1. It can be physically difficult. Unlike open embrace, close embrace allows zero tolerance for error. If your steps and movements don't match exactly your partners, it's immediately apparent and uncomfortable.
2. It can be emotionally difficult. Locked inside all of us are intense emotional feelings--love, hate, fear, happiness, shame, pride, anger, respect, confusion, delight, vulnerability, longing, etc. For whatever reason, physical human contact--especially heart-to-heart contact--unlocks and releases many of these emotions.
3. It can be unpleasant. Our perception of each other is gained thru our five senses--sight, sound, touch, smell and yes, even taste. The closer we are, the more intense these senses are stimulated--resulting sometimes in an unpleasant experience.
4. It can cause jealousy. Watching your mate dance in close embrace with someone else can make you jealous; your mate watching you dance in close embrace with someone else can make him or her jealous.
5. It can lead to embarrassing miscommunication. Because of the intimacy of close embrace, it's easy for your partner to misconstrue your intentions, or for you to misconstrue those of your partner.
6. It can be addictive. Dancing close embrace can put you into a drug-like state of mind in which you experience extreme ecstasy and perfect bliss interspersed with moments of frustration and loathing. This will only lead you into a depraved state of mind in which you are constantly seeking more and longer "tango highs".
Clay Nelson - August 2007
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This reads like a list of what makes and keeps North Americans alienated from each other.
ReplyDeleteWHAT IS OPEN EMBRACE TANGO????? Is that something Arthur Murray invented??????
Very clever, Clay, and
ReplyDeleteAha, Claudio..
One of my rare-visiting students came back from Buenos Aires. He said to me "there is no open embrace tango in Buenos Aires." Period. I was really embarrassed and did not know what to say since I do teach 2/3 of my classes in open embrace.
Also the same student very energetically tried to explain how to lead with arms and hands. He learned it in Buenos Aires too ! He even has shown it to me breaking my back.
The conclusion? I do not know how to deal with ignorance. Especially, agressive ignorance.
Igor Polk
Are you serious about the six reasons not to dance close embrace???????? I am completely baffled...
ReplyDelete