Re: [TANGO-L] competition

[Tom Stermitz <Stermitz @RAGTIME.ORG>]

Philip Seyer <philipseyer @ILOVEMUSIC.COM> wrote:

> 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.  Syncopation is highly effective when our steps
> match syncopation in the music.  You may want to see more details at
> http://www.ilovemusic.com/syncopat.htm ( or just do a Google search on
> "syncopation" )

I really appreciate Philip's clarity on this point.

Tango has lots of rhythmic decorations. Are they sometimes
syncopations by Philip's clear definition?

If milonga is normally stepped 1-2, 1-2, and we occasionally insert a
tras-pie on the candombe beats in-between, does that count as
syncopation?

What about the triplet decoration in tango done by either the man or
woman? (Slow, Slow, Tri-Ple-Step, Slow)

Also, the 4-count decoration with of the woman's front ocho:
(Tri-Ple-Step-Tap while the woman does a single ocho)
--

Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org/
stermitz @tango.org
303-388-2560