3398 The Original Basic of Tango
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:05:28 -0400
From: miamidances@AOL.COM
Subject: The Original Basic of Tango
Many on this list have studied and have become very knowledgeable about
A.T. I
discussion on the base, the basic I wanted to go to a source that lived
Tango all his life. With the assistance of Frank Sasson I first tried
to contact Juan Carlos Copes, he hasn
Eduardo Arquimbau who many consider a historian of Tango. I wanted to
ask what was the basic, the base of Tango that was taught to those that
wanted to learn 50 to 60 years ago
Eduardo Arquimbau replied, and I have included both the English
translation and the Spanish version: The translation was by Frank
Sasson.
Answering your question about the basic step in tango:
In the primitive tango, the basic was only four steps.
So that you can understand it better, it's just as you do it in the
milonga.
Remember that tango comes from the milonga and around that time, the
man and the woman moved SIDEWAYS, exactly like the basic step of the
milonga.
When the position of the bodies changed, that's when the woman's
crossing appears, and that's the reason why they called it "Tango
Cruzado" ("crossed Tango) or with a crossing.
But in reality different things appeared because of the change of
positioning of the bodies, which favored the displacement of the couple
while dancing.
They called that basic (salida) and it's made up of an introduction of
three steps, or four if the man starts towards the back, then the cross
of the woman which is the place from which figures and different steps
and combinations are born, and then the resolution which is the closing
of all the figures (steps and combinations), and the end of what we
call "salida"; it's made up of another three steps, which in total add
up to seven if we start to the left side of the man or eight if the man
starts backwards with the right foot.
Of course, to dance improvised tango, steps are used freely without
paying attention to the order nor the quantity of steps, it is not
necessary to comply with the 8 basic steps.
However, it is very pretty , after doing a "figura" (combination) with
"giros" (Pivots) to make that complete salida, if there is room on the
dance floor, that beautifies our dancing, it gives it a touch of
special elegance.
Spanish version
Contestando tu pregunta sobre el paso bC!sico en el Tango:
En el Tango Primitivo, el bC!sico era solamente de cuatro pasos.
Para que entiendas mC!s fC!cil, como se hace en la Milonga.
Recuerda que el Tango proviene de la Milonga y por esos tiempos
Los cuerpos del hombre y la mujer se trasladaban de costado,
Exactamente como el el bC!sico de la Milonga.
En los aC1os 1935/40.La mujer cambio su posiciC3n en la pareja, respecto
A la forma de circular en la pista, desde esos aC1os la mujer retrocede
al
Bailar y el hombre avanza.
Al cambiar las posiciones de los cuerpos, aparece el cruce en la mujer,
Y por ese cambio en su momento se lo llamo Tango cruzado o con cruce.
Pero en realidad es por el cambio de posiciC3n de los cuerpos que
aparecieron
Distintas cosas, que favorecieron los desplazamientos de la pareja al
bailar.
A esa base se le llamo (Salida) y esta compuesta de una introducciC3n de
Tres pasos o cuatro si se sale hacia atrC!s, de el cruce de la mujer, que
Normalmente es el lugar donde nacen las figuras y la resoluciC3n que es
el
Cierre de todas las figuras y el final de lo que llamamos salida, esta
compuesta
De otros tres pasos y en total suma siete si comenzamos hacia el
costado
Izquierdo del hombre y ocho si comenzamos hacia atrC!s con el pie
derecho.
Por supuesto que para bailar un Tango en forma improvisado esto se
utiliza
Libremente sin tener en cuenta el orden ni la cantidad de pasos, no es
Necesario cumplir con los siete u ocho pasos bC!sicos.
Pero si es muy bonito despuC)s de hacer una figura con giros, hacer esa
Salida completa si hay lugar en la pista, eso embellece nuestro baile y
le
Da un toque de elegancia especial.
