2464  "If you can't see it, you can't dance it." Rick McGarrey

Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 11:39:03 -0700
From: LOURDES YLAGAN <tanguera1968@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: "If you can't see it, you can't dance it." Rick McGarrey

"If you can't see it, you can't dance it." Rick McGarrey
That is such an intuitive observation. Most of us who watch performers and friends dancing know who the good ones are because you can see them "in tune" with the music. And when dancing with them, you can feel them in tune with it, too.

As a follow, it is difficult to be "in tune" with the music if your partner is not. In my opinion, a good lead is not someone who knows a lot of steps and tries to do them all--off tune, but someone who can hear the music well and dances with me--to it.

I once danced with a guy who ever so often will tell me when he would dance to the piano, or to the violin or to the bandoneon during a dance. He was phenomenal. Of course it was difficult to reach the "trance" if part of you was having to pay attention. But when we did, he danced me to the tune of the piano, then the violin, then the bandoneon's melody all in one dance (and it was milonga music--I wish I knew which). It was an awesome experience I have never had. It was a relayed feeling. And as a follow, we have to hear the music through our partners to feel it. Here was somebody, who not only knew how to listen to the cadence of the music, but can break it down to the musical instrument!!!

It was yet another level of dancing Tango.....................................Lourdes, St. Louis

Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 08:09:39 -0600
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: "If you can't see it, you can't dance it." Rick McGarrey

I would like to find out what tango music the last two posts are referring
to? Is it tango music from the 1950's repertoire or are we talking about
more modern tango music.

I thought that if the tango music has a distinctive compass of 4 beats then
there is an obvious frame of reference where more skilled dancers can be
gauged as being in tune in body and mind with the music. Otherwise, with no
distinctive compass in the music then, I presume, it becomes harder to tell
who the best dancers are.

Bruno