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Digest from 12 Jan 2000
to 13 Jan 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 12 Jan 2000 to 13 Jan 2000 (#2000-12)
There are 9 messages totalling 678 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. New York City tango ambassador...
2. Beginner reputation, Thinking in Tango
3. Think Tango! (Part 2)
4. Thinking and Feeling in Argentine Tango (2)
5. Thinking Tango vs. Dancing Tango
6. Lonely in Buenos Aires - a little long
7. Think (and Feel) Tango - long
8. DJs concerns
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Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 19:32:20 EST
From: "Stephen T. Chin-Bow" <CHIN-BOW @SACC.HSCBKLYN.EDU>
Subject: New York City tango ambassador...
January 11, 2000
Dear Tango-L,
I do not read the Tango-L every day, so if you respond to this email please
send me a separate copy of the post. I apologize for the length of this
message, but it has been a long time since my last post!
If I may make a suggestion, please include in all Tango-L messages the name
of the city, if you do not mind, where you dance (I am from "El Chino" from
New York City). A person who is not asked to dance often in a small
community has IMHO a very different problem than the same person dancing in
a large community.
I have found the recent discussions of tango host "responsibilities" and
proper (desired?) behavior very interesting reading, because I have been
called, by some, to be the New York City "tango ambassador". Based on the
criteria that dancing with every (or many) woman is desirable, I definitely
do NOT deserved this nickname, because during a typical night I dance at
most 50% (sometimes only 30%) of the songs and I dance with at most 10 or 15
different women. Based on the criteria that creating a unique tango web
site (the URL is below) which, among other things, attempts to welcome new
dancers (both men and women) to the NYC community by describing many of the
observations I have made during the last four years (eg how to get more get
dance requests) I deserve this nickname.
I continue to maintain my web site today because it is a chronicle of my four
year journey in the NYC tango community. Some of my descriptions, such as
why I and other people do not dance more when we attend milongas, and why a
person's behavior (eg. who they ask to dance) can be different at a practica
and a milonga, are very subtle (and not obvious to beginner tango dancers).
Go to my web site if you are interested in reading my "opinionated" comments.
My web site is also aimed at helping tango dancing tourists who visit NYC.
When the web site was first put up in 1996 it was the first internet site
(from NYC) to list most, if not all, of the various places to dance tango in
the city. Still unique are sections such as "How to use the NYC subways and
buses" (and more practical advice such as "How to get from the airports to
Manhattan). I also give advice about cheap hotels and suggest places to eat.
I even have a section which describes the weekly milongas I enjoy (and
recommend to friends when they visit NYC). Although definitely NOT a
"nonpartisan" section I feel a person visiting the city may agree with my
practica/milonga suggestions if they also enjoy reading the other parts of
my web site.
However, the "tango ambassador" nickname may be deserved more for other
reasons which are not so easily noticed (and appreciated).
I have met many good people during their trips to NYC, and for their
friendships, dances, shared meals, and late night conversations I will always
be grateful . These friends live in Ithaca, Binghamton, Washington DC,
Boston, Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto, etc. and when they visit NYC they
often stay with me. Many of these friends could not afford to visit NYC
(because of the high hotel rates), and dance here, several times a year if
they did not stay with me. Maybe I am naive, but I know only a few
milongueros and tangueras from NYC who are this generous with people who
visit NYC. I live in a studio apartment, and during one weekend in 1997 I
hosted six friends (I was the seventh person, and I slept on my kitchen
floor).
I will limit my remaining comments to milongas, since at a milonga I am more
selective (and therefore my behavior at milongas is an easier target for
critics). The suggestions that all men dance with all the women at a milonga
(which also means all the women will dance with all the men at the milonga)
ignores the simple fact that people attend milongas for different reasons.
For example, sometimes I have had a very hard day (or week), and the last
thing I want is to meet new people. I want to be in the comforting company
of my friends.
