In my classes of Argentine Tango, I have always emphasized that the followers go automatically into the cross, the moment they feel the leader is setting the right conditions for them. The followers who have learnt from me, are a pleasure to dance with. And the leaders who have learnt from me, when they start leading other followers, who are not from NDTS, get frustrated to lead those heavy followers who are waiting to be lead into the cross. Because, unfortunately, some of the teachers in Delhi have been teaching it the wrong way and creating subservient followers who are obediently waiting for the leader to push them into a cross. Whenever, I have lead those followers, I find them so heavy. It is not a pleasure to lead them. But because they have not learnt from me, I just keep quite. Today, we had this very interesting discussion whether the leader leads a cross or whether a good follower flows and does it automatically. I asked my teacher Daniel Trenner to give his quote. And this is what he says, in his own words- unedited. Daniel is the best teacher I have learnt from. He has influenced not just my Tango but my life philosophy. When you learn from Daniel, he gives you more than just Tango. He is a great mentor . If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend to learn from him. Here is what Daniel Trenner says about leading into cruzada or a cross.
"Regarding Salida...
it is a ritual, also a default, where the follower knows what is about to happen by the conditions the leader sets...
if a leader is setting up conditions in a coherent way, then the follower knows where to cross, and the leader will feel like he lead it...
if a leader is clueless about defaults, or respecting the followers part, then he just leads the cross, and he wants her to listen to him... therefore, for him, there is no cross unless he leads...
a good follower determines what the leader is up to by the first few steps he leads in a tanda... and then adjusts to his "style" of leading... if he needs an obedient follower, i.e. a slow horse, then she gives it to him... he is a beginner, or he is "old fashioned"... either way, he is only happy if he feels dominant... so she lets him feel that way...
if he dances like a milonguero, then she just dances tango and doesn't worry about steps because she knows that like a gentleman does, he will set up the conditions that make obvious what she should do... or what she should not do... she will never have to think, or be anxious about what to do...
in other words there is no right or wrong way... only variations in intention and awareness... good feeling about what happened is the determinant of whether the relationship was working...
in my experience a milonguero sets up conditions so that the walk to the cross is automatic, and then when he doesn't want it to happen he leads a "don't cross"...
This may seem complicated to beginning leaders... it is... best answer is found by learning the followers part, thereby gaining empathy for what she goes through trying to interpret his intent...
Followers may find it hard to not be obvious about helping him... "he cannot know"... if so they should become easier horses... not because that is "good" following... but because that is what he can handle... then when the same followers learn to lead they will gain empathy for his "puzzle", and be more tolerant of his trials...
the cross learning of gender roles is the key... this is traditional milonguero pedagogy... but only among men... my innovation is to include women in the same process... the "ballroom" system of men and women learning together, with men learning only the lead, and the women learning only to follow, is an aberration... a non- native invasion of the american ballroom model, transplanted to the modern Argentine dance school... it is a shame... confusing, misleading, patriarchal, and most definitely NOT Milonguero...
hope this helps"...
DT
daniel trenner
danieltrenner.com
itangocafe.com
northamptontango.com
danieltrenner@gmail.com
"Regarding Salida...
it is a ritual, also a default, where the follower knows what is about to happen by the conditions the leader sets...
if a leader is setting up conditions in a coherent way, then the follower knows where to cross, and the leader will feel like he lead it...
if a leader is clueless about defaults, or respecting the followers part, then he just leads the cross, and he wants her to listen to him... therefore, for him, there is no cross unless he leads...
a good follower determines what the leader is up to by the first few steps he leads in a tanda... and then adjusts to his "style" of leading... if he needs an obedient follower, i.e. a slow horse, then she gives it to him... he is a beginner, or he is "old fashioned"... either way, he is only happy if he feels dominant... so she lets him feel that way...
if he dances like a milonguero, then she just dances tango and doesn't worry about steps because she knows that like a gentleman does, he will set up the conditions that make obvious what she should do... or what she should not do... she will never have to think, or be anxious about what to do...
in other words there is no right or wrong way... only variations in intention and awareness... good feeling about what happened is the determinant of whether the relationship was working...
in my experience a milonguero sets up conditions so that the walk to the cross is automatic, and then when he doesn't want it to happen he leads a "don't cross"...
This may seem complicated to beginning leaders... it is... best answer is found by learning the followers part, thereby gaining empathy for what she goes through trying to interpret his intent...
Followers may find it hard to not be obvious about helping him... "he cannot know"... if so they should become easier horses... not because that is "good" following... but because that is what he can handle... then when the same followers learn to lead they will gain empathy for his "puzzle", and be more tolerant of his trials...
the cross learning of gender roles is the key... this is traditional milonguero pedagogy... but only among men... my innovation is to include women in the same process... the "ballroom" system of men and women learning together, with men learning only the lead, and the women learning only to follow, is an aberration... a non- native invasion of the american ballroom model, transplanted to the modern Argentine dance school... it is a shame... confusing, misleading, patriarchal, and most definitely NOT Milonguero...
hope this helps"...
DT
danieltrenner.com
itangocafe.com
northamptontango.com
danieltrenner@gmail.com
