5549 demo advice needed
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 11:34:31 -0800 (PST)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Hola everyone!
If you?re an anti-performance person, please hit your
delete key.
So I'm wondering if folks might have some tips regarding
demos or performances. Our community has gotten a bunch of
demo requests lately, particularly among the college
students for their universities or college talent shows.
There are a couple of things that pop up for which we're
looking for advice.
1. Any tips for handling a demo when the audience is on
only 1 side of you, such as on a stage, so that the
visually interesting stuff is presented to the audience
instead of the back wall? The obvious answer is to
practice, but I'm wondering if there are any tricks to help
with positioning since folks don?t always know in advance
where the audience is and practice time can be limited.
2. In cases where the audience is sitting down and the
demo occurs at floor level, it seems that the only ones who
get to see the demo is the front row. Those in the back
would miss the footwork. So the only solution to keep them
involved is to either open the embrace or do higher leg
work. Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Trini de Pittsburgh
PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh?s most popular social dance!
https://patangos.home.comcast.net/
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:41:43 -0600
From: Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Trini de Pittsburgh wrote:
>>So I'm wondering if folks might have some tips regarding demos or
performances.<<
One important issue is to determine whether the demo is of social tango or
stage tango. If you are providing these demos as a way to build the
community, it is best to demonstrate a form of tango that is danced
socially, but with a high level of musicality and execution, with a little
bit of fanciness thrown in. If you shift to stage tango, it will attract
specators or those who wish to learn to dance a more theatrical style of
tango.
If it is a demonstration of several couples dancing tango socially,
dancing improvisationally in the line of dance can work quite well. It
creates some dynamic movement and variety. Remember, however, that the
more visusal side of the embrace is typically toward the center of the
stage when everyone is following the line of dance.
The couples shouldn't be crowded together for such demonstrations because
separation improves visibility.
>>1. Any tips for handling a demo when the audience is on only 1 side of
you, such as on a stage, so that the visually interesting stuff is
presented to the audience instead of the back wall?<<
I would recommend that the couples toward the back of the stage dance
simply and musically, leaving the couples at the front of the stage to do
more showy movements such as volcadas, colgadas, barridas, etc. Complex
movements at the back of stage aren't very visible and can be distracting.
Rather than reverse the line of dance for the demonstration, the leaders
at the front of the stage can pause and reorient themselves and their
partners to make sure the more showy movements are visible to the
audience. If you do a gancho and realize that hasn't shown well, reorient
yourself and your partner and do it again.
If much of the audience is relatively far away, exaggerated movements in
open embrace may be necessary to create visibility. The dance needs to be
visible to those in the back row.
>>2. In cases where the audience is sitting down and the demo occurs at
floor level, it seems that the only ones who get to see the demo is the
front row. Those in the back would miss the footwork. So the only
solution to keep them involved is to either open the embrace or do higher
leg work.<<
For floor-level demonstrations, it's best to have people assembled around
the outside of the dance floor. That way most people have only one or two
people in front of them. The front row can be encouraged to sitdown on
the floor.
For these demonstrations, fancy footwork close to the ground can work
quite well, and so can movement that eats up the floor. If visibility is
limited, glimpses of flying legs seen between other people can create an
exotic impression, even if most people can only see parts of the dance.
If the audience is seated in chairs or on the floor but on only one side
of the dancers, moving back a little and dancing in an open embrace with
higher leg work may be necessary to create visibility.
Thanks,
Trini de Pittsburgh
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 19:26:33 -0700
From: "David Hodgson" <DHodgson@TangoLabyrinth.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
To: "'Trini y Sean \(PATangoS\)'" <patangos@yahoo.com>, "Tango L list"
Hi Trini;
I have a couple of thoughts.
To the first question:
The lead comes in stage left and the follow stage right. They don't embrace
till the music starts, and the Follow is primarily to the audience side. The
performance piece is usually more linear because of the shape of the stage,
give space between the audience and performers and the performers do not
give recognition to the audience.
If the performers are not used to improve, simply walking a lot with a few
choreographed moves work good, that are marked out at particular intervals.
Also what is really good is if the performers bring in some aspect of them
selves, a theme they are interested in or already know about. Unless some
one is really good at faking, it does not go very far.
