[Tango-L] Choreography and why tango dancers should know what it is.

[nina@earthnet.net]

Hi, Igor and everyone,

Igor, thank you!  You have made a very important point about choreography.  It
is an art form.  I wanted to add to your post a couple of components of
choreography.

The real art of choreography sets a framework that allows dancers to go very
deep into the movement.  Because dancers are free from creating the structure
of the movement, they become free to explore not only their own expression and
feeling, but also the energy of the movement.

To make the energy speak, to make a stretched out leg much more than just a
stretched out leg, takes an enormous amount of rigorous training of body, mind
and spirit.  It is an art of training the body to speak the language of the
spirit.  It demands authenticity and complete integrity, that is if it is to be
done well.

In tango choreography, again, if done well, the structure of choreography also
allows dancers to explore and express the depth of their connection.  It is an
amazing feeling to not have to think about the structure of the combination,
but to just feel the music, the partner, the dance,  and be able to speak
outwardly the inner feelings.  It is an art form to be able to communicate to
the audience accurately and purposefully what is going on internally in the
dance of the couple, and at the same time allow the audience to see whatever it
is that they want to see.  It is an art of truth and illusion, fused as one.

I am speaking in ideal terms.  Very few choreographies reach this standard.  But
those that do, really shine.  Just take a look at the choreographies of Julio
Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa!  It is original and very creative work.  And
if you would like to see a modern dance choreography that is incredible, just
rent the movie "White Nights" one more time with Baryshnikov dancing "Young Man
and Death" (the music of Bach)at the beginning of the movie.  That was an
amazing dance.  Memorable.

Choreography is like tango - it is not what it looks like to the uninitiated.

Happy dancing to you,

Nina

Quoting Igor Polk <ipolk at virtuar.com>:

> 
> PS. There is a strange idea ( widely expressed in books ) that Art requires
> audience.
> Absolutely not! Making art is a process of creation. During this process an
> "artist" experiences pleasure, trance, which is the value in itself. Not
> matter what you create: Mona Lisa, Relativity Theory, or perfect order in
> your file cabinet.
> 
> We as tango dancers experience the same when we create our little dances
> right on the spot.
> 
> 
> PSS. Shortly, choreography is not a memorization, or repetition. It is an
> art !
> 
> 
> 
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