If the dance floor is crowded I may not want to navigate in a crowd. A woman
who is not dancing may be focusing on not dancing, but at the same moment I
am focusing on how much I dislike dancing among dancers who are not
respectful of the other dancer and who do not navigate well. It is the story
of "he said, she said". Same moment, but very different perspectives and
interpretations.
As I say on my web page, when I attend a milonga in a city where I normally
do not dance I might ask the host(ess) for a few introductions if I feel it
would be helpful. It might be nice for the host to say hello to me, but if I
want to dance more I can control my own fate by asking women myself or asking
the host(ess) for introductions. If I want to sit alone and sulk that is my
choice.
When friends, or friends of friends visit NYC, I am happy to give them
"audition" dances at milongas, so other men can see how well my friends
dance. However, this is often not sufficient to get a woman many dance
requests. Many men in NYC (including myself), and I am sure in other cities,
have developed a habit of dancing with a particular group of women. When
friends visit NYC, I will often offer to introduce them to other dancers.
However, I make it clear to a woman that an introduction does not obligate
the man to ask the woman to dance at that moment. Many men (including
myself) will often prefer, after the introduction, to watch the woman dance
with other men. If my friend does not ask the woman to dance I may ask the
woman to dance.
If, at a milonga, I meet a woman who is visiting the city I may offer to make
introductions to men if I think the woman has an interesting personality. I
am being bluntly honest here, but if I do not find the woman interesting, I
will not introduce her to my friends. If I do not the woman I do not want to
talk to her or dance with her (and I assume my friends also feel the same
way)!
In my opinion a woman who has never taken a tango lesson should not be
surprised that she is not asked to dance, especially if the milonga is
crowded (for the reason mentioned above). However, a woman who has taken
a few classes may know her instructor who can either dance with her or
introduce her to men. The same woman hopefully has made friends with men
from her class. A common thing in NYC is for people from a beginner class
to attend their first few milongas as part of a group. This way you always
have a person to talk to or someone who knows how well you dance.
When I meet people visiting the city, I will try to arrange "cab shares" at
the end of the evening (because it is safer to take a cab than walk, it is
cheaper to share a cab than take one alone, and taking a cab is often faster
than waiting for a subway). However, I will introduce a person visiting NYC
only to people who I like. For example, I will never suggest that a single
woman share a cab with a NYC milonguero who I do not like (or trust) simply
because they are traveling in the same direction.
Do you think I deserve the title New York City tango ambassador?
Here is an observation which I mention to "defend" hosts who may not spend
most of the evening making introductions. Some hosts try, if they are not
too tired, to dance with most of the women who attend their milongas. At
the more crowded milongas this is impossible because the night is often not
long enough. Other hosts spend the entire night making sure the refreshments
never run out (and I know this is not an easy job, because in the past I have
helped Danel and Maria at their Saturday milonga; I am the cheesecake and
brownie baker).
I have more to say, but I will let you read about my tango philosophy on my
tango web site.
When you come to New York City drop me a line and say hi.
Thanks for listening to my opinions,
Stephen Chin-Bow (from New York City)
P.S. There are sections on my web site which say more about these questions
and related issues.
http://hallux.medschool.hscbklyn.edu/~chin-bow (or search for Chin-Bow)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 13:39:29 +0100
From: Garrit Fleischmann <fleischm @STUD.UNI-FRANKFURT.DE>
Subject: Beginner reputation, Thinking in Tango
Hello List, hello Liz,
==Liz wrote:==--------------
I have been dancing for about three months - mostly taking
classes, rather than dancing at milongas. Just recently I finally got
courageous enough to go out and dance. While I've been told that I'm doing good
for a beginner, my dance is clearly nowhere near where I (or my dance partners)
would like it to be. It will probably take me another few months to learn well
enough to feel comfortable dancing at milongas; but before that happens, while
my skill is not quite up to par, I may develop a reputation for being a poor
dancer. For right now, men are cutting me some slack because they know I'm a
beginner, but I will lose that "beginner" status pretty soon and will simply
become known as a bad dancer. Any ideas?
