Ismael Choreography

Ismael Heljalil (1929-2018) was a revered figure within the milonguero community, known for his kind nature and gentle demeanor. Though details about his life remain scarce, his legacy endures through the dance videos he left behind, offering glimpses into his gentle character and profound love for tango. (Please click the link to watch on YouTube.)

What distinguishes Ismael Heljalil from his peers is his distinctive choreography, characterized by a seamless fusion of rock, back steps, and turns. His movements, dominated by a fluid interplay of retreats and rotations, reveal a mastery of the art form. A hallmark of his style is the rock steps with the left leg as the fulcrum to place his right leg behind, culminating in a graceful pivoting to the right.

While this movement can be mirrored with the left leg, Ismael's preference leans towards the right, showcasing his comfort and mastery with his signature spin.

Another notable move involves rocking the right leg back, shifting weight to his left leg while pivoting to the left, and then stepping the right leg forward. As his weight is now on the right leg, he can either continue walking in circles to the left, or step back with his left leg and pivot to the left. No one can alternate right and left turns with backward and forward steps as seamlessly as Ismael does. This remarkable ability hinges on his unparalleled musicality.

In essence, Ismael's dance style is characterized by a continuous rotation anchored in backward motion, skillfully blending elements of rock, back steps, and turns. This unique approach sets him apart, inspiring many to emulate his technique, yet few can truly replicate his finesse. What is difficult to copy is not his footwork, of course, but his comprehension of music, underscoring the depth of skill possessed by the master himself.

"If God could dance, he would dance like Ismael. He masterfully improvises what he feels in the moment. He walks, and oh…how he walks with intimate knowledge of every phrase and nuance of the music from his soul." - Jantango

How to Make Your Leading Stand Out

When we lead the dance, it is important to depart from boring convention. Here are some tips to help you lead with distinction:

1. Embrace variety in your dance route: Instead of sticking to a predictable path on the dance floor, dare to explore different directions and shapes. Break away from monotony by leading your partner in unexpected move patterns and angles.

2. Incorporate backward steps: In tango, men mostly move forward and women move backward. If a man could break the pattern and dance backwards, it would be a change for both parties and make the dance stand out. (Click the link to watch on YouTube.)

3. Simplify your movements: In a world where complexity often reigns supreme, dare to stand out by embracing simplicity. Remember, less is often more when it comes to making a lasting impression.

4. Master the art of pivoting: In tango, it's customary for men to navigate the dance floor while women move around them, often resulting in men relying on static steps. However, by integrating pivots into your movements to enable agile and fluid turns toward your partner, your lead will truly shine.

5. Engage your torso and hips: Most men don't rotate their torso and hips very much when dancing. If you can engage your torso and hips more, your leading will reach a higher level. The first rule of tango is that your torso must always face your partner, no matter which side of you she is on or moving to. The competence to swivel the torso or hips helps the man to maintain good physical contact with the woman and enhances his ability to use his torso to lead her.

6. Use a variety of rhythms：Most men dance too fast and in a monotonous rhythm. If you slow down the pace and use a variety of rhythms, your dance will stand out from most people. Pause and slow motion are to dance what punctuation is to writing. They make your expression more meaningful and interesting.

7. Lead her to turn in slow motion：A slow-motion turn can better express a woman's grace. When leading movements that involve turning, such as ocho and planeo, slowing down can make the movements stand out.

8. Dance to express, not to impress: Above all, remember that tango is a dance of feelings, connection, and expression. Instead of focusing on showcasing your technical prowess, dance with genuine emotion and feeling. Let the music guide your movements, allowing its rhythm and melody to inspire your every step. By dancing to express the music and feelings, you'll create a profound and unforgettable experience for both you and your partner.

