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

[Bruce Stephens <bruce @CENDERIS.DEMON.CO.UK>]

Bruno <romerob  @TELUSPLANET.NET> writes:

> It seems to me an over simplification that Argentine Tango can be
> danced by walking around the room. From reading a couple of books on
> the history of the characters who influenced the Tango dance I would
> estimate that a dancer dancing by walking around the room who have
> not survived on the dance floor for too long.

Quite true.  I wasn't recommending it as a way to dance (or teach).  I
was merely contrasting tango to a dance such as International style
slow waltz.

In an empty room, one could walk around the room to slow waltz music,
but that wouldn't be slow waltz.  Some dances are composed of specific
figures (and so improvisation is largely in selecting and sequencing
those figures, and to some extent creating new figures in a similar
style to the standardised figures).  So learning slow waltz
necessarily includes learning standard figures.

But Argentine tango isn't like that.  There are some very common
figures which students ought to be taught fairly soon, I guess (such
as the 8CB), but that's because they happen to have become so common,
and assumed by many teachers to be known.  Not because they're
necessary to the dance.

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