I am also a fan of doing some thing that most of the audience could say to
them selves "Hey I could do that, but I would do it this way".
For the second question: Unless the audience is about 5-6 rows back every
one in the audience will see at least some part of the performance. Giving
space between the audience and performers helps. If your going to include
some kind of high foot and leg work (I think less is more) so do that type
of move a few times and in different spots on the stage.
As a side thought: Don?t take the performance personally, expect accolades
or that every single person will like a piece. Is something happens like
getting out of sync or a trip, do not apologize to the audience and keep
going. It was part of the experience the performers had (deal with it) and
it was part of the performance for the audience.
Do it because it is fun and show off some. Seduction works best when it
becomes a question and when it is an accent.
Hope that helps.
David
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 12:35 PM
To: Tango-L
Subject: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Hola everyone!
If you?re an anti-performance person, please hit your
delete key.
So I'm wondering if folks might have some tips regarding
demos or performances. Our community has gotten a bunch of
demo requests lately, particularly among the college
students for their universities or college talent shows.
There are a couple of things that pop up for which we're
looking for advice.
1. Any tips for handling a demo when the audience is on
only 1 side of you, such as on a stage, so that the
visually interesting stuff is presented to the audience
instead of the back wall? The obvious answer is to
practice, but I'm wondering if there are any tricks to help
with positioning since folks don?t always know in advance
where the audience is and practice time can be limited.
2. In cases where the audience is sitting down and the
demo occurs at floor level, it seems that the only ones who
get to see the demo is the front row. Those in the back
would miss the footwork. So the only solution to keep them
involved is to either open the embrace or do higher leg
work. Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Trini de Pittsburgh
PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh?s most popular social
dance!
https://patangos.home.comcast.net/
________
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Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:07:23 -0500
From: Keith <keith@tangohk.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Trini,
A few points.
1. Unless your dancers are very experienced, choreograph
everything. Otherwise, they???ll freeze.
2. Forget about LOD. Try each sequence out and see whether it looks
better from right to left or left to right. Then arrange the choreography
to suit. Build up a repertoire of lines or sequences that you can arrange
in different ways to suit the dance area and the ability of each dancer.
3. In terms of importance the entry will constitute 30% of the dance
and the ending 60%. The rest is 10%. You???ll need an entry to grab the
attention of the audience and an ending to get them clapping.
4. You need big figures to keep the attention of the audience. If you
have dancers who can kick high ??? do it. If you have dancers who can
do the splits ??? do it. Lifts and jumps are great. The ???seat???, where the
girl jumps onto the man???s leg is incredibly easy and I can teach it to any
couple in 15 minutes. Audiences love it. Put in lots and lots of Ganchos
and Boleos ??? front and back.
5. If you have young, attractive couples ??? show them off. Teenagers
are gold. When my daughter was 14, she could hardly dance but
audiences loved her.
6. It???s a show. Forget about social dancing or you???ll just send everyone
to sleep. And you can tell your students it???s just for fun, but if there???s
a stony silence at the end of the performance, trust me ??? that???s not fun.
But if the show goes well and the audience loves it - it's the greatest
feeling there is.
Good Luck,
Keith, HK
On Sat Feb 9 3:34 , "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" sent:
>Hola everyone!
>
>If you??re an anti-performance person, please hit your
>delete key.
>
>So I'm wondering if folks might have some tips regarding
>demos or performances. Our community has gotten a bunch of
>demo requests lately, particularly among the college
>students for their universities or college talent shows.
>There are a couple of things that pop up for which we're
>looking for advice.
>
Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:38:10 -0500
From: "Jake Spatz (TangoDC.com)" <spatz@tangoDC.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
To: tango-L@mit.edu
List,
While I've never done anything but improv performances, I generally
agree with Keith (and others) about things like LOD, the finale, the
entrance, etc. But here are a few more thoughts... whether you're likely
to do choreo or not.
1. Change the blocking
("Blocking" meaning stage placement & movement.) Mix up floor coverage
with stationary figures. All travel gets boring. All stationary gets
boring. Change the channel, and with a sense of purpose. Use the
verse-chorus structure of the song, or further subdivisions therein.
This makes it easier to cope with unpredictable stage conditions. Give
the dancers a sense of freedom about using the whole stage as they see
fit, and they can improvise to use that stage better.
