1231  Hodge Podge Tango

Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 11:44:59 -0700
From: Tango Guy <tangomundo55@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Hodge Podge Tango

In regards to the issue of Ballroom and Tango, a consideration that doesn't seem to have been thought of yet is the similarities between ballroom dancing and Argentine Tango (AT). Previously, differences were discussed as reasons why ballroom dancers don't seem to transition as easily as salsa and swing dancers to AT. Because of this, ballroom dancers are not as well represented in the AT community. Basically, the similarities lie in the frame of the two dances. Both the Ballroom frame and the AT frame seem simular with some differences. These similarities tend to cloud the issue. Ballroom dancers, in practicing or dancing AT, may tend to ignore many of the important differences and out of habit revert to many of the old familiar habits of the ballroom frame. Consequently, they develop a sort of Hodge Podge kind of frame that doesn't work very well in AT (or in ballroom for that matter) This 'frame' leads to a frustrating inability to learn many of the AT techniques and vocabulary well. Not doing the tech
niques and vocabulary well causes their overall dance to flounder. The problem, if they choose to stay with AT, can plague them through out their dancing career. Because most AT teachers have very little if any ballroom background, they often misdiagnose the problem and are unable to help effectively. Often the learning dancers get told they have bad posture when in reality it is the standard ballroom posture they have. Ballroom dancers tend to bend away from each other whereas AT dancers tend to form an inverted 'V' and keep their upper body directly above their hips. If one partner has a ballroom posture and the other has an AT posture, the AT partner tends to be pulled onto the top of the ballroom partner. As one can imagine, this has disastrous consequences to the success of the dance. Bending away from ones partner means that the man cannot lead with his chest and cannot get her to move her feet before he moves his thereby stepping on her feet. To prevent this, they may offset their bodies (as done
in Ballroom) The offset then means that his right hand is moved from the center of her back to the left of her left shoulder blade. (again as done in Ballroom) His hand in this position doesn't support her well and she feels very insecure. This inhibits her from responding to his lead. The problem becomes acute if a new dancer has a Ballroom Tango (BT) background because when the music plays, the new dancer tends to respond, out of habit, with BT moves and a ballroom frame. At the same time, they attempt to do AT moves with an AT frame. The result is the 'Hodge Podge Tango' This is very confusing to regular AT dancers to say the least. Ballroom dancers tend to playdown differences between dances. So when one of them start AT lessons, they are in for a big surprise. It can really do a number on their egos The greater the differences are between ones former dance experience and AT, the better off they are in learning AT. However, there can be some carryover of techniques that are either exactly alike or
have no adverse consequences to the learning of AT. Swing and salsa are in this category. I wonder, rock & roll are also in this category so why aren't there rock & rollers in AT? It would be nice to have more ballroom dancers in AT. They would be a real asset. Perhaps teachers need to have a better understanding of ballroom and the differences and problems and develop techniques for teaching AT to ballroom dancers. Best RegardsTango Guy