4494  Show-offs vs. Performance dancing

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:47:15 +0900
From: "astrid" <astrid@ruby.plala.or.jp>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Show-offs vs. Performance dancing
To: "Caroline Polack" <runcarolinerun@hotmail.com>, <tango-l@mit.edu>

> Performance dancing is actually quite enjoyable to watch and I'm all for

it

> - to me, show-off dancing is when one dances without consideration for
> others sharing the same dance floor or when it doesn't go with the song
> playing. .

. What I like watching is skilled technique - not a woman

> who substitutes talent with need for attention.
>
> Caroline
>

Oh, but Caroline, the same rules apply to a man too!

I think, whether people enjoy watching someone's performance or not depends
on whether the performer manages to capture the audience with his magic or
not.
Some performances can seem boring or even annoying, and yes, it does depend
on the skill of performer, but that is not all there is to it. It is often
the facial expression that does the trick. The connection between the inner
and the outer, or the lack of it.

Astrid

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 12:45:02 -0500
From: "Gibson Batch" <gibsonbatch@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Performance dancing
To: TANGO-L@MIT.EDU

OK, I am not the best Tango dancer, and I do lots of dancing in places far
away from the general tango community....without the harsh eyes of 'those
who know' how to dance.

>From those who know little of dance, I invariably get unsolicited

compliments...nearly every evening...from a waitress, a stranger, or a
person next to me.

They will say how much they enjoyed watching me dance and they want to know
where they can take lessons, or how long have I danced, or most humorous of
all comments..."Am I a professional dancer?"

Only from 'those who know how to dance' at ballroom and tango events do I
get disparaging comments about this or that with my style, my choice of
step, etc. These comments come not from anyone other than the very 'best'
of dancers (if I am reading their body language correctly).

No, I don't aspire to be an 'expert' dancing in any dance community, but I
dance to have a good time, to feel the motion of two people moving with
relative ease, and to help the other person feel beautiful and confident on
the floor.

So in a way, every dance for me is a performance - but the audience is two
people only - me and my partner. The others can watch if they want.

Gibson
Minneapolis