Re: [TANGO-L] Memorized Patterns and Improvised Tango

[bailadora2000 @excite.com]

Bruce wrote:
The foundation (for tango) needn't be a set of patterns. There'll
probably be patterns included, but it's certainly possible to teach
beginners while teaching very few patterns---I've seen it done


I've been teaching dance for almost 10 years now, from students from the ages of 4 til 80.  No one can be taught the same, and no style of dance can be taught the same.  There are fundamental things that tie all of dance together, but the method of teaching changes with each student that you teach.

When I began learning tango, I realized quickly that I would have to learn this dance in a totally different way.  I knew that I couldn't learn patterns to understand the dance, but I did need to know basic fundamentals...like what a cruzada was, and an ocho, a molinete, sacada, gauncho, boleo, etc.... When I teach my students, I do teach an 8-count basic movement...and then move on to showing them what these other terminologies are and how to learn how to put them together to create their own tangos (which is in a sense...choreographing).  But to just simply say tango is just walking to rhythm...well, then you can do the same to all rhythms and call it a different dance.  When I train my children dancers, they "walk" around in cha cha style, salsa style, International rumba style, swing style, samba style..etc. But that's not the dance.  It's only an element of it.  In International Latin and International Standard, we teach more similar to tango than most people think (at least if you are studying from good teachers and at least in the bronze and silver level)... the "steps" in the syllabus are all pieces of a puzzle, and then you learn to put them together into almagamations.  It's different in American style Ballroom and Rhythm, which has a syllabus built off of patterns. I teach salsa the same way too...learn what the elements are, the cores and the foundations...then create your own almagamations, combinations, patterns..etc...whatever you want to call it. What most people know of what the salsa basic is only a small tip to how complex salsa really is.  But unfortunately, most new students don't feel like they are accomplishing anything until they see something that looks concrete like a dance move.  So having some basic movements helps students to find some confidence and achievement in their learning process.  And no, teaching improvisation is not so easy...and if it was there would be a lot more great dancers out there.  It's hard to teach adults to break their learning methods.  Children yes, it's easy, and it is possible in a few adult dancers...but not very often.

And I have a question for everyone....if tango is all about walking improvisation..then how would the cruzada for the woman come into play?  Surely most people would recognize that as one of the most identifying elements of the Argentine Tango....but would that change the concept of just a walking dance...since crossing the ankles is not a natural movement to walking backwards?

Nicole
Miami

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