Movement in Bartitsu[2] is slightly different, the foot positions are the same but when moving forward you throw the body into the movement by pushing with the rear foot.I write of the first movement to contrast with the second which is how one should move in tango, propelling yourself forward with the trailing foot, pushing the chest ahead like a ships figurehead. After talking with Armando Copa at the weekend I am going to modify this idea slightly further. With the same sense of motion do not throw yourself into the forward but push yourself away form the behind.
[1] Image from The Theory and Practice of Fencing, Julio Martinez Castello, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1933
[2] An eclectic martial art and self defence method originally developed in England during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
5 comments:
I like it! Very nice way of putting the lead into other dimension and quite Bennie Bartels-like! I also liked Richard McGerry's example of a trotting horse (www.tangoandchaos.org). It makes sense!
As a novice but aspiring fencer, I find that the entire sport of fencing is almost in polar opposition to tango. But I appreciate that it might have something to teach me as (hopefully) get better at it.
In fencing, you are calculating strategy, anticpating moves, adversarial. You are a fierce individual.
In tango, you try to remain open and you wait for signals. You only dance well when you are a part of your partner.
Hello TangoBaby.
I should first state that by background in fencing is that of classical and historical fencing, not modern fencing. I began my fencing in The Martinez Academy of Arms, New York, and continued when I returned to Ireland. It is an incredibly diverse world and I have studied everything form I.33 (circa 1280) to Belle Epoque Foil.
To give an example of how fencing helped my tango I would say that the most important thing in fencing is to observe and react, even while you are deploying you strategy, observe and react, if they are not reacting as you want or a different opening appears... . It was this principle that greatly helped me in breaking apart the sequences I was being taught and to spot the myriad of possibilities that were available with each step. [That was in week 6 of my tango career in a Lego-Tango class]
Wow, LimerickTango! I love your reply!
Perhaps I was too busy getting myself covered with bruises by my opponents that I was only focused on strategy (and getting out of the way).
I think part of the disconnect for me is that I primarily dance in close embrace, where the follower generally has her eyes closed. So the interpretation of the lead comes through feeling and is not visual.
But I can see where in open embrace your description of your experience would be helpful in working with a partner.
I hope that you'll add some more fencing info once in a while! Your background in the sport sounds fascinating. I hope you won't mind if I ask you a fencing question once in a while, too.
And I hope that you're no longer in any more Lego Tango classes. Aside from learning some basic steps, those classes will never have much to teach you about what tango really can be.
Hi TB:
I think that those cues can be visual or non-visual. The capacity to react ot a stimuli can be developed regardless of being a visual or tactile action.
Anyway, to show hoe beautiful this tango world is I interpreted this post mainly on the leaders point of view where the impulse of the lead has to be precise, assertive and decisive as (I think) fencing requires!
Tango...
Post a Comment