The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 6 Mar 1999
to 7 Mar 1999
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
To: Recipients of TANGO-L digests <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 03:00:00 -0500
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
From: Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 6 Mar 1999 to 7 Mar 1999
There are 4 messages totalling 204 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. TANGO CONGRESS OF MIAMI BEACH
2. System of notation (2)
3. MARCELO SOLIS & YANINA MESSINA FAREWELL MILONGA
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 12:10:18 EST
From: Frank Sasson <FRSASSON @AOL.COM>
Subject: TANGO CONGRESS OF MIAMI BEACH
Dear List:
I have been informed that the response for this year's "Tango Congress of
Miami Beach", which will be held April 4th through April 10th, has been
outstanding, and everything is ready for a very successful event.
While making my reservations at the hotel, they told me that the rates were
going to increase after March the 12th. If you haven't made your reservations
at the hotel, you should do so now, because after March the 12th the rates
will increase to the normal price the hotel charges and they are higher than
the ones arranged by the organization.
Remember that if you cannot attend for the whole week, you can do so on the
days of the week that you choose. For more information contact Jorge Nel at
1-800-998-3324.
I have no financial gain in passing this information on to those of you who
are going to participate in this year's congress. I'm looking forward to
sharing the dance floor with all of you.
Frank Sasson
Miami
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 10:57:40 -0800
From: Phil Seyer <Phil_Seyer @ILOVEMUSIC.COM>
Subject: Re: System of notation
Of cource learning to read notation can be a lot of work.
There are many very good musicians in bands that also cannot read
musical . And when they pick up a score, I am sure their response
is the same: "Oh, i could just learn this faster by ear."
But if you can't read, you are missing a lot --
the opportunity to study and learn music on a complete different
level. Might the same be true, or come to be true with
dance notation?
In music, when you don't read, you are limited to what you can do
with your hands and ears. On the other hand, musicians who can
read music extremely well sometimes don't learn to improve,
compose or hear music so well. It seems the best situation is
where you can read but also know how to listen, improvise and
compose, and play by ear.
Yes, you can certainly learn to dance without knowing the notation.
But let's not just push notation aside because it might require some work.
It's not for everyone, of course. I, myself, don't know if I have the time
or interest.
It strikes me that this notation thing is a highly left brain activity,
where as
dancing, itself, at the advanced levels is largely right brain. Still the
best
leaders probably have the ability to use both sides of their brain at the
same time.
I think it is very useful to practice, study and work using the left brain,
but
then to release the left brain and just go with the flow without thinking so
much.
I find it useful to break by piano practice sessions up this way. For 15
minutes
or so I work on some very disciplined exercises in which I must play
in certain scales or rhythms and think very hard. For example, key of E
flat, 4/4 time
circle of 5ths progression, left hand syncopated
8th -quarter 8th patterns, right hand continuous 16th notes, etc.
After that I just play and let the music come out of me. I've noticed that
by doing
the disciplined work first, when I release and just play, what comes out in
much
more interesting and .....more fun!
May be if we were to study dance notation, master it, and then pull out and
review some steps before going to a milonga we just might finding the
milonga
more interesting and..more fun to.
The challenge for me is finding the time to learn the notation.
Learn to read, write and compose music with "What Makes Music Work"
http://www.ilovemusic.com
Original Message-----
From: JC Dill <tango @vo.cnchost.com>
To: TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Friday, March 05, 1999 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: System of notation
>On 11:10 PM 3/4/99 -0800, Phil Seyer wrote:
>> Number one on the list was concerning
>>Labanotation
>>
>>
>>http://www.101percent.com/education/performingarts/dancing/ballroom/tango/
re
>>ference/labanotation.html
>>
>>...which led me to:
>>
>>http://www.access.ch/private-users/amaag/Laban.html
>>
>>which has some very specific examples of how to notate Argentine Tango
>>steps.
>
>After reviewing Labanotaion, I suspect that it's easier to memorize steps
>than to learn the notation system!
>
>My advice is that you first recognize that you will never come away from a
>workshop or class "learning" all that was taught. Never. Even advanced
>dancers who take private lessons from other advanced dancers will have to
>hear something over and over during repeated lessons before it sinks in
>sometimes.
>
>So focus on learning that which "sticks" at the end of the lesson, by
>practicing it again as soon as possible, and as frequently as possible. If
>you can't do the move after the lesson is over, it didn't stick because it
>was too much information for you to absorb all at once. Don't despair!
>This happens to EVERYONE. Focus on getting ONE new pattern to stick, or
>one new embellishment, or one new way to lead a familiar pattern. If you
>take only one lesson a week, and learn only 1 new thing per lesson, after a
>year you will have learned 52 new things! It adds up. Just because a lot
>of material was presented in the lesson doesn't mean you need to beat up on
>yourself to "learn" it all. Some of it will sink in later, you will take
>another lesson that builds on what was taught (but didn't stick) in an
>earlier lesson and the new lesson will then "stick" because you had the
>previous experience even though you couldn't take the move home with you
>and later dance it on the dance floor.
>
>
>
>> Also
>>I don't have to login in to the Internet or navigate to a search engine.
>
>How does it search on the Internet without logging IN to the Internet? (I
>think it logs in for you, but you are still "logging in"...)
>
>jc
>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 14:05:49 EST
From: Jeanne Hill <GeneJeanne @AOL.COM>
Subject: MARCELO SOLIS & YANINA MESSINA FAREWELL MILONGA
Dear Friends:
Marcelo Solis and Yanina Messina leave the SF Bay Area on March 17. Their
last Milonga before leaving is on March 13, Saturday, at the Milonga de
Jeanne, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, CA. They will give their last group
class at 8:30 - 9:30 PM and after that it is a fun evening of friendly
camaraderie, dancing, good food, a Norwegian dance demonstration and the
always admired presentation of Tango by Marcelo and Yanina.
Bring, if you like, a favorite refreshment (small) and help make this occasion
a Milonga to remember. Marcelo and Yanina's friends and students will have
this opportunity to wish this team a fond farewell and a speedy return for
this very special couple.
Need any directions or more information? Call Jeanne Hill (925) 283-0191.
Hope to see you on the 13th!
Jeanne
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 15:40:54 -0500
From: "Walter M. Kane" <oldzeid @FRONTIERNET.NET>
Subject: Re: System of notation
> From: Phil Seyer Saturday, March 06, 1999 1:57 PM:
> It strikes me that this notation thing is a highly left brain activity,
Ahem......... Which side of the heart is it? :-)
Tangringo
End of TANGO-L Digest - 6 Mar 1999 to 7 Mar 1999
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