that you need more space, either by wiggling away as best you can, or just telling her. But if you decide to give it a whirl, then stay true to the nickname you've given yourself and keep it simple. Just walk, do ochos, rocksteps, and whatever other basic things you know until you learn how to do the fancier things close. If you try your best to give her a comfy embrace, being extra careful of her axis, and listen to the music, you will probably both enjoy the dance. Also, in terms of navigating the floor, make sure you stay to the outside edge of the dance floor, close to the wall. You won't be able to see to your right side if a woman's cheek is against yours and the worst place to be is in the middle...