The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 8 Sep 1999
to 9 Sep 1999
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Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 03:00:25 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 8 Sep 1999 to 9 Sep 1999
There are 5 messages totalling 274 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Tango CD's
2. Tango in Munich, Venice,Tuscany?
3. FW: TERMINOLOGY
4. TERMINOLOGY (2)
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 12:16:00 -0400
From: Michael Ditkoff <Michael.B.Ditkoff @USDOJ.GOV>
Subject: Re: Tango CD's
Message authorized by:
: AIsikli @HC.ASELSAN.COM.TR_at_inetgw2 at wtgate
Dear List:
Ali ISIKLI asked for a store that sold Tango CDs in the New
York Metropolitan area.
A good store is on 34th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, a
few blocks from Penn Station. The prices are reasonable. The
last time I was there (June 1998), a single CD was $4-6 and a
double CD was $9.99.
I don't remember the store name.
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 17:09:26 -0400
From: MaryAnn Henderson <mhenders @GBC.GBROWNC.ON.CA>
Subject: Tango in Munich, Venice,Tuscany?
Could anyone send me some information on milongas or practicas in Munich
on Tuesday, Sept.14, or Friday/Saturday Oct. 1 and 2?
Also, we will be in northern Italy during the last two weeks of September,
mainly to tour Tuscany and visit wineries, but we would really love to be
able to meet people and dance some tango while we are there. If someone
could send some information about tango activities during that time, I
would be very grateful.
Mary Ann from Toronto
/mhenders @gbrownc.on.ca
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 19:52:57 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: FW: TERMINOLOGY
Original Message-----
From: SERGIO [mailto:SERGIO @NCINTER.NET]
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 5:02 PM
To: Juan Rando
Subject: RE: TERMINOLOGY
Juan wrote:
Hi Sergio,
>We seem, to agree on quite a few things. Not all, but most. It's good to
>see someone express something that resembles a well thought out and
>professional opinion now and then.
>I'm interested however, in your so called "common language" of Tango. I've
>taken quite a lot of instruction in Argentina and the U.S.A., and the only
>thing that seems consistent, is inconsistency.
>Regards,
>Juan Rando
>The Tango Salon
>Perth, Western Australia
Hi Juan,
The prevalent system of teaching dancing in Argentina is by showing
the steps or figures, then practicing a certain number of exercises that
allow the beginner to become proficient in their execution. It is a very
methodic, progressive program which is adapted to the individual preferences
and skills.
Counting steps or having names for the figures are not very important; it is
generally thought that using them distracts the student from learning how to
dance as he becomes obsessed with counting or memorizing names.When
foreigners started to come to Buenos Aires, it became obvious that counting,
terminology and going through the steps of the woman and the man apart, for
every single move were very important. From then on an effort to resuscitate
the old names of the steps or figures was made.The rich vocabulary of tango
became, in this way, alive once more. Here some examples:
Salidas -(starts)- Paso Basico -(Basic step)- La cruz or La Cruzada -(the
cross)- Ochos atras y adelante -(eights back and front) El Sanguchito -( the
sandwich)- La Media Luna -(the half moon)- Molinete a la derecha y a la
izquierda - La media vuelta -(half turns)- El espejito -(the mirror)- El
puente -(the bridge)- Cambio de Frente -(change of front)- Barridas -
(Dragging)- Ganchos -(Hooks)- Amagues y Boleos - (Front and back flicks)-
Enrosque atras y adelante - (Turning with your foot locked back or front)-
Sacadas - (displacements)- Heel Sacadas - La bicicleta - (the bicycle)- La
Hamaca - (the hammock)-
Traspie or Contrapaso - (walking locking your foot back in a syncopated
way) - Doble tiempo - (Syncopating)- Firuletes - Canchereadas - (Street
smart type of flicks)- Rulo - (curl)- Paradas - (stops) - Caminadas -
(walks)- Corridas - (runs)-
Paso con cadencia - ( Cadence step)- Adagio - La paradita de la mujer -
(little stop of the woman)- La Voladita de la mujer-
(little flight of the woman)- and as many more names as moves, steps and
figures are.
This terminology is generally recognized and accepted by those that know
Argentine Tango.
There is terminology refering for Milonga and Vals also.
I hope that this helps to clarify this aspect; I agree with you, Juan, in
the sense that there are lots of people that ignore the right names, the
ones that are generally recognized, and make up their own names; frequently
using the same words refering to other moves.That is what we should try to
avoid.
BEST
REGARDS, SERGIO
Original Message-----
From: Juan Rando [mailto:juan @starwon.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 3:49 AM
To: SERGIO
Subject: Re: LEADS
Hi Sergio,
We seem, to agree on quite a few things. Not all, but most. It's good to
see someone express something that resembles a well thought out and
professional opinion now and then.
I'm interested however, in your so called "common language" of Tango. I've
taken quite a lot of instruction in Argentina and the U.S.A., and the only
thing that seems consistent, is inconsistency.
