贴身探戈与开式探戈（二）

贴身拥抱探戈和开式拥抱探戈就像两种不同的舞蹈，在结构，技巧，感觉和哲学（什么是探戈？为什么人们跳探戈？舞伴的作用，合作的原则）等方面都不相同。会跳其中一种舞的人如果未经学习不一定会跳另一种舞。我知道这点是因为有切身体验。当我学了三年开式探戈后第一次尝试跳贴身探戈，我完全不知道该如何跳，因为一切，包括姿势，接触，平衡，空间，动作的可能性，领舞和跟舞的方法等都改变了。

事实上，开式探戈更象交谊舞。正如标准的交谊舞一样，在开式探戈中两个舞伴相隔一臂距离，没有身体接触。每个舞伴各自保持独立的轴心，不依赖对方来维持平衡。从理论上讲，领舞者应该用他的躯干来带领。但是，因为舞伴之间没有躯干的接触，领舞者往往用手来领舞。如果一方或双方都是没有经验的舞者，这种倾向尤其明显。跳开式探戈的感觉也象跳一般的交谊舞，没有拥抱另一个人的舒适感，感觉不到对方身体的运动，没有节奏性运动所造成的梦幻般的感觉，也没有舞伴之间的亲密感。跳开式探戈的乐趣主要来自由两人之间的距离而带来的运动可能性。每一个舞伴基本上是在欣赏自己的运动，而不是在享受自己的舞拌。

我觉得跳开式探戈就象跳交谊舞。它艳丽复杂，令人眼花缭乱。但这不是我喜爱探戈的原因。我喜爱探戈是因为它的拥抱，那种在一起的感觉，肉体感，内向，深情，微妙，亲密，感性，舒适，和简朴。在拥抱中，两个舞伴互相偎依在一起，胸膛靠着胸膛，脸颊贴着脸颊，她的头枕在他的肩上，他的手搂着她的腰，她的臂弯着他的脖子。在这么亲密的拥抱中两个人都感受到对方的呼吸，听到对方的心跳，闻到对方的香水味，感觉到对方的冲动。他们不再是两个人，而变成了一个人，彼此依靠着达成平衡。两人之间空间很小，共一个轴心转动。因此，他们舞动的方式与开式探戈不同。领舞者用他的胸部领舞，因此不需要使用双手。跟舞者用她的胸部来接收信息。她闭上眼睛，委身于领舞者，跟着他翩翩起舞。在这样一种姿势下跳舞是非常舒服惬意的。

Close Embrace and Open Embrace (II)

Close embrace tango and open embrace tango are like two different dances. The two styles have little in common in their structures, techniques, feelings, and philosophies (what tango is about, why people dance tango, the role of the partners, and principles of partnership), so different that people who can dance one style may not be able to dance the other style without learning. I know this from my personal experience. When I first tried to dance close embrace after three years of dancing open embrace, I had no clue how to do it because everything, including posture, connection, axis, balance, space, movement possibilities, and the way to lead and follow, changed.

In fact, open embrace has more in common with ballroom dances than tango. Just as in a standard ballroom dance, in open embrace the two partners are apart by an arm length without torso connection. Each partner is on his/her own axis independent to the other, so the two partners do not rely upon each other for balance. Theoretically, the leader is supposed to lead with his torso. But since there is no torso connection between the partners, the leader tends to use hands to lead. This is especially true when one or both partners are inexperienced dancers. The feeling of dancing open embrace is just like dancing another standard ballroom dance. No comfort of embracing another person. No sensation of the partner’s body movement. No dreamy feelings stirred by the rythmic motion of the dance. No intimacy between the partners. The fun of dancing open embrace mainly comes from a broader range of movement possibilities due to the increased space between the partners. Basically each partner enjoys his/her own movements. They do not enjoy the physical existence of the other person.

I like to dance open embrace just as I like to dance ballroom dances. It is spectacular, intricate, dazzling, and showy. But that is not the reason why I love tango. The reason I love tango is found in close embrace: its togetherness, inwardness, simplicity, subtlety and depth; its sentimentalism, intimacy, sensuousness, physicality and coziness. In close embrace, the two partners lean into each other, chest against chest, cheek touches cheek; her head rests on his shoulder, his arm holds her back, and hers around his neck. In such closeness the two partners literarily feel each other’s breaths, hear each other’s heartbeats, smell each other’s perfume, and sense each other’s impulses. They are not two persons, but one, depending on each other for balance. There is a shared axis and little space between them. Consequently, the way they move their bodies is different from that in open embrace. The leader leads with his torso against the follower's and therefore does not need to use hands. The follower receives the lead with her chest. She closes her eyes, surrenders herself to him, and follows. It is a very comfortable position to be and dance in.