==quote end==----------------
We all had this in the beginning, and the only thing you can do is:
go out to a milonga and dance!
I wouldn't worry so much about your 'reputation as a dancer' -
the dance skill can change very fast and people will notice that.
It may sound a little weired, but the best thing you can do is:
- having fun with your dancing now (in the milonga)
- working on improving your skills (in classes and practicas)
Of cause we all would like to dance better - I am dancing for 6
years now and still would like to dance much better. And it's important
that you feel that way, since it gives your the motivation to improve.
But at the same time, I am having a lot of fun at the milongas.
It's like when you learn to play tennis and you want to practice your
service:
you concentrate on how to get the ball over the net, the best way to
swing your racket, where to place your feet, how to move your body
and a lot of other things. You do these movements very often,
so your body gets used to them - you 'automate' them.
Then, when you are in a match, you will try to play the ball so
that the other won't get it too easy, so you won't think so much
about your feet or your racket.
Perhaps during the game you realize that your service is too short
most of the times, so the next time you pratice you ask your trainer
about that and can work on it.
And you need both, in order to become a good tennis player.
so now Tango:
In a class you learn...
...how to do an ocho, when to put your weight on
the other foot, how to move backwards and not having your partners
feet stepping on yours, holding yourself upright in a nice dance hold
without pushing or dragging the partner... and so on. You try
to automate the movements, lets say, of an ocho, but you still need practice.
In the milonga...
... you step on the dance floor, embrace your partner and try to dance
a tango with him. You try to do an walking, ochos, turns together with
your partner and the music. you don't think too much of single steps
but try to put everything together.
You dance 200 ochos with different partners (and hopefully you have fun
doing so), and you realize that you still have a problem with the timing.
Back in class the next day you ask your teacher about this, get an idea
of how to improve and practice this.
After going to the milongas for some month, you have automated the basic
steps so much that you don't have to think about them at the milonga any
more - that's what people mean when they say: just relax and don't think.
When I started dancing, it took all my concentration and about 3-4 bases
of preparation to come to the point where I could lead an ocho. ;-)
Now, I don't have to think about how doing ochos, turn, giros...,
it has changed to:
- oh, there is no space in front of me, so lets do an ocho,
- hmm, what a nice passage in this walz, lets do a giro...
of cause this all goes more on the subconsious level.
But remember:
It's good to work on your own technique, improve your movements and your
awareness of your body, but please:
don't forget to 'Dance with your partner'!
Enjoy the Tango,
Garrit
________________________________________________________
Garrit Fleischmann
email: Garrit.Fleischmann @gmx.de oder kontakt @cyber-tango.com
Tango: http://www.cyber-tango.com/
Witze: http://www.cyber-tango.com/jokes/jokes.html
________________________________________________________
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 14:52:30 +0100
From: Natarajan Balasundara <rajan @EMC.COM>
Subject: Re: Think Tango! (Part 2)
Original Message-----
From: Brannigan, Mary <Mary.Brannigan @WWIRELESS.COM>
[ stuff deleted]
> Overall, I'm basically interested in hearing opinions on whether tango
is
>a dance of thought, emotion or a mixture of both.
[ stuff deleted ]
> <snip> The more I think, the worse I dance. Concentrate on frame,
>keeping the
> body soft so that you can feel the lead, and you will dance
>magnificently.
>
> So, to summarize the above (along with a few other snips taken from
the
>same mailing): Don't think, just concentrate, keep your frame, but
also
>keep your body soft, "feel" the lead, let it happen, be graceful, don't
>forget to bring passion to the floor!, practice, practice, practice,
and oh,
>don't forget to relax.
