[Tango-L] Fwd: musicality

[lgmoseley@aol.com]

   What Trini says makes sense. I would add on an element (for the leader), as follows:-
 
 1. - leg extension, (WEIGHT STILL ON REAR [STANDING] FOOT)

2. - I'd insert - MOVE UPPER BODY BY PUSHING WITH THAT REAR LEG - WEIGHT TEMPORARILY ON BOTH FEET)

3.-  weight transfer (THAT IS WHAT 2 ABOVE DOES)

4. - leg closure (BRUSH KNEES AND, AS A COROLLARY, LEGS TOGETHER - WEIGHT NOW ON FRONT FOOT

5. - pivot (if needed, OR, MORE COMMONLY, IF DESIRED). Brazof
 
 Laurie (Laurence)
  
 -----Original Message-----
 From: patangos at yahoo.com
 To: Tango-L at mit.edu
 Sent: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11.28AM
 Subject: Re: [Tango-L] musicality
 
  Hi Randy,



You're correct in thinking that always having ankles or

knees together on the half-beat (upbeat) limits one's

musicality.  But that guideline is useful for teaching

people how to time their leg movements and help them stay

balanced.  However, if you watch how experienced women

ornament, you know this guideline can be broken.



If you're interested in expanding your musicality toward a

more advanced notion, here's a suggestion.  Think of a step

has having at least 4 distinct parts:

- leg extension,

- weight transfer,

- leg closure,

- pivot (if needed).

In general, the leg is fully extended on the strong beat

(downbeat) and the weight transferred/leg closed on the

half-beat (upbeat).  Most dancers do this without realizing

it.  One might think of a pre-lead as a 5th part, but let's

not get into that for simplicity.



Each of these parts can have their own velocity and express

the music differently.  Each can occur over several strong

beats or be more impulsive.  For example, a man can lead a

woman to do an impulsive leg extension but a slow weight

transfer and leg closure.  Or the woman can choose an

impulsive leg closure as an adornment.  And she can do a

languid or impulsive pivot, as well.  Try playing with

these pieces to the music, and you'll discover a lot more

options.



As a follower, I like to know what timing my leader intends

before he asks me to extend my leg for the downbeat which

clues me in on the upbeat.  He can do this by the way he

uses his upper body or how much he bends/does not bend his

standing leg.  That would be the pre-lead.  Hope this

helps.



Back to finishing my taxes.



Trini de Pittsburgh





--- Michael <tangomaniac at cavtel.net> wrote:



> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: <rockies at comcast.net>

> To: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos at yahoo.com>;

> "Tango-L" <Tango-L at mit.edu>

> Cc: "WHITE 95 R" <white95r at hotmail.com>; "Tango Society

> of Central Illinois" <tango.society at gmail.com>

> Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2007 11:32 PM

> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] was 'Salon again', now musicality

> 

> 

> Trini said:

> > 

> > So the velocity at which one moves is something we

> consider

> > in structuring our material.  We start beginners 

> dancing

> > rhythmically (Rodriguez, D'Arienzo) and then we slow

> them

> > down (D'Agostino, DiSarli) and now we're working with

> them

> > on impulse (Pugliese) and slowing them way down.  It's

> at

> > this point that I think we can start working on being

> more

> > elegant.  What do others do regarding velocity of

> movement?

> > 

> > Trini de Pittsburgh

> 

> This brings up another topic. I read somewhere that to be

> on the compas means that your ankles should exactly pass

> each other on the half beat as a leader. But doesn't that

> limit musicality? to me, the velocity of the step changes

> from start to finish in order to express musicality. I'm

> sure musicality is expressed in the upper body somewhat,

> but in A tango, we are taught to be relaxed, not a lot of

> upper body motion. So.. which is best? Changing velocity

> while stepping, or timing any changes to occur on the

> half interval? (seems a lot more difficult to me, but

> possible... it might give an asymmetrical step which may

> not look very elegant)

> 

> Cheers,

> Randy F

>



PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society 

Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance. 

http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ 





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