Tango Etiquette

Encontrei em um blog de Hong Kong (tangolang.com) o link para um artigo de Aria Nosratinia sobre "Dance Etiquette” .
É um texto longo, em Inglês,do qual decidi traduzir alguns parágrafos que me parecem úteis para quem como eu começa a entrar nessa tribo e nesse mundo do tango.
São idéias muito simples; algumas podem provocar polêmica, como, por exemplo:
não tentar conduzir quando seu papel não é esse;
não dar instruções não solicitadas ou mesmo solicitadas (ainda que você seja professor) durante a milonga, pois para isso existe prática e aula;
respeitar a linha de dança, não chegar muito perto dos outros casais, para evitar choques;
não tentar conduzir puxando ou empurrando (comum em iniciantes), não ficar pedindo desculpas, etc. (vou tentar colocar em prática).

Tudo para fazer seu parceiro de “tanda” feliz.
Trancresvo o texto em inglês e minha tradução, não literal, é claro. Correções do texto nas duas linguas e discussões são bem vindas.

• Nunca culpe seu parceiro por nada que aconteça na pista de dança. Isso se você quizer que ela dance com você novamente.
• Never blame your partner for anything that may happen on the dance floor. Not if you want him/her to dance with you again.
• Seja educado na pista, respeite a linha de dança, como uma pista no trânsito na cidade, mantenha uma distãncia razoável dos outros casais, não ultrapasse os outros na linha de dança, nem dance no meio da pista. Asssim, você protege seu parceiro, a sí mesmo e os outros. A pista da milonga não é lugar para shows de tango.
• On the floor, be considerate of the other couples. Exercise good floorcraft; do not cut other couples off; no aerials or choreographed steps on the dance floor.
• Não dê instruções não solicitadas enquanto dança. Essa não é uma forma de encorajar a pessoa a dançar com você. A pessoa pode se sentir humilhada, ( se for solicitado a dar instruções enquanto dança, prometa que o fará depois. Práticas e aulas são os momentos apropriados para instruções).
• No unsolicited teaching on the dance floor! There is a good chance this will make your partner feel small and humiliated. Not exactly a great way of encouraging him/her, or others, to dance with you.
• Não monopolize uma bailarina ou bailarino durante a milonga. Dance com todos e deixe todos dançarem entre sí. O fato da bailarina ou bailarino ter aceito seu convite para uma tanda não significa que você deve convidá-la (o) para mais três ou quatro.
• Do not monopolize a partner on the dance floor. Dancers are polite and rarely say no to a dance, but this is no carte blanche to impose on their kindness. Dance with everyone, and let everyone dance.
• Um convite para dançar deve ser aceito. Se você recusar o convite para uma música, deve ficar até o final da tanda sem dançar.
• A request for a dance must be accepted under almost all circumstances. If you decline a dance, you yourself cannot dance until the end of that song.
• Não tente conduzir se esse não é o seu papel no tango. Quem é conduzido tem um papel ativo no diálogo do tango, mas não o de conduzir. Tentar conduzir é um desrespeito para seu parceiro de quem você aceitou o convite para ser conduzida ou conduzido.
• No back-leading: When you ask or accept to follow someone in a dance, you implicitly agree to let them lead. While this doesn't mean you have to be a perfect follower, or even a particularly good one, it does mean that you should not try to lead them. It is disrespectful and disturbing to your partner when you steal the lead; you are rejecting their contribution to the partnership.

Prometo para o futuro ( não sei quando) a tradução para português, é claro, de trechos da entrevista da bailarina Noel Strazza, parceira de Pablo Veron nas pistas e palcos durante muito tempo. Profissional do balé clássico e dança comtemporânea, Noel diz, por exemplo, que a musicalidade é o elemento mais importante para a conexão enquanto se dança. Tudo do blog do tangotang.com. Noel é argentina, mas cresceu em Montreal, onde vive e baila.

" A tango conversation between Noel Strazza and Richard Sagala (translation from French: Carole Newman)

Sensitivity, the senses, the sensation of silence and heightened awareness.

-So to be led with conviction doesn't make you feel more confined?

N.S. No, not at all; I try to give my partner confidence and I think that any leader who feels confident, the more confident he feels, the more his partner can commit totally to him and the more totally he can commit to her. It's at that point that they establish communication. Never fear giving too much; the more one gives, the more one's going to receive. So the more I let myself go, the more at ease he'll feel, and the more he's going to allow me to do what I want as well.

-What is it that characterizes the follower's role?

N.S. In the first instance, you could say that one is there to be invited. I really like to refer to the lead as an invitation. For me the lead is not like driving, the lead is an encouragement, an invitation. So, from this invitation, a conversation springs up. You can start to communicate and for me that's what the lead is. And to abandon oneself to the lead in fact, rather than say ‘abandon", I'd prefer "empty oneself", be in neutral, without colour, simply there, present and transparent....

So, through that invitation, I am going to reflect the colour of the dance: black, blue, red, pink or green, depending on who's inviting me, depending on the music, depending on my state of mind, depending on whether it's raining or not, depending on... so many things. That initially is what the role of the follower is. So far so good, but it would also be good if the leader could abandon himself to listening and replying. It's just like a conversation. You're not speaking right now because you're listening to me but, if I say something, it's because I want a response from you, and then it's my turn to remain silent and listen to you.

-You talk of emptying yourself, a creative emptiness. Is that something you try to teach your female students?

N.S. Yes.

-We say in Zen that "the empty hand can receive everything".

N.S. That's a beautiful analogy.

-We also say that the main attribute of a vase is its emptiness, the mere fact that it is empty: A full vase is no longer useful.

N.S. Yes, but the "vase" in question has a soul; it has a shape, a colour, a presence. But not all vases are alike; each differs in form, qualities and presence. And a sense of her own unique presence. This is what I try to instil in my female students.

Empty, yes, but with a strong presence, capable if receiving what the leader is going to give: Not empty, as in dead, without energy.

-What are the basic techniques a follower must master to allow herself to evolve and achieve full expression in the dance?

N.S. I'd say they were to acquire a sense of silence, an active silence. A state of awakened awareness.

To be calm, alert, silent and completely aware.

-And inversely, for the leader, what would be basic techniques for a good leader who wants to flourish and achieve his potential in the dance?

N.S. You've asked me a difficult question because it sets me thinking of what I would want in return from someone else... because just now we were talking of my role. But, in the other's shoes, I think he should be able to offer a tremendous sense of connection with the music.

-Even before his connection with his partner?

N.S. Yes, and that helps him enormously to establish his presence and determines what sort of invitation he can extend to his partner.

-Does he guide from his musicality or according to his dance technique?

N.S. Musicality is a most important element of technique. Musical instinct is paramount.

And it's the prime motivation to dance after all. One has always danced because there has been music, no?

-This musical dimension, does it apply to both partners?

N.S. Yes, of course.