Some of my takes on those suggestions:
An anology closest to following in tango may be typing or as
someone wrote in another thread, skiing or surfing. Initially
one should be *aware* of basics and consciously
practice the *basic* steps and when dancing make sure
that those steps are OK. With that, one hopes that the amount
of attention that needs to go into each step decreases as
time goes on since most of the time most of it happens correctly
without any effort involved.
'Relax' could mean that doing something wrong is alright-- there
is no need to jump as if one touched a hotplate (and hence mess
up the following steps as well) -- it is the leaders responsibility
to smooth things out :-). Until recently, I thought I was relaxed.
However, at a recent workshop, as I was dancing with the
instructor, she asked me to relax. I thought I was relaxed.
So, she asked me to swing my arms around myself back
and forth and I did. Then, she did the same thing and pointed
out that if the arms were truely relaxed they would actually swing
closer to the body as they swung around and touch the other side
of the waist/hip not stay detached. When I finally succeeded
at this -- I could see that the reason I could not intially do this
was because my muscles near the neck were a bit tense.
'Dont think' only means dont think of *anything else*: what
others are thinking about the dance, whether the partner
thinks that it was good or not, that someone on the other
side of the room, and especially *not* what one needs to
do *two beats* later. In other words, concentrate and
be in the moment. For some reason, this does not seem
to be taken seriously. When I said this('be in the moment')
to one beginner in response to her question as to what
she should do, she said: "Carpe diem?" , I: "no, just be
in the moment", she:"seize the moment and then be in it?
ha ha ha." ?! On another occassion, I was offered a suggestion
in the middle of a dance by a different tanguera ending in a
"...what do you think?", I: " I think not, I just dance." She: " is
that a dialogue from star trek?"...
'Dont think' could also mean the same thing as "feel the lead"
as in: following is a response to an outside event,
the lead-- although one may know what the response
has to be, one can not automatically do it independently
as soon as one has enough(but as yet incomplete) lead.
The result of doing it this way is that the follower will
finish the step before the leader has finished leading
and so the two will be out of sync. So, although theoretically
both will do the same thing, it is not done together.
"Feeling the lead" is why it may be important to dance at
milongas and not just take classes because, in classes
everything is lead by the mouth(of the instructor) for most
part and it is known before hand what the figure is going
to be and this is not how one dances in reality.
I do think it helps to know how it should feel like when
everything is ok. Often -- and I have deliberately tested
this -- when a figure is executed very fast, the follower
will do the right thing but if given time to think(slowly),
things will go wrong since the figure is new and there
seems to be an internal confusion about whether what
one is doing is correct or not( but without any previous
reference, there is no sure way to know). Once the
follower gets the right feel, it helps to go slow and analyze
and get the parts right.
I suppose, once one has enough mastery not to be
bothered by all the nitty-gritty details of just getting
from here to there, may be it would be time to add in
a bit of passion -- as a finishing touch ;-)
rajan.
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 11:23:48 -0600
From: Stephen P Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Thinking and Feeling in Argentine Tango
Leonardo wrote:
>I can only speak for the man's (i.e., leading) role in tango argentino and
>from this experience it is clear a man must be mentally alert, responding to
>floor conditions...
Yes, and observant, but I disagree with the continuation.
>in planning the next moves, and in deciding what steps to lead next.
This implies a calculating mind, drawing upon a list of memorized steps and
making conscious decisions. I do not calculate when dancing socially. I
rely on my intuition, which has been educated through lessons and practice.
>Mental alertness and planning are higher when less familiar sequences are
>led, with a less familiar partner, and when floor conditions are more
>crowded.
Again, I agree with the alertness, but I dispense with planning and sequences
when the dance floor is crowded. I simply take the steps the floor offers,
moving from one open space to another. When large spaces open up on the
dance floor, I find that to be a a more appropriate time to execute the more
space-consuming figures with fewer familiar exits. In this way, I find it
completely possible to dance with a special partner on the most crowded dance
floor, surrender to the music, execute simple steps, bypass the calculating
mind, not crash into anyone, and enjoy the moment in the most exhilirating
manner.
