– frustration therapy for beginner leaders
This can be one of the most frustrating things in tango. You’re leader a follower and no matter what you do, she keeps popping out into close embrace. It’s great that she moves, you just wish she would stay in close.
I had and still have this problem to this very day. I blame my long arms and overly-trickster style.
- Here are some tricks I picked up:
make space in your lower body, not up too. This is established from the very beginning of the dance. If she doesn’t feel space underneath to move and pivot, she will make that space. TIP: if she starts off the embrace already too close, simply take a sidestep and land your feet further from her to restablish this distance. - keep your right arm high – the moment you lower it, she loses support and/or her left hand slides down and she holds your shoulder further adding to the distance
- don’t let her shoulders rotate too much during pivots. This is especially the case for forward and backward ochos. Her lower body needs to be perpendicular to yours during pivots but if you let her upper body do the same, her left hand will push you away again.
- make her step close to you during pasadas and don’t try to make room for her hips or feet. all you have to do is rotate your torso and make room for her torso. it seems strange, but if you make room for her torso, you’ll have room for her lower body.