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

[Philip Seyer <philipseyer @ILOVEMUSIC.COM>]

Good point, Stephen. If beginners are memorizing frozen, rigid patterns,
those patterns don't provide much of a foundation, but only lock them into
using boring repetitive figures and they may find it hard to enjoy
improvisational dancing. Thanks for your comments.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Brown" <Stephen.P.Brown  @DAL.FRB.ORG>
To: <TANGO-L  @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 7:52 AM
Subject: [TANGO-L] Memorized Patterns and Improvised Tango


> On one of the many regional tango websites, you can read the following:
>
> "Tango is a highly improvised dance.  Actually, at the advanced levels all
> dances are highly improvised.  It is only the beginning and intermediate
> dancers who struggle and memorize frozen, rigid patterns.  That's OK
> everyone needs somewhere to start .  Its good to have a solid foundation
> and then branch out from there.  The problem. though, is some people don't
> realize tha the steps they learn in beginning lessons are only a
> foundation and are not meant to be the end-all, be-all."
>
> I am afraid that I do not see how learning frozen, rigid patterns in
> beginning lessons provides a solid foundation from which to branch out. As
> Tom Stermitz has pointed out, men typically arrive at their first class
> with an ability to navigate.  After a few lessons of memorized figures,
> they lose all that ability.  Why not start out with teaching that
> integrates tango directly into walking which is the backbone of tango.
>
> See Daniel Trenner's comments about the basic in tango.
> http://www.danieltrenner.com/daniel/ar_basic.html
>
> With best regards,
> Steve
>
> Stephen Brown
> Tango Argentino de Tejas
>
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