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 10:29:32 -0700
From: Carlos Rojas <Crojas@HACIENDACDC.ORG>
Subject: Re: The Original Basic of Tango
Thank you for the post, it is very much what I have hear from old
milongueros, in my experience from watching the old guys, the base is done
often, but can not be recognized easily, because it is done while turning
and with the music, and not necessarily in the same order and/or direction
as the "typical" base that is often taught.
In my experience, people learn tango a lot faster, when it is taught to be
danced sideways (the man's back always towards the center of the dance
floor), I think this is the fundamental building stone for good dancers and
to develop good social dance skills. Leaders students always get surprised,
as to how much their milonga skills improve when they dance it sideways.
Carlos Rojas
El Morocho
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 9:05 AM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] The Original Basic of Tango
Many on this list have studied and have become very knowledgeable about
A.T. I
discussion on the base, the basic I wanted to go to a source that lived
Tango all his life. With the assistance of Frank Sasson I first tried
to contact Juan Carlos Copes, he hasn
Eduardo Arquimbau who many consider a historian of Tango. I wanted to
ask what was the basic, the base of Tango that was taught to those that
wanted to learn 50 to 60 years ago
Eduardo Arquimbau replied, and I have included both the English
translation and the Spanish version: The translation was by Frank
Sasson.
Answering your question about the basic step in tango:
In the primitive tango, the basic was only four steps.
So that you can understand it better, it's just as you do it in the
milonga.
Remember that tango comes from the milonga and around that time, the
man and the woman moved SIDEWAYS, exactly like the basic step of the
milonga.
When the position of the bodies changed, that's when the woman's
crossing appears, and that's the reason why they called it "Tango
Cruzado" ("crossed Tango) or with a crossing.
But in reality different things appeared because of the change of
positioning of the bodies, which favored the displacement of the couple
while dancing.
They called that basic (salida) and it's made up of an introduction of
three steps, or four if the man starts towards the back, then the cross
of the woman which is the place from which figures and different steps
and combinations are born, and then the resolution which is the closing
of all the figures (steps and combinations), and the end of what we
call "salida"; it's made up of another three steps, which in total add
up to seven if we start to the left side of the man or eight if the man
starts backwards with the right foot.
Of course, to dance improvised tango, steps are used freely without
paying attention to the order nor the quantity of steps, it is not
necessary to comply with the 8 basic steps.
However, it is very pretty , after doing a "figura" (combination) with
"giros" (Pivots) to make that complete salida, if there is room on the
dance floor, that beautifies our dancing, it gives it a touch of
special elegance.
Spanish version
Contestando tu pregunta sobre el paso bC!sico en el Tango:
En el Tango Primitivo, el bC!sico era solamente de cuatro pasos.
Para que entiendas mC!s fC!cil, como se hace en la Milonga.
Recuerda que el Tango proviene de la Milonga y por esos tiempos
Los cuerpos del hombre y la mujer se trasladaban de costado,
Exactamente como el el bC!sico de la Milonga.
En los aC1os 1935/40.La mujer cambio su posiciC3n en la pareja, respecto
A la forma de circular en la pista, desde esos aC1os la mujer retrocede
al
Bailar y el hombre avanza.
Al cambiar las posiciones de los cuerpos, aparece el cruce en la mujer,
Y por ese cambio en su momento se lo llamo Tango cruzado o con cruce.
Pero en realidad es por el cambio de posiciC3n de los cuerpos que
aparecieron
Distintas cosas, que favorecieron los desplazamientos de la pareja al
bailar.
A esa base se le llamo (Salida) y esta compuesta de una introducciC3n de
Tres pasos o cuatro si se sale hacia atrC!s, de el cruce de la mujer, que
Normalmente es el lugar donde nacen las figuras y la resoluciC3n que es
el
Cierre de todas las figuras y el final de lo que llamamos salida, esta
compuesta
De otros tres pasos y en total suma siete si comenzamos hacia el
costado
Izquierdo del hombre y ocho si comenzamos hacia atrC!s con el pie
derecho.
