I have a program from a lecture that Bill did for the ISTD in N.Jersey in (1982 ?) where he, like Len, gave great issue to the lack of understanding ,of HOW Tango should be danced, talking about how the( " stillness ") had all but disappeared .

I still teach that mantra , and have done so for over 40 plus yrs .

The swing ,swing, practice is evident even at top flite levels .

Hi terence
Tango is my weak dance. Your word 'stillness' struck a chord. Would you please say a bit more about it. Or is there a good link to something? I tend to use all my body (i mean, even the wrong parts)to get staccato and power in my tango. Stillness sounds like something i'm missing.
I go to a very good teacher, who's doing a great job on me, but i've learnt in life that occasionally, the right word at the right time can have a big effect.
If i can just digress with an anecdote here. About 3 years ago, we were having some trouble with fallaways (as in fallaway, reverse turn, slip pivot) especially in tango. then we went to a workshop by Chris Hawkins who spoke about fallaway in slow waltz (we do it in waltz also) He demonstrated it and casually mentioned that when going into the fallaway position (man's left foot back in prom position, moving back along LOD) you must 'of course' think of your body still turning to the right. So you keep contact with the lady and she knows where you are.
Just that one sentence transformed all our fallaways - almost instantly. I was opening up my left side and my partner couldn't stay with me. It made so much sense. Just the right word at the right time.

WHAT I AM ABOUT TO PRINT ARE NOT MY WORDS , BUT IN ESSENCE, THOSE OF SCRIVENER ET AL.

THE MUSICAL PHRASING THAT WE DANCE TO IN TANGO , SHOULD TELL A STORY.

THE " DELAYS " WE HAVE ,ARE TO EMPHASISE A POINT WITHIN THE MUSIC .

TAKE THE BASIC EXERCISE OF 2 WALKS, AND AS YOU DANCE THEM SAY.... STEP HOLD.. AND STEP HOLD , DELAYING THE BACK FOOT IN EACH INSTANCE.

ANOTHER METHOD... AS YOU COMMENCE TO MOVE THE REAR LEG TO ITS NEXT POSITION, SAY " CATCH ", CLOSING IT CLOSE TO THE SUPPORTING LEG WITHOUT WEIGHT .

IN REALITY, THE WEIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE FEET, ON SUCH PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENTS... REASON ?.. ITS THERE TO PREVENT THE "SWING " ACTION THAT IS EVIDENT IN THE " SWING " DANCES .

PICK AND PLACE, IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY .
ALLOW CONTRAST TO DEPICT MOOD .

THE HALLMARK OF TOP PRO,S WAS ALWAYS THE EXERCISE THEY CONTROLLED OVER THEIR DESIRE TO MOVE INTO A POSITION TOO RAPIDLY ( AND OR RAPIDLY ) AS THE CASE MAY BE .

ITS INTERESTING THAT SCRIV. BELIEVED TANGO TO BE THE EASIEST OF THE 5 DANCES.

WHAT HE ACTUALLY MEANT WAS THIS.. YOU ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND THE FLOOR WITH VERY FEW VARIATIONS, WITH SIMPLE WALKING ACTIONS .

I FIND IT THE ONE DANCE THAT HAS SO MANY DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS, OF WHICH ALL MAY BE CORRECT ( EXCEPT THE SWING ACTION )

Terence. Good one. You might have mentioned the curving to the left created by the knees being veered into each other and of course the inside edge of the whole foot which is down as I.E. of Whole Foot.
I read that in Spain in the beginning the Tango was often danced in a dusty market place. Because an audience always forms a circle and never a square. This resulted in the steps being curved. The lifting and placing of the feet was because of the dusty dry loose surface that they danced on. Makes sense to me.

Commonly refered to as the " Wine glass " effect .

Terence. If you keep up with the news a committee has been set up by the WDC. One of the dances the Tango was one of those which was spoken about.
It might be worth a visit to the WDC Site to see the changes which are taking place between the WDC and the IDSF. Let the battles begin.