Let’s try to sort this music / learning / dancing question out. Unless you’re from another planet every one of you have had a tango lesson group or private First the instructors will dance the figure their going to teach Now the men and women get split up usually facing each other from across the room WITHOUT MUSIC the instructors will walk through the figure for both the men and the women This is repeated many times until everyone feels comfortable doing at least the first few steps of the figure Now you find a partner and practice what you were just taught WITHOUT MUSIC OK split up face each other from across the room and learn the rest of the figure WITHOUT MUSIC Find a partner and practice the whole figure WITHOUT MUSIC Does everyone think they’ve got it? Good, NOW lets try it to MUSIC I don’t think anyone ever suggested dancing tango without music but first with repetition the muscle memory takes over you learn the figure and then add the music. David
In a message dated 4/25/2011 11:31:01 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I totally agree, how can anyone dance without music, it's the engine that drives the dance. I was once told "the music leads the man, the man invites the follower and she moves to the step. It's one thing to practice without music when there is none available on rare occasions, but not to do it as a rule or a learning device, Len in Clearwater FL On 04/25/2011 1:57 PM, Nussbaum, Martin wrote: > Totally disagree with all those who want to isolate tango instruction > from the music. The only reason to dance IS the music. If not, just > take up tai chi, or contact improv, or partner yoga, why bother with > tango. The student should learn the feel of the steps, the technique, > and the movements, within the context of a phrase of tango music. > Using music as the base will get the student ready for social dance > quicker, because he/she will be more comfortable and familiar with the > music at the milonga, and the phrasing necessary to make the experience > worthwhile. Technique without music lacks soul and emotion. it is > barren. I have seen the results of this approach personally. There > are some great technical dancers I watch in milongas who move > beautifully with perfect posture and technique, but I often wonder if > they are listening to different music on an ipod, because they certainly > aren't dancing to what the DJ is playing. In fact, their movement in > milonga is exactly the same as their movement in vals, or tango. An > over-emphasis on technique and complex combinations has led to what I > call the homogenization of bland-faux-Nuevo tango in north america. Lots > of cool moves seemingly randomly placed in the music. Very few > performers seem connected to each other and the music, and very few > couples seem concerned about telling a story in the tango music, > utilizing phrasing and emotion. If someone is going to perform and they > don't move the audience, all the technique they spent years acquiring > was a waste of time, the performance will be sterile. Even more so for > the non-pro casual dancer, who will not last the 2000 hours of technical > mastery if he cant dance to the music. Development of personal style and > expression should start from the first step, not waiting for some > distant time when you master the technique. > _______________________________________________ > Tango-L mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l > _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
