Things I've Learned During This Last Tango Year

Here is a short list of concepts and other "gems" that I've learned about tango during the last year:

1. Down and around, it's the feeling that your followers are wanting to feel!
2. The embrace is a flexible thing, the connection is not.(connection can occur in many different parts of the body from the torso down to the feet, maintain connections like these as long as you can until they are no longer offered.(as an example the ankles and feet during sweeps or leg lifts))
3. Axis, understand what is happening(where is the axis hers/yours/ours) during every second of the dance. Your head should remain over your own axis. Your nose should never point toward the floor.
4. Never rush the lead, in other words, give her the indication of what you want then follow her.
5. Give her enough time to follow the lead and still keep the musicality that you are looking for.
6. Never push or pull your partner off balance.
7. Always step onto an balanced foot. Weight transfer is gradual from one foot to the other and may be stopped at any point(see #10) or changed so that all of the followers weight is on either foot while the other leg remains where it was and unweighted
8. Preposition your feet to get more disassociation, when you need it, and to get your feet out of the way of your follower.
9. Look at your partner!(their axis) It's an extra level of connection, It also makes some things that seem impossible to do at first almost effortless! (this also increases torque and disassociation for pivots/boleos).
10. Followers should stop when the lead stops.(don't "finish" what the leader starts unless it is clear that this is what is wanted.)
11. Keep steps fairly short (as opposed to covering lots of ground) to remain grounded.
12. Give yourself to your partner.
13. Keep a connection with the floor, as well as your partner (remain grounded).
14. Transfer the followers weight gradually from one foot to the other.
15. The followers unweighted leg should remain "free" that is to say it should be behind and amplify what the hips are doing (making boleos possible, linear as well as circular).
16. Have fun and don't worry if things don't go exactly as planed (it's not about you anyway, it's about your partner!)