4885 No music at practicas
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 19:54:38 -0400
From: "Michael" <tangomaniac@cavtel.net>
Subject: [Tango-L] No music at practicas
To: "Tango L" <Tango-L@Mit.Edu>
Cc: Michael <tangomaniac@cavtel.net>
I'm not sure I've done a good job in explaining why I feel music gets in the way at practicas.
First, I go to milongas to DANCE what I KNOW and go to practicas to PRACTICE what I DON'T know. If I can't execute a figure without music, I'm NOT going to have success with music. I want the freedom to stop when something goes wrong and try to figure out the problem. Why am I out of position? Why isn't the woman where I think she should be? I shouldn't do this at a milonga.
Lastly, this message was posted from Keith Elsaw:
In contemplation of each of those sentences, invert the premise of each.
Play a sincere game with yourself for a year of believing you think in
exactly the Opposite Way. And really give that way of approaching tango a
chance to see if it takes root in you.
Your dancing pleasure and that of your partners will dramatically grow.
Best,
ke
I have no idea what he is writing about. I'm not convinced I'm approaching tango the wrong way.
Michael
Washington, DC
4 months to the NY Tango Festival
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:49:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] No music at practicas
To: Tango L <Tango-L@Mit.Edu>
Hello Michael,
You have a good point about learning without music. However, I think the issue may be the use of music which COMPELS one to move a certain way. Music that "calls" for certain movements can interfere with the learning process. I always let my students know that if something they're trying doesn't work, it could be that it wasn't in the music.
At our practica, I mostly choose music that has a clear rhythm but isn't driving. So I rarely play Pugliese, for example, and then only at the very end of an evening or when the mood dictates. I use it to encourage people to relax and take a break. For practicas, I will play more Canaro, early DiSarli, and even Orchestra Tipica Victor than I would otherwise. Then it is easier to ignore the music as needed.
When I am teaching people how to move differently (fast or slow), using the music is critical. I have concluded that it's being able to use a wide range of velocity that makes someone an interesting dancer (for a leader, anyway), even if he only knows a couple of steps.
Trini de Pittsburgh
Michael <tangomaniac@cavtel.net> wrote:
I'm not sure I've done a good job in explaining why I feel music gets in the way at practicas.
First, I go to milongas to DANCE what I KNOW and go to practicas to PRACTICE what I DON'T know. If I can't execute a figure without music, I'm NOT going to have success with music. I want the freedom to stop when something goes wrong and try to figure out the problem. Why am I out of position? Why isn't the woman where I think she should be? I shouldn't do this at a milonga.
Lastly, this message was posted from Keith Elsaw:
In contemplation of each of those sentences, invert the premise of each.
Play a sincere game with yourself for a year of believing you think in
exactly the Opposite Way. And really give that way of approaching tango a
chance to see if it takes root in you.
Your dancing pleasure and that of your partners will dramatically grow.
Best,
ke
I have no idea what he is writing about. I'm not convinced I'm approaching tango the wrong way.
Michael
Washington, DC
4 months to the NY Tango Festival
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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Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.
Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2007 09:01:22 -0400
From: "Michael" <tangomaniac@cavtel.net>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] No music at practicas
To: "Trini y Sean \(PATangoS\)" <patangos@yahoo.com>, "Tango L"
Cc: Michael <tangomaniac@cavtel.net>
Trini:
I agree with your statement "I always let my students know that if something they're trying doesn't work, it could be that it wasn't in the music." Too many times, dancers force figures that don't fit the music. It looks like the man is trying to shove a square into a circle.
I vividly remember a milonga at the Old Stone House in Washington, DC. I saw Joe and Larissa dancing. He didn't shove everything he knew into 3:30. I suddenly realized that I only knew 5% of what he knew and I didn't have to shove everything I knew into 3:30. That's when a tremendous burden came off my shoulders and I realized I didn't have to be the best at the milonga and I didn't have to use every figure in my vocabularly, especially what I really didn't understand.
Technique, passion, and musicality are all important elements of dancing. You need ALL of them to dance well. I can't work on ALL of them simultaneously. I use the practica to improve my technique.
Michael
Washington, DC
I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango
----- Original Message -----
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] No music at practicas
Hello Michael,
You have a good point about learning without music. However, I think the issue may be the use of music which COMPELS one to move a certain way. Music that "calls" for certain movements can interfere with the learning process. I always let my students know that if something they're trying doesn't work, it could be that it wasn't in the music.
Trini de Pittsburgh