Regards,
Juan Rando
The Tango Salon
Perth, Western Australia
At 12:14 7/09/99 -0400, you wrote:
>JUAN RANDO - WESTERN AUSTRALIA - WROTE:
> >There is a contradiction (in my opinion) in the concept of tango being a
> >sensuous, intimate dance, and seeing men forcing a lady's leg from under
> >her. This is particularly evident when observing the various types and
> >"sacadas" that are performed. I agree absolutely that these are only
> >illusions. At worst there should only be a slight contact of the
> >thigh. In fact, personally I've renamed certain types of sacadas such as
> >the type that inspired this conversation , too "boleos", as the lead for
a
> >"front boleo" is almost the same, and certainly feels similar enough
(when
> >not made to happen physically, by bumping the lady with a leg.) to the
lead
> >for this figure.>I've often wondered how leading by pushing with the leg
>ever entered in to
> >such a beautiful dance. Or has this brutishness come about by there
being
> >too many people "observing" Tango without taking enough time to learn it?
>
>
> >Until I was taught to lead sacadas properly, I almost gave up on them, as
I
> >found them to be too interruptive to the flow and gentleness of tango.
Now
> >I find that they greatly enhance the experience.
>
> >Juan Rando
> >Perth, Western Australia
>
>I agree with Juan, in the sense that the discussion in great part
originates
>in misunderstandings and use of the wrong terminology. -KNEE LEAD- IS A
NAME
>INVENTED, it does not exist in the A.T. terminology. The lead or MARCA, has
>different stages of complexity; the leader transmits his ideas to the
>follower by the gentle use of his body, his chest, his arms and his legs.
>The more skilled the leader the gentler the lead becomes, eventually it
>seems to be a case of parapsycological thought transmission.
> People should try to avoid putting their own names to moves or figures
>because that would lead to a condition of terminology anarchy similar to
>what happens in certain areas of chemistry for instance; where the same
>product used for engine combustion in cars, is called in different
countries
>by names such as: gasoline, naphtha, bencine, etc, and what is called
>bencine in one is called naphtha in another. It is best if we all take the
>time to learn the right names, so that we can have a common language when
it
>comes to TANGO. The problem comes when not even the teacher knows the
proper
>name for the move it is being taught. Good luck, anyways.
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 23:40:04 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: TERMINOLOGY
SEVERAL INQUIRIES WITH RESPECT TO TERMINOLOGY:
>Interesting. I'm all for a fairly standard terminology. I was
>wondering if you could expand and describe in more detail a couple of
>these terms with which I'm unfamiliar. That is, I'm unfamiliar with
>the term; I've probably seen the movements...
>La Media Luna -(the half moon)
>-- I think I've heard this called a "planeo", perhaps? Where the man
>sweeps his leg around ahead of the woman as she's stepping around in
>an giro.
PLANEO - IS GLIDING - AS DESCRIBED BY YOU. There are planeos of the man and
the woman, to the right and to the left.
One leg is the axis the other is extended to the side;
the other partner is the engine that carries the glider around.
LA MEDIA LUNA - after step #2, of the base, both partners cross back; as the
man untwists, the lady performs a combination of half ochos: back, open to
the side, forward and forward.
>El Puente ? -
El PUENTE - usually done as an ending to LA CALESITA - (the Mary Go Around
or Carousel)- The lady is being turned on her Rt.foot(the axis), forward or
backward; then at the end the man separates his feet from those of the lady
remaining in contact at the chest; the lady has a somewhat horizontal or
parallel position with respect to the floor.In this situation the lady could
be either dragged ( the man walks backwards) or pushed ( the man walks
forward)more difficult.
Tango figures are difficult to explain in words. ONE MORE. > FIRULETE?
FIRULETES - ARE complicated steps done by a dancer to show dexterity, as
ornament to his dance and to seduce his partner.
This ads enormously to the show that ARGENTINE TANGO IS.
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 21:57:07 -0600
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz @CSN.NET>
Subject: Re: TERMINOLOGY
>SEVERAL INQUIRIES WITH RESPECT TO TERMINOLOGY:
>...
>FIRULETES - ARE complicated steps done by a dancer to show
> dexterity, as ornament to his dance and to seduce his partner.
>This ads enormously to the show that ARGENTINE TANGO IS.
Sergio, does this really work?
Are the ladies really seduced by "complicated steps done by a dancer
to show dexterity"?
If argentine tango is a show, who is the audience?
Tom Stermitz
2612 Clermont St
Denver, CO 80207
Chautauqua Publishing / Ragtime Interiors
"On-Line Arts & Crafts Movement Resource Directory."
(303) 388 - 2560
stermitz @ragtime.org
http://www.ragtime.org/ragtime/
http://www.tango.org/dance/
End of TANGO-L Digest - 8 Sep 1999 to 9 Sep 1999
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