As for facing the house, the only real answer is to cheat the embrace a
little bit, possibly using a salon-style V shape. Having had to deal
with this issue in front of cameras (sometimes moving cameras in close
proximity), I can say it's a pain in the ass. Tell the guy to keep the
girl facing the house as much as possible-- _his_ pretty face is NOT
important-- and (very important) not to obscure her with his upper body.
He's probably broader than the broad, and likely will be wearing a
uniform color, so it's very easy to make her disappear by accident. A
little practice with a stationary camcorder, however, explains a lot.
(Also, let the dude SEE this. Just telling him how it looks, if he's a
man, is going to get you nowhere.)
For my part, I like close embrace in a performance. It doesn't have to
stay that way, but it's special, and a damn bit more poetic than a gancho.
2. Let THEM choose the music
I'm sure you have good ideas as a coach, but nobody cares about them
unless the performers are into the music. Just make sure they pick
something they'll want to practice to, without getting tired of it by
the time they hit the stage. And make sure they don't over-rehearse, if
only to keep the song from getting stale.
If possible, give them alternate recordings of the piece, so they can
discover what's unique about the music they're dancing to, and thereby
enjoy it more for what it does.
And make sure the chick gets a say in it. She's gotta know it and like
it. That's easily overlooked, I find.
3. Don't forget about content
I tire of pointing this out in my dance-life, but _moves_ alone are
meaningless. One must first be _moved_.
Encourage the dancers to get into character in some way-- hopefully
transcending cliche-- so they can define what they're presenting to the
audience and to each other. So long as the moves aren't really, really
boring, people don't care That much about how flashy they are: real
chemistry can steal the show.
Caveat: I'm not saying you should have them dance "a story." There's
nothing quite so lame as that threadbare "get-together, breakup,
reunion" bit. I'm talking Character: something not so predictable.
You've got to give people a reason to _keep_ watching. Then the final
moment isn't so overwhelmingly important, and you can actually match the
musical ending-- which in tango is often reserved & cool: "WHAM...
(boom)"-- rather than dancing an idea that the music doesn't suggest. In
any case, follow the music, which will probably suggest a lot of ideas
about _character_ anyway.
None of this is confined to stage dancing either. These ideas come
directly from improv social dancing, and in my opinion are better built
upon than junked. Ultimately, it's more fulfilling for everyone that
performers dance something they actually feel-- something genuine. This
makes the embrace the main attraction, so to speak. And aside from the
music, it's the embrace that is most unique to tango. To watch people
inflict a bunch of moves on each other is a travesty, no matter how
skilled they are, and whether or not you can see their gaudy shoes.
Break a heart,
Jake
DC
Trini y Sean (PATangoS) wrote:
> Hola everyone!
>
> If you?re an anti-performance person, please hit your
> delete key.
>
> So I'm wondering if folks might have some tips regarding demos or performances.
>
> 1. Any tips for handling a demo when the audience is on
> only 1 side of you, such as on a stage
> 2. In cases where the audience is sitting down and the
> demo occurs at floor level, it seems that the only ones who
> get to see the demo is the front row.
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:53:45 +0900
From: "Astrid" <astrid@ruby.plala.or.jp>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
To: "Jake Spatz \(TangoDC.com\)" <spatz@tangoDC.com>,
<tango-L@mit.edu>
Jake wrote:
"And make sure the chick gets a say in it. She's gotta know it and like
it. That's easily overlooked, I find."
Oh, for heaven's sake, Jake ! Maybe you could start improving things by not
thinking of a female tango partner as "the chick"? Honestly: how many men
are out there who prepare a demo and not bother to hear their partner's
opinion about which song they are going to dance to together?
>= (
Astrid
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:04:48 -0800 (PST)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Hola listeros,
Thanks everyone for the really great advice. It?s been
something I?ve wanted to ask for awhile but was dreading
generating a lot of negative posts instead.
Someone also sent me a private email giving some great
advice about movement of the couple. You?d basically pick
one part of the stage (e.g., front stage right) and the
couple occupying that area decides when the group moves.
So when that couple moves toward the back row, everyone
else moves into the next spot.
