Ask Maleva: A Tango Advice Column

Which Way to Turn My Head?

Dear Maleva,
I am confused about which way to turn my head as a follower. Some teachers tell me to turn my head to the right so I am looking at the open side of the embrace. (I heard Omar Vega say that the woman should look at the man's heart.) But other teachers say that the follower should always look straight over the leader's shoulder. I see women dancing both ways out at the milongas. Which way should I look???
-Head Case

Dear Head Case,

The way you should hold your head depends on how the leader holds you. His embrace will probably make one option or the other more comfortable. If a leader holds you off to his right side, not directly in front of him, then turning your head towards the leader will make sense in this offset position. If you keep your head straight in this offset position then your heads probably wouldn't touch and you would feel a little disconnected - or you would have to take your torso out of line to bring your right cheek closer to his. You can see pictures of Elina Roldan and El Pibe Sarandi dancing in an offset embrace by clicking here.

When you do turn your head towards the man it is common to only touch the top of your forehead to his cheek, like Elina does in the pictures, not your whole forehead and nose and even mouth - which is the more intimate 'I want to kiss you' position!

If the guy's embrace keeps you right in front of him (sternum to sternum) then there is not space to turn the head towards him without really crunching your face into him, pushing with the nose, and pulling your head back into your neck. It will be much more comfortable for both of you to look over his right shoulder.

(In case you are wondering what to do with your left arm as well, the offset close-embrace position also allows the lady to put her arm around the middle of the guys back like in these pictures of El Pibe and Elina because the ladies armpit is on the guys arm and she can reach around with her whole arm without the elbow jutting out of the embrace. If the man keeps the lady right in front of him then her armpit is lined up with his armpit. His bicep is in the way of her upper arm and she can only reach around from the elbow down, and her elbow sticks out. In order for her elbow not to stick out then she should go up and over the top of his shoulder.)

If the guy is much taller than you then do whatever you can to make it comfortable for yourself. Generally I turn my head to my right, regardless of the leaders embrace when he is very tall; otherwise my nose would be in his armpit!