Por supuesto que para bailar un Tango en forma improvisado esto se
utiliza
Libremente sin tener en cuenta el orden ni la cantidad de pasos, no es
Necesario cumplir con los siete u ocho pasos bC!sicos.
Pero si es muy bonito despuC)s de hacer una figura con giros, hacer esa
Salida completa si hay lugar en la pista, eso embellece nuestro baile y
le
Da un toque de elegancia especial.
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 20:14:17 -0600
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: The Original Basic of Tango
I do not mean to dispute Eduardo's comments, but just want to point out the
following:
The question was: What was the basic, the base of Tango that was taught to
those who wanted to learn 50 to 60 years ago?.
>Eduardo Arquimbau mentioned that in the primitive Tango the basic step was
of 4 steps. It is as you do it in the Milonga.<
If the basic step in the Milonga and Tango was of 4 steps this may or may
not imply that both the Tango and Milonga would have had similar rhythms.
Comment:
The Milonga towards 1890 was turned slow thanks to Francisco Hargraves -- an
Argentinian Opera composer, but by this time the Milonga lost its popularity
in favor of the Tango. The Tango music up to 1915 was considered slow as
mentioned by Carlos Lima in his dance manual "Metodo para bailar El Tango
Salon Argentino".
The choreographies used to dance Tango were relative to where people danced.
What was danced in Buenos Aires by the upscale classes was not the
equivalent to what was danced in academies of tangos run by black
instructors, cafes, and other places considered low status. There was a
concerted effort by the upscale classes to block anything to do with popular
expression from low status classes (the working poor, blacks, people of
mixed races, etc.)
>In 1935/40 the woman changed her position when danced as a couple in
reference to navigating the dance floor. Since those times the woman steps
back and man steps forward.<
Comment:
It looks like this was already taking place in 1915. Carlos Lima mentions in
his manual three body positions as part of the posture required to dance the
Tango Argentino Salon:
a) In parallel, the man and the woman with fronts together meaning facing
other, and walking parallel forwards and backwards.
b) Side to side, the man has positioned outside the woman, but next to
each other. This also called "refiloneo".
c) In parallel forwads, or backwards, which is very similar to a mirror
step.
d) The navigation in dance floor is counterclockwise.
e) The itineraries (directions) for navigation could performed in
straight, or parallel lines, and in arcs. Sort of a superimposed + and X.
Best regards,
Bruno
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 16:29:33 +0300
From: cella <cella@TTNET.NET.TR>
Subject: The Original Basic of Tango
Eyes rest on golden green again
Feet rooted in our healed mother earth again
We walk as one, arms around each other, helping each other
along the way: energized, eyes gleaming, capable, powerful again
We know that we belong again: yielding - we allow
ourselves to reconnect - to remember innocence
and pure light again.
Gazecalm and deep. Smiles soft.
We are the dream again, we are love again
Many hearts united as one throbbing heart again
Our hand entwined in planetary circle,
the eternal cycle complete again.
~~couldnt find the poet :)
love
cella
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 15:20:52 -0500
From: Martha Stephenson <mamastep@TDS.NET>
Subject: Re: The Original Basic of Tango
"Eden Again" by Gladys Sofia Acosta. 1999.
Date: 2005/05/03 Tue AM 08:29:33 CDT
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] The Original Basic of Tango
Eyes rest on golden green again
Feet rooted in our healed mother earth again
We walk as one, arms around each other, helping each other
along the way: energized, eyes gleaming, capable, powerful again
We know that we belong again: yielding - we allow
ourselves to reconnect - to remember innocence
and pure light again.
Gazecalm and deep. Smiles soft.
We are the dream again, we are love again
Many hearts united as one throbbing heart again
Our hand entwined in planetary circle,
the eternal cycle complete again.
~~couldnt find the poet :)
love
cella