Concerning choreography, a friend of mine worked on a
choreography for the first time recently and shares some
very good thoughts about his experience.
https://devaldivia.com/
My interest in choreography arose when someone in the
community last year began teaching a completely
choreographed piece (upon someone?s request) as a teaching
tool. It has since evolved into a community affair that
has gotten more people involved, with some learning it just
for fun. It?s given less experienced dancers more
confidence and involvement. And everyone, even the very
inexperienced dancers, can separate the choreography from
their social dancing. The only problem we need to keep an
eye on is the woman letting the man lead her ornaments
instead of doing it on her own. But the choreography only
takes up 3 minutes of what is usually a 15-30 minute
presentation. Lot?s of time left to fill! All of this
advice will help.
Perhaps this might eventually involve putting together a
little tango show but that?s another fish to fry.
Trini de Pittsburgh
PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh?s most popular social dance!
https://patangos.home.comcast.net/
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:28:32 -0800
From: meaning of life <kushi_bushi@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
To: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>, Tango-L
<tango-l@mit.edu>
my 2 cents on a nice choreographed piece as a teaching tool.
for thousands of years (certainly many hundred) martial arts have been taught, transmitted, and recorded in perpetuity through the use of katas. katas were proscribed patterns of moves that usually demonstrated a "fight" against one or more opponents. as students progressed, they "got better and better" at the katas, and later found many hidden movements buried in transitions that they "never understood before".
i often help upper rank martial artists to go back and evaluate the katas that they "thought they knew" to find the "more advanced moves" that were hidden in them.
back to tango...........mimicking a "great dancer" helps you to understand how it feels to move "their moves" and to understand "their transitions". once you have a few tools in the tool box, then you can play with your own, but it never hurts to watch and try what the masters have done, and are doing. i am NOT saying that you should become them, but that mimicking them in training helps you to understand "what makes them great".
isoooooooooo.......................+1 to teaching a fun, and easy choreographed piece, at that place in the students training where it will help them to gain some confidence and then they can "make it their own". and then again, and again, as they (and you the teachers) progress.
The Tangonista
Sponsered by P.E.T.A. (People Expressing Tango Attitude)
NOTICE - no cats were injured in the making of our music
Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your Hotmail?-get your "fix".
https://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:54:46 +1100
From: Victor Bennetts <Victor_Bennetts@infosys.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
<EBAF6BD07D1C6C42AF55D51893B4C6DA0256643E7C@AUSMELMBX01.ad.infosys.com>
Further to Keith's advice, I would say that as well as ganchos and lifts a knife fight always goes down well. That should get the audience on their feet. If nothing else to run to the bathroom to throw up :-).
Victor Bennetts
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Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:54:31 -0500
From: "Alex" <alex@tangofuego.us>
Subject: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Cc: "'Trini y Sean \(PATangoS\)'" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Hola Trini! (and Astrid) (and listers)
First, to Jake?s use of ?chick?...unfortunate...as Astrid pointed out...
I prefer ?babe? or ?babes? (in plural) ? this truly shows the respect and
admiration I have and hold for women...women are one of the true miracles of
the universe...a realization that I come to every day of my life...and give
thanks to...
Kidding, on the "babe" part, but not the other...sorta...
Great comments by Stephen, Keith and David...I will have to go back and
re-read those myself...
Here are my thoughts...I?m no expert...and have only done a few demos in a
small city...to help develop a brand new grassroots tango community...this
is what I have learned...and humbly offer for your consideration...
Demos/performances are a necessary aspect of building/growing/nurturing a
new (or even not so new) tango community. These opportunities provide a
free/cheap/(or even paid!) way to do PR/Advertising/Marketing and
otherwise promote a community?s tango learning and social dancing
activities. Another thing that I firmly believe is that if one "element"
(say one teaching couple in particular) is active in performing and
promoting ? it is good and healthy for the entire tango community ? and the
other instructors within that community. Egos, jealousy, and competition are
self-fulfilling weaknesses.
Demos/performances may run contrary to the concept of Argentine tango being
purely social and totally improvised. But, the reality is that
performance/stage/fantasia tango does exist. I suppose the issues begin to
arise when there are people out there demo?ing ?bad tango?. All of us in the
tango communities of the world implore you, kind reader, please do not
demo/perform tango if you know you shouldn't be (uh-oh, that might include
me!)...
