Re: [TANGO-L] competition

[Huck Kennedy <huck @eninet.EAS.ASU.EDU>]

Philip Seyer writes:
> I continue my crusade: syncopation has nothing to do with tempo, splitting
> the beat, or with double time steps. Syncopation is accenting a normally
> unaccented beat or failing to accent a normally accented beat. When we pause
> and do not step on an accented beat, that's syncopation.  When we step
> sharply on an unaccepted beat, that's syncopation. When we step slightly
> after the beat or slightly before the beat, that's syncopation. Dancing
> faster is not syncopation.

     [Smiley faces:  ON!]

     Good heavens, Philip.  You'd sooner teach pigs to
sing than teach dancers the proper musical definition of
syncopation.  They'll just blink at you uncomprehendingly
[*] like deer caught in the headlights and then go right on
about their business.

     The funny thing is that dancers have a classic
example of syncopation in International Rumba, which
counts 2-3-4holdthrough1, 2-3-4holdthrough1, etc.
Inform them of this, and they'll just do that trademark
blink, and reply in a kindly patronistic way, "No, silly,
that's not a syncopation, that's just the normal rumba
rhythm, not something different than normal or, like,
stepping real fast or something.  But do keep up with
your dancing lessons, you'll understand all these things
in time."  They might even give you a fond little pat
on the head for good measure.

     Just accept it, Philip.  When a dancer speaks
of syncopation, just swallow your whistle, and say
to yourself, "Forgive them, Lord Marsalis, for they
know not what they do."

Huck

[*] To be fair, my excellent ballroom instructor does
understand what sycopation really means and how dancers
misuse the term, so all hope is not lost; but even he
must intentionally misuse the term just to communicate
with his fellow dancers.