Yes, dancing with an unfamiliar partner makes it more challenging, but if she
dances well, the unfamiliarity makes the dance all the more interesting.
--Steve de Tejas
who loves to find the passion
of tango dancing in crowds
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 11:14:00 -0500
From: Michael Ditkoff <Michael.B.Ditkoff @USDOJ.GOV>
Subject: Thinking Tango vs. Dancing Tango
Mary Brannigan posted an interesting response to my message to Liz
Borodkin. My comments were directed to Liz as a follower. That might
have gotten lost in the translation.
I'm suggesting that women feel the lead, not think (guess) what the
man is leading. If I lead the woman into the cross (standing on her
left foot) with the intention of following with forward ochos
beginning on the right foot, I want my partner to feel rotation to her
left and then a lead putting her on her right foot for forward ochos.
It doesn't work as well when the woman thinks "What is Michael doing?
I'm in the cross. He's rotating me to the left. What's next? Oh, it's
forward ochos. Gee, I wonder how many?"
When women expend energy thinking of the possibilities I could lead,
they are distracted from what I am actually leading. That is why I
said tango is a dance of feeling, not thinking. If I'm any good as a
leader, my partner should be able to seamlessly follow me if she
feels the lead instead of trying to guess.
Now for men. Yes, I have to think while dancing, looking out for fools
who take back steps without looking (or caring.) I am suggesting that
I have to give my soul to my partner and move to the music. IMHO,
thinking tango is doing figures, regardless of what the music is
playing. Dancing tango is moving to the music. Mirella from Florida
gave me great insight. She said that sometimes, women don't want to
move and remain stationary for a few beats. It heightens the
anticipation. THANK YOU MIRELLA FOR THE GREAT ADVICE. YOU'RE RIGHT!!
I appreciate Stephen Brown's insight and explanation.
I take full responsibility for any confusion I caused Mary and other
list members. I hope this leads to greater understanding and not
confusion.
Michael
Washington, DC
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 19:01:32 +0100
From: Peter Niebert <Peter.Niebert @IMAG.FR>
Subject: Re: Thinking and Feeling in Argentine Tango
Leonardo Tanguero writes:
> Mental alertness and planning are higher when less familiar
> sequences are led, with a less familiar partner, and when floor conditions
> are more crowded. However, in dancing tango with my special partner on an
> empty floor, it is possible sometimes to surrender to the music and allow all
> those simple walking patterns and uncomplicated ochos and giros that are
> committed to memory to surface and bypass the calculating mind. [...]
My perception is a bit different: One cannot overestimate the creative
potential of dancing with an unknown (but - of course - "compatible")
partner on a crowded dance floor, moreover in an already physically
exhausted shape in the early morning hours.
Under these conditions, one is sometimes too tired to take concious
control of the difficulties. The only way to master the situation is
to *let go*. And then "the force is with you" :-)
You can do things you otherwise can only dream of.
***
According to Douglas Adams, FLYING is easy, you only have to FORGET TO
FALL (which is doubtlessly the hard bit).
THAT I have not tried, but I achieve to dance a new and difficult
figure the moment I forget that I cannot do it, and I achieve to lead
a difficult movement when I forget that my partner cannot execute it
(and she is too busy to realise that something strange is happening ...).
Peter
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 17:02:19 -0500
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: Lonely in Buenos Aires - a little long
Steve Hoffman wrote:
>Thanks for your comments about my Argentina experience. In many ways, I
>see everything you have described. I have seen it, and enjoyed and
>participated in it... the warmth, the conversations, the laughter, in other
>countries, over periods of weeks, or decades. I saw it in Argentina.>>
>I will say right now that perhaps you are right, and the fault is mostly
>mine. But then I would have to wonder why, after so many excellent,
>fortunate, fun, and adventurous trips over the last 25 years, why was it
>harder to find someone to talk to in Argentina than any place I have ever
>been in my life? Just bad luck? It really amazed me, because I really
>wanted to get into it; that's why I went back three times. And, because, as
>I said, I really like the country, and I respect the culture.