That said, (I?m writing this for future readers as much as in response to
you guys...for the record...) it?s unfortunate when you have to demo on a
stage/surface that only presents a one sided view of the dance. My partner
and I performed once (at 7:30 in the morning ? for a breakfast meeting for a
group of 300-400 folks) where the stage was off in one corner, 18? off the
floor, the crowd all off to one side. We did have one or two tables full of
nuns directly in front of us. Yes, nuns. (Sidenote: Does everyone remember
that the bandoneon was introduced into South America by the missionaries?
How?s that for irony?)
I had requested that the stage be at least 36? high and in the center of all
of the tables. This was at a convention center ? so they divide the large
hall as needed ? and set up the tables and stage as needed. That?s the ideal
if you can swing it ? the stage or dance floor in the center of the room.
The best view for everyone, and you can dance in the social ronda.
In our case, I found myself dancing back and forth in a diagonal on the
stage (it was 12 ft x 16 ft ? I had to press for something this large ? 6
pcs of 4?x8? staging - it could be why they put it in the corner of the hall
? next to the head table) trying to ?present? ourselves to the audience at
the corner of the stage that was facing them. Looking back, I should have
just danced on the ronda and not worried about it. (Make a plan/decision
beforehand and stick with it - don't change at the last minute.)
If your stage/floor is across the front of the crowd, you should work on a
back and forth, linear dance vs. in a circle (or rectangle). The key, to me,
is to present the open side to the audience as much as possible ? your
dancing should reflect that ? I found it incredibly difficult to do ? and
felt like I had my back to the audience way too much. Back steps and giros
are big for keeping the open side presented to the audience as much as
possible.
There?s not much you can do if you don?t have a stage ? press for it by the
organizers as much as you can (36? ? 48? high) ? if they won?t , you might
think about leaving the low floor in the front and dancing up the aisles for
everyone to see ? a good way show off a great walk.
What else?
Do a sound/equipment check before hand ? days or a week before if it is a
fixed venue ? one day or several hours before if it is set up just for your
event. Have every conceivable back up plan for your music ? computer, iPod,
CD?s, assorted cables, etc. etc. Make sure they give you a wireless
microphone if you are going to talk/make announcements. If you have to
provide the sound system ? make sure it is sized properly for the venue. A
40 watt boom box won?t fill a huge room. I used a 600 watt bookshelf system
for a performance in a room that was about 100 feet long, 50 feet wide, and
with 40 foot high ceilings - it barely, barely handled it. The stage and
the equipment were in the middle of the room, so I pointed the speakers up
at an angle to each side of the room. Ah...also, I use a wireless rig on my
computer to play music with...iTunes...built-in wireless card...and a $99
Apple Airport Express. The Apple device plugs in to the venue sound system
inputs. Make sure your signal reaches and have your own appropriate
extension cords and power strips. Mine all worked fine in the sound check
the week before ? but the day of...the stage blocked the outlet I needed to
plug in to. A little last minute scrambling fixed the problem.
Insert note: In spite of all my advance planning, I just remembered that my
iTunes locked up on my computer at the moment of truth - and I had to
re-boot - because I couldn't use my iPod backup with my wireless set
up...oops!
Bring a variety of shoes ? shoes for slippery floors, shoes for sticky
floors, tape for the bottom of shoes (gaffer?s tape), cornstarch or wax
beads to spread ? and dance on the actual floor surface. The joints on a
stage can present problems ? trip hazards. It might be good to put gaffer?s
tape down over them ? the tape itself will present a problem, but less of a
problem than a ?? irregularity in the staging. Press the organizers for a
?real? sanded, finished dance floor, that is obviously the best. Most of the
time you will end up dancing on rough plywood. Not good for a
pivoty/enrosque thingy and hell of the follower for ochos.
Double check the stage construction and bracing. We once danced on stage
that was 48?-60? high ? too high for the inadequate amount of bracing. There
were two couples dancing ? and between the four of us, the stage was swaying
on the order of 4-6? back and forth. This hellatious swaying was barely
noticeable to us while we were dancing ? but it was a distraction to the
guests sitting next to it ? striking fear into their hearts and minds that
the whole thing was going to come down.
Depending on the stage surface and the staging itself, you may have to alter
your vocabulary. Big volcadas may not be safe. You might have to make
everything smaller. This should all be taken into account, thought out and
planned out.