Philosophies that Separate Two Different Worlds

Chinese philosophy embraces a holistic perspective, viewing the universe as a cohesive whole rather than a collection of disparate parts. It posits that despite the existence of contradictions, harmony prevails, with seemingly opposite elements interdependent and complementing each other like the two sexes. Humanity is perceived not as isolated individuals but as a collective entity, wherein success hinges on collaborative efforts. Central to this worldview is the pursuit of unity, balance and harmony, eschewing conflict escalation and adversary elimination. (See Understanding China: Yellow River and the Character of the Chinese Nation.)

Emphasizing peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, Chinese philosophy prioritizes collective interests over personal ones, advocating for consensus-building and the creation of an equitable, just, and moral global community. In this framework, human rights extend beyond individual entitlements to include the collective well-being of all humanity, encompassing equality, justice, freedom from poverty and crime, a safe and satisfactory living environment for all, cooperation and resource-sharing, humanitarian assistance, as well as individual liberties.

Politically, the Chinese emphasize the role of the state in fostering unity, managing differences, providing infrastructure, protecting the vulnerable, and advancing the common good. They endorse democratic centralism while opposing decentralization and partisan politics. Economically, China operates a mixed economy that includes state-owned, private and market components, with the goal to achieve common prosperity for all citizens. This approach harnesses individual initiative while maintaining state oversight of capital to safeguard the interests of all people.

In international affairs, China upholds the following five principles: mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. It advocates for international cooperation, peaceful development, global common prosperity, and the creation of a community with a shared future for mankind.

In contrast, Western thought is characterized by atomism, which deconstructs the world into discrete entities and posits that these entities compete for self-interest. Western individualism views people as independent actors with conflicting interests, subscribing to the Darwinian concepts of the "struggle for existence" and "survival of the fittest." It embraces a "law of the jungle" mentality wherein the suppression or elimination of opponents is seen as necessary to safeguard one's own interests. (See Darwinism and Eastern Philosophies.) The Western view of human rights is individualistic, prioritizing personal interests over collective concerns. This version of human rights is highly deceptive. While ostensibly promoting freedom for all, it in fact only serves a privileged minority, allowing them to exploit competitive advantages to defeat the disadvantaged majority, thereby controlling legislation, the economy, media, military affairs, and foreign policy, to benefit themselves. The result is that the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and for most people, human rights and freedom have become empty words. (See Democracy vs. Plutocracy.)

Politically, Western elites employ Machiavellian tactics and engage in partisan fights, fostering social division, conflicts and polarization. Economically, Western ideology champions private ownership, free competition, capitalism, mercantilism, financialism, and neoliberalism. Although these unscrupulous, profit-oriented practices may spur initial economic growth, they also aggravate inequality and corruption, subjecting national interests to the dominance of capital and ultimately resulting in economic failures. (See America Is in Big Trouble.)

In international relations, the West adopts strategies of divide and conquer geopolitics, promotes unipolar hegemony, and engages in zero-sum games. These approaches disrupt global equilibrium, provoke conflicts, and sow turmoil worldwide. The success of the West historically hinges on the conquest, colonization, genocide, exploitation, and plunder of weaker nations.

For a considerable period, the Chinese struggled to comprehend Western behaviors, yet they have now come to understand its underlying logic. Unless Western plutocrats alter their philosophical outlook, global peace remains elusive. This sentiment was succinctly expressed by the Chinese delegation during the Sino-US talks in Alaska: "We overestimated you and assumed you would adhere to basic diplomatic norms. We must clarify our stance: You lack the authority to assert dominance over China." Despite the potential calamitous consequences of their worldview, Western plutocrats are unlikely to relinquish it. It may require the collapse of the existing paradigm before humanity can aspire to construct a new world.

Fortunately, which of the two philosophies can lead mankind towards a brighter future is becoming more evident. Humanity is amidst unprecedented global transformations. With China's ascent and the West's decline, nations in the Global South are beginning to glimpse hope on the horizon. Ultimately, a world characterized by common interests, equality, fairness, justice, cooperation and civilized values will triumph over the current landscape of self-interest, inequality, bullying, plunder, aggression and war. (See Pluralism vs. Monism.)