>I guess it must be because, as a foreign man, alone, with no contacts, no
>access, no introductions, no particular dancing skill, no invitation, and
>very very few hellos ... it's hard to get a foot in the door.
>Anyway. Sorry that you feel offended, Sergio. I ask that you not take it
>personally.
>Respectfully,
>Steve Hoffman
Hello Steve, in first place let me tell you that I am not offended at all.
You have your own experience, your opinion and the right to express it. This
way we all have the privilege to share them with you.
It is obvious that something about the country and its people displeases
and irritates you. You do not know exactly why.
You have been, in many places and your experiences seemed to be better, more
socially gratifying.
Argentineans like and respect foreigners; how could it be different; like
the USA, Argentina was/is populated by immigrants.
They can be approached for a conversation at any time and in any place. They
like to discuss interesting subjects, politics,
religion, history, cultures, art, sports, etc. They are not used to "empty"
conversation.
They must be treated as equals, independently of their social condition, as
they are fiercely proud and nationalistic.
If you wish to play the roll of the American Tourist, with pockets full of
dollars and expect servility; you most certainly went to the wrong place.
Argentineans dislike arrogance as much as servility. Each one of them
considers himself, the center of the world, happy with friends, family, good
food, and sports.
If you approach them as your equal, with affection and sincerity, they will
rapidly open their arms, their hearts and their homes to you. If you show
the slightest sign of contempt, you most likely will be ignored!
The English invaded Argentina in 1806 and 1807, after taking Buenos Aires,
they were defeated on both occasions. Thousands of officers and soldiers
asked for asylum. They, the enemy till a day before were received as part of
the Argentinean family. The Argentinean National Anthem was played for the
first time, 1810, in the house of one of those immigrants officers;
D.Margarita Sanchez de Thompson was the hostess. German Soldiers, belonging
to the GRAAF SPEE; a German ship sunk at the entrance of the port of Bs.As.
were also received and lodged with Argentinean families; during WW2. Most of
them remained in Argentina.
Argentina still receives hundred of thousands of immigrants every year. They
come now, mostly from South America, Eastern Europe, Taiwan, Korea, etc.
Plus many from the USA,(85.000) (in one year, last time I checked those
statistics), that come to work for the global economy; I never found one
complaining about the people, the food, or socialization rituals.They might
complain about many other things but not those.
Steve, I do not know what it is with you either. But Argentineans in general
are very similar to the Italians, Spaniards, French and Mediterranean
peoples. You should approach them as you would any of the others.I also
traveled to many places in the world, I never felt lonely; but then I did
not have unrelistic expectations either.
Respecfully, Sergio
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 14:37:24 -0800
From: "Brannigan, Mary" <Mary.Brannigan @WWIRELESS.COM>
Subject: Think (and Feel) Tango - long
> Thanks to everyone who posted their insights on this subject to the list
> and to me off-line. Overall the consensus was that thinking and feeling
> are both important elements of AT, but that one element will be emphasized
> over the other depending on the dancer's level of expertise.
> At first, there's a lot of thinking. Then as the dancer invests more
> time and practice and builds a wider base of knowledge, the concentration
> once dedicated to the left-brained analysis of tango elements gives way to
> a more right-brained interpretation of those same elements.