As far as the format goes ? you are pretty much at the mercy of the
organizers and the event itself. For this breakfast performance, we did one
song after pretty much everyone was seated with their food, and then we did
another one just plugged into the middle of the program. In hindsight, it
would have been better (and entirely possible) to have the music playing and
us dancing on stage as people arrived. They could chit-chat, find their
seats, get their food, start eating, all while we were dancing in the
background. Like the ubiquitous classical guitarist (or string quartet)
providing background music ? we should have been providing ?background?
tango. I think this lends itself to truly demonstrating what tango looks
like ? dancing for several songs ? or even for an hour. But, it depend on
the event, the venue, the organizers, the program. Sometimes, it will have
to be the ?main show?. The ?background tango? concept allows we
inexperienced performers to calm down and relax by the 2nd or 3rd song. The
?main show? concept requires you to be introduced...walk on stage...dance
your two or three songs...and walk off. This can be a very nerve racking
experience. A small bottle of tequila for a couple of swigs can help with
stage fright.
Ideally, if the event/format/venue/organizers will allow it, I would
recommend some background tango...then the ?main show?....then possibly more
background tango as people are exiting the venue/event.
All of the visual elements of your tango come into play. Wardrobe, hair,
makeup (for her), shoes ? all of the purely visual/aesthetic aspects should
be considered for maximum dramatic effect. Remember - you are trying to make
an impact on these people ? most likely so that they will want to learn
tango and eventually become part of the community. Posture, the position of
your heads, the looks on your faces, where your gaze is, footwork and foot
placement, sharpness, commitment, clarity, energy, attitude, mood ? it all
has an effect. This will obviously vary depending on the event, the venue,
and the audience. That is, if you are demo?ing for a group of elementary
school students, versus a roomful of million dollar benefactors, it will
require a different plan/approach on your part.
Also, salon/open embrace is more visually appealing than apilado...we all
know close embrace feels better, but to the unknowing audience, it looks
rather dull. (IMHO). If you can do an intro talk, you could explain that you
will be doing examples of both the more dramatic stage tango, and social
tango as it is seen in the milongas. But, the social tango might have to be
amp?d up a bit. Bigger steps, bigger moves, more drAma ? so it doesn?t look
like you are doing the high school prom dance to the audience members in the
back. Performance tango is bigger ? more dramatic ? more feeling ? more
connection. Disconnected, unfeeling tango looks bad.
I would recommend a tango coach, a trusted close tango
teacher/couple/friends to work with you and point out how things look. At
the very least video tape yourselves and play it back to see errant
footwork, bad posture and other elements in need of tweakage. Looking at
yourselves dancing in the mirrors doesn?t cut it.
Also, watch performers/couples you like on YouTube - study not only their
vocabulary and style, but also their use of the space, their use of the
floor. You should try to use the entire length of the stage...from side to
side and try to stay away from the back areas.
Practice, practice, practice. And then practice some more. A respected
northwest U.S. teacher once told me that Pablo Veron practices for 4-6 hours
a day (or more) for four to six weeks prior to an event performance. We
might be tempted to think that a dancer of this caliber doesn?t need to
practice/rehearse. PV's follower/partner asked this guy to practice one
afternoon ? he figured they would dance from 3pm until 5 or 6 pm. ? she
wanted to ?work on stuff?. They didn?t quit practicing until 2am. That?s the
reason these folks are so amazing in their tango ? they dance and practice
for hours and hours ? day in and day out.
I also didn?t communicate well enough with the organizer of the breakfast
event about the program. I found out the morning of ? right before our first
song - that our two songs were spaced out about 2 hours apart. We had
planned to get there at 630am...practice/warm up in a back room...do our
thing at 730...and be on our way. That didn?t happen. Be sure you have a
very clear understanding of the program and your cues. Everything should be
discussed with the organizers and planned out. (The two songs spaced two
hours apart didn?t have nearly the same effect as some ?background? tango
would have.)
Insert note: This venue was very cold, luckily, we knew this in advance. At
my insistence, my partner brought a long winter coat (in September) and
dropped it right as we got on stage to dance - you should try to plan for
everything....
