[Tango-L] Choreography

[Euroking@aol.com]

Someone once said, referring to military battle plans, and I am  
paraphrasing, the best military plans are great until the first shot is  fired. 
This is how, IMO I see the difference between choreography, which I  totally 
degree is an art, and is created and executed for artistic effect.  I also 
recognize that some have defined  choreography as any planned sequence of steps 
or movements. In a stage  performance, I would recognize both connotation of 
the word to be accurate.  The former being a success and the  latter not so 
successful. 
What I am having trouble accepting is that any sequence of steps is  
choreography, no matter how few.  I  will buy the fact beginners will dance or try to 
dance a choreographed routine,  as that is all they know. They have been 
taught a series of sequences. They can  transition from one to another and that is 
the limit of their experience. Until  they realize that Tango is a series of 
steps, a walk if you will, and that at  any point they are able to go in any 
direction (well almost) there is a  choreographic element to Tango. 
Also, again looking at the connotation of Choreography, what is the  length 
of the sequence, is an 8 step basic Choreography? Is a Salida  Choreography?  
On the other hand is  the random or unpreplanned linking of these sequences 
improvised  choreography. 
Back to my military analogy, in a social context, preplanned or  
choreographed sequences will only be successful until the second note is played.  At that 
point of time you are on your own and need to adapt your dance to the  other 
dancers and the music. The other dancers are the variables that limit the  
preplanning of the dance and the music is the constant you return  to. 
Simply put, for me. Choreography is a preplanned sequence of steps that  are 
rehearsed and known and expected by both dancers. Improvisation is the  
sequence that develops step by step depending on the music, your partner and the  
other dancers on the floor.  Any  mincing of semantics beyond that to me, at my 
early stage of learning is not  useful.  I will and do recognize  that the 
discussions preceding this are enlightening and in many cases  intellectually 
enticing, they do not help relative to understanding and dancing  Tango. 
Just some thoughts, 
Bill in Seattle.
 
 
In a message dated 7/26/2006 12:54:07 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
obscurebardo at gmail.com writes:

Jake,

I  think discussions of choreography are appropriate. I disagree that  all
dancing is choreographed. I lean to the more formal definition of the  term.
One reason for that is that if you make the definition too broad it  ends up
a synonym for dance and you no longer have a term to make a  distinction.

On the other hand I'm personally not interested in dance  choreography. I
listen to music almost every single day. I hardly ever  watch dance
performances except those incidental to workshops and milongas.  But
choreography is clearly important to dance performance. And it's clear  that
you are very deeply into performing which is a good thing but not  everyone
dances for that reason.

The issues that interest me in the  dance are the very subtle but rich
nuances of shared felt music expression.  These are not of interest to
everyone and there is no necessity for  that.

I once received a private email (and because of that I'm being  very
circumspect though would welcome the writer to share with the list  the
story) with an anecdote about a famous dancer telling the writer that  her
first teacher had her just walk for the first year. But I can well  imagine
that in that year of walking her appreciation and expression of the  music
grew in depth. She later developed into a fine and moving  performer.

I think it is a mistake, possibly a tragic mistake to  emphasize choreography
to beginning dancers, especially American beginning  dancers who are
unfamiliar with tango music. I think the emphasis should be  on the music, on
the feeling, and walking and the embrace and the very  basics that allow a
deeper appreciation for the felt experience of dancing  tango. All these
things will serve very well those who wish to go on to be  performers.

I would think it likely that we have all seen tango  performances that were
highly skilled dances but lacked the feeling of  tango. Well trained dancers
can be taught to dance tango moves in a short  time. For some reason
sometimes they don't learn the feeling of tango and  that lack is visible in
their performance.

This is my preference, my  opinion based on the experiences that I value.

Jonathan  Thornton

--
"The tango can be debated, and we have debates over  it,
but it still encloses, as does all that which is truthful, a  secret."
Jorge Luis  Borges
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