> This theory applies to both the lead AND the follow. Many leads don't
> seem to realize that follows also have to concentrate and work hard at
> technique, posture, weight distribution, etc., before their right brain is
> free enough to allow for musical interpretation and those subtle
> embellishments everyone likes so much. (We just make it look easy I
> guess!) ;-)
> Here are a few snippets along with some more commentary on the subject:
> Mike Hamilton writes, <snip> As far as thinking vs. feeling goes - it's
> true that one needs to think, but, there are different levels of thinking,
> too. There's being considerate, for one thing. Sometimes that's a
> conscious effort. But sometimes, even as a lead, things start to happen
> automatically. And they happen without thinking. It's not that I *never*
> had to think about them - it took the stages of learning: unconscious
> incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and finally to
> unconscious competence. The idea is to make your way to the last, not get
> stuck in the first.<end snip>
> This idea of a "gradation of competence" with concepts first being
> introduced into the conscious mind and eventually rooting themselves into
> the unconscious mind thereby liberating the channels of creativity and
> expression, is echoed in the posting of Ted Crowley, who wrote that <snip>
> The only leaders who can "dance without thinking" are those who have had
> so much practice over and over in certain areas that those areas have
> become automatic to them and no longer require CONSCIOUS thought. Only at
> that advanced level can one say "I think less & dance better". <end snip>
> Stephen P. Brown also states: <snip> I look upon learning tango as
> being a largely thinking process in which the concentration of the
> conscious mind is used to educate the unconscious mind about how tango is
> danced. I look upon dancing tango as an improvisational exercise in which
> the conscious and unconscious minds work together to create a dance from
> the options one has learned. <end snip>
> The conclusion therefore is that it's natural for the mind of a beginner
> to be completely preoccupied with left-brained issues like posture, form,
> and how and where to step, whereas the more advanced dancers seem to
> bypass these issues completely and instead focus in on the more
> right-brained, emotional aspects of the dance, such as interpretation of
> the music.
They can do this only because they've *been thinking, practicing,
analyzing, and out and out obsessing about the tango for some time now. So
for any beginners out there hoping to find a shortcut...sorry.
> Posture, connection, technique, navigation and improvisation are all
> issues which are discovered and experimented with at some point by
> everyone during the learning process, and every tanguero/a finds their own
> unique way of addressing these issues. Hence the evolution of different
> styles (milonguero, new generation, fantasia), and ideas about good
> posture (lean back, lean forward, don't lean!), etc.
The only way to further yourself in the tango is to encounter each of
these issues and through the process of analysis and experimentation, invent
or adopt the resolution which works best for you. It's this variety of
resolutions to the same issues which gives tango it's creative edge and
ensures it's longevity.
> In closing, I'd like to state that I agree with Stephen's opinion that
> <snip> Michael seems to be offering good advice. Relaxing may help open
> the channels to the unconscious mind and better enable one to dance in a
> creative flow. <end snip> This is *great advice for the intermediate to
> advanced dancer.
> I also agree with Ted Crowley who pointed out that this kind of advice
> could be misinterpreted by a beginner, as there's a good chance they will
> become frustrated that the tango is not flowing through and from them in a
> creative, subconscious stream. (Especially when those advanced dancers
> make it look so easy! And with their eyes closed no less!!)
> Perhaps the best way to address the beginner's anxieties would be to
> encourage them with Ted's closing advice, which I think dancers of *all
> levels should keep in mind: <snip> Hey, it's incredibly hard! Congratulate
> yourself when you can make any of it work, even for a few bars of music.
> But it's worth the effort...<end snip>
Yes it is.....
> Abrazos to all,
> Mary de Seattle
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 20:26:11 +0100
From: hilliges patricia <phillig @TIN.IT>
Subject: Re: DJs concerns
I would like to pick up again Stephen P Browns question regarding a
special system for classification for putting on the music (calm,
funny,....). I spoke with tango-dj Felix Picherna who now is here on a
tour in Italy and asked him the same question. He said that his only
criteria is his inspiration.
How is it for other tango-djs ? For example: would you
prefer to play for half an hour only music of a certain period or would
you alternate "old" and "new" tangos. What do you think are good methods
in order to avoid that people get bored by your music?
Ciao
Pat.
End of TANGO-L Digest - 12 Jan 2000 to 13 Jan 2000 (#2000-12)
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