As far as the music selection goes (the reason I felt compelled to
post/reply in the first place) ? yes, the follower should be involved in the
song choice/decision ? but, the leader is the leader ? and the selections
should be based on what he feels most comfortable with leading. For
instance, my partner likes Piazzolla, but I can?t lead/dance to it worth a
flip. Your music choice should also be based on quality/fidelity of the
recording ? I like the old scratchy stuff - but typically I choose a clean
version. I rarely demo Nuevo ? because I?m not a great Nuevo lead ? and
because the message I like to put out there is one of the culture and the
history and the story of the golden age of tango ? so I choose music
accordingly.
That said, we will practice and practice and rehearse and rehearse on the
chosen song(s)...but I have been known to change it in the heat of the
moment...right there...on stage...a different song will start playing...
Because...after all...tango is all about the improvisation...right?
Thanks for reading...hope this helps you Trini...and others down the line...
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:44:57 +1100
From: "Patio De Tango" <pdtango@bigpond.net.au>
Subject: [Tango-L] FW: Demo advice needed
To: <tango-L@mit.edu>
We have been teaching Argentine Tango in Sydney Australia for the
past seven years and have found public demos to be a very effective
way of drawing more people into social tango dancing. We organise
Outdoor Milongas in scenic or touristic parts of Sydney, eg Bondi
Beach, Darling Harbour (entertainment precinct on the Sydney harbour
foreshore) Italian Piazza in Leichhardt ("Little Italy").
We gaffer tape one or two (6 X 4 meter) pieces of black and white
chequered vinyl flooring onto concrete or paved surface to make the
floor tango shoe friendly. The eye catching floors also define the
dance space and draw more spectators to the event. The music of the
Milonga is divided into tandas and curtinas and in the curtina
breaks an MC provides information about Argentine social Tango. The
dancing is all improvised and mainly in close embrace. The Milonga
is interspersed by solo performances by our instructors and other
experienced dancers.
The solos are a bit like "social tango on steroids" - ie, with more
space to dance longer steps are possible, as are occasional fantasia
moves (still with minimal opening of the embrace) higher off the
floor decorations, more backward steps by the leader - but the
essence of social tango is still there. My partner and I make a
point of dancing in close embrace - and not choreographing so as to
emphasise the improvised nature of Tango, because that's what we
teach.
This strategy has worked for us, but if our school specialised in
choreography and stage tango we would organise these public displays
differently. A key consideration for public demos is - who is the
target audience?
Lastly, if you are wanting to promote social tango don't
underestimate the appeal of good quality non choreographed, close
embrace tango to the uninitiated.
Sophia de Sydney
www.PATIOdeTANGO.com.au
'Tango is not about what is done, but how it is done'
(E. Santos Discepolo)
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:06:56 -0600
From: Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] demo advice needed
Some further thoughts about demonstrations:
1) Musicality is important to a convincing demonstration. If
choreography is used, it must be learned to the point where the couples
actually dance to the rhythm of the music. Copies of the music should be
given in advance to all couples participating in the demonstration for
listening/practicing.
2) If the dancers are willing, it is desirable to use a variety of tango
music for a demonstration. All D'Arienzo or all Pugliese can leave a dull
impression with a audience.
3) There is a range of gradations from completely choreographed
performances to completely improvised performances. One possibility is
generally planning and rehearsing the more complex elements of the
demonstration--using the basic elements to connect--and using the elements
as they fit.
4) Choreographies need to keep the skills/capabilities of the dancers in
mind. I've seen fairly good dancers looking bad because the choreography
someone else created for them didn't play to the strengths of their
dancing.
5) Dancing synchronized elements requires a lot of practice.
6) Changes in the speed of dancing--combining double-time and single-time
elements creates strong dynamics. So does strong movement across the
stage in an element like a cadena.
7) Use of the line of dance can work as a simple rotation device during a
demonstration. Each couple can take dance a showy element at the front of
the stage and then rotate toward the back, creating room for the next
couple to rotate forward. (This assumes that each couple is sufficiently
equal in ability.)
8) The stage can be used more dynamically than simply using the line of
dance. (See Doris Humphrey's The Art of Making of Dances" for some ideas
about stage use.) Without a coordinating choreography, however, it is
challenging for several couples to share the stage without use of the line
of dance. The line of dance can be modified somewhat to create a little
bit stronger dynamics. One simple idea is pinching in the middle of the
sides and back toward center stage.
Steve (de Tejas)
