Re: [TANGO-L] re ?-count basic

[David Hodgson <DHodgson @TANGO777.COM>]

I need to jump in here for a moment and hope I don't kill this string (which
seems to be the usual thing).

I do teach the walk to the cross (how ever many steps it takes to complete
the movement) to beginners, intermediate and/or advanced dancers. This is
something that was taught to me, I find it is still very useful as a
teaching tool and in continuing to develop my understanding of the dance.
This is something I have seen many teachers I have a lot of respect for
teach generally get new information in the way it is taught by them.
IMHO; It is simple and gets so much information across to a student (and not
just steps either), as a teacher I find it an incredible teaching tool and
will continue to use it and develop it.
Do I think it is the only thing out there or that I rely only on this, no.
It is only one small aspect of the tools I use.

My two cents and out to dance for the evening.
Take care all.
David~

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango
[mailto:TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Crrtango @AOL.COM
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 12:33 PM
To: TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] re ?-count basic


Philip Seyer wrote:

>One disadvantage is that the pattern doesn't match musical phrasing as well
>as an 8 count basic.<

I wrote:

>It isn't always necessary to
>begin and end
>figures within the set musical structure or phrasing, either instrumental
or
>vocal. Perhaps for a performance and choreography but on a busy social
dance...<

Tom Stermitz wrote:

>So are you advocating NOT dancing to the music? That beginners should
not bother trying to hear the phrasing because the phrasing is
irrelevant? That on a busy social dance floor the phrasing is even
LESS important?<

I believe "relative" and "irrelevant" are two different words. I never said
irrelevant nor to not dance to the music. I'm referring to making a
connection
between the number of steps in a figure (like any of the basic ones) and the
8
count phrases in a song. The fact that the basic has at times 8 counts and a
musical phrase has eight counts doesn't mean they should fit together when
dancing. You can be in the middle of a figure when a phrase ends. Besides,
learning to hear the phrasing in a song is not as simple as one thinks for
beginners, at least in my teaching experience. If anything is irrelevant
though, it is
the number of steps in the basic. Tying it in to the musical phrasing is
misleading and confusing because it implies that the figures should begin
and end
with the phrases. A crowded floor doesn't give one the freedom to always do
structured steps and think about ending at certain places. It often is
avoiding
other dancers and reconstructing your steps to fit into a constantly
changing
floor space.

Cheers,
Charles