17 nov 2007

Relatively little to write for the last couple days. Thursday night was practice night with A, got some small details resolved concerning posture adjustment when opening the embrace, other than that it was mostly dancing with occasional stops to rest and/or to fine tune things. Homer, who was conducting a private in the same room, said something about us being pretty hardcore since we dance pretty consistently for three hours, but hearing his schedule I think our workload is relatively pretty mild.

Friday night was at the ODC practica, spent most of the time doing exercises in the mirror. I did manage to get in some practice with actual partners. The first one, sad as I am to say it, was not comfortable, and it is especially regrettable to me because it was with someone who I like as a dancer and a friend but who I am increasingly having difficulty dancing with. She's beautiful, talented, and ambitious, but I just feel our energies are very different. Every time I get into an embrace with her she feels so delicate that I'm afraid the energy I usually like to project will overwhelm her. So I end up trying to hold back but that goes too far and I don't transmit my intentions clearly. Lately I'm finding that after we dance I get this nagging feeling that both of us feel frustrated, perhaps due to a mutual admiration and respect that is coupled with the bewilderment that our approaches don't work with one another. The connection just doesn't feel right from the get go. So now, lamentably, I'm almost resigned to the idea that it would probably be better if we didn't dance together. I'll have to discuss this with her the next time I see her. At least I know that she has plenty other willing partners with whom she seemingly connects with in a more compatible manner.

I fared better with the other partner, a dancer from out of town who teaches in her community but made a trip here to study a bit (actually, I had met her the day before as she accompanied her partner to the private with Homer). We started with milonga, progressed through tango, and ended with a vals. She was solid and receptive and I felt pretty free to dance naturally, although of course it's prudent not to unleash everything with someone who is unfamiliar. Throughout it all we gave each other minor feedback and exchanged ideas, which is the kind of back and forth I like to have in a practica.

Tonight to Metronome to see Trio Garufa and Michelle and Murat. Might stop at aMuse earlier, as I understand some people will hit both milongas in that order, but right now I'm feeling that the one will be enough.