[Tango-L] musicality & technique

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

Hi Jake,
   
  Trini, here.  I think we need to clarify how we do ochos.  It sounds as if you do ochos by disassociating at the waist and using the impetus from the hip to make the pivot.  In this scenario, your analysis of the pivot being separate from a "step" would be correct.  (Do you, per chance, dance mostly open, which often uses this type of ocho?)
   
  We prefer to treat ochos differently, using torsion from high up in the back to direct the leg.  In effect, the leg becomes a direct extension of the spine.  It's direction is determined by the torsion through the upper body, rather than a separate pivoting of the hips, unless additional pivoting is needed (e.g., overturned ochos).  As each vertebrae spirals, it creates potential energy stored in the spine which is released after one changes weight.  The result is a natural unraveling of the spine back to its normal position, which turns the hips back to the partner.  So, with regard to ochos, the pivot does become a part of the step, although I am using the term loosely here to include torsion.  After all, before I can ocho I need to know where my partner wants me to end up, right?
   
  For women who dance close-embrace, this torsion gives a more sensual experience to your partner.  And it will tell the man exactly where you will end up, so he can adjust his lead as necessary.  It also keeps the woman from overturning her ocho (a common occurrence in beginning women taught to disassociate).
   
  In my opinion, this type of ocho is more organic, warm, and sensual than the disassociation from the hips.  I credit Andres Amarilla and Meredith Klein for helping us develop this type of ocho.  Others have since added to that technique.
   
  Trini de Pittsburgh
  

"Jake Spatz (TangoDC.com)" <spatz at tangoDC.com> wrote:
  Sean,

I agree completely with your axis vs. legs analysis, and I teach that 
content regularly. By "same defect" I was referring more generally back 
to "poor form."

That said: It is not just a semantic dispute to argue that pivots are 
not steps (unless you call every move a "step," which is acceptably 
colloquial but obfuscates analysis). For followers to have enough time 
to pivot effectively, and cleanly, pivots must be treated as both 
musically and technically discrete. Sloppiness is the inevitable result 
of blurring them into the walking components without due attention. They 
get so blurred, in fact, that many a "good" dancer develops the habit of 
crossing her thighs as a shortcut-- stepping diagonally-- instead of 
pivoting her body and stepping straight (I've even heard of teachers who 
advise this). That habit is a BAD habit, and its cause is mud technique. 
Pivots are part of the dance, but not (as far as technique goes) part of 
the walk.

In other words: Simple back ochos have a quick-quick rhythm (if keyed to 
the follower's dance, as they should be), rather than the slow-slow 
rhythm most leaders give them (by keying them to their own, less 
difficult, footwork). Counterpoint & melody are far beyond this first 
concept, but only attainable through it.

I have seen exactly one (1) woman make simple back ochos shine with 
beauty. I saw her from a distance, but it burned into my mind. The 
goodness of form & technique I speak of is how she did it: her moves had 
the simple, crisp, fresh lines of a Botticelli. Little else was 
remarkable by comparison, but those ochos made every other pedicure I've 
seen since then a vain travesty.

Most of us treat these elements in a very legato way, which is fine for 
a lot of music and for many occasions. But legato is only one aesthetic 
attitude; staccato is the other extreme (if you will), and it requires 
greater technical cleanliness & excellence, from both dancers, to work 
effectively on the fly. This latter aesthetic is more machine-like, more 
cubist, more like breakdancing; it is perhaps not in fashion at the 
moment; but that's no reason to neglect it.

Moreover, the result of neglecting it-- of failing to distinguish the 
pivot completely from the walking components-- is plain bad dancing. 
It's muddy and even dangerous. Followers who need to "step" after a 
single boleo, or who go for a front boleo after a back one out of habit, 
are the direct consequence of this customary demotion of the pivot to a 
mere adjustment between walking steps. I'm not saying it's a followers' 
issue exclusively, because leaders must be exact about it too. 
Otherwise, it's impossible to distinguish between a planeo that is 
on-axis (i.e., an amague, frozen, then a pivot) and a planeo that is 
off-axis (i.e., a "colgada" with an extension).

As for the axis & leg collections... they are indeed separate ideas, but 
not necessarily separate in time. I imagine you tried to synchronize 
them in a solo drill, which makes it much trickier. Try with a partner 
in close embrace, and consider that finding-the-axis moment as 
follow-through of the step just done. I believe you'll find it easier to 
match your axis with your free (trailing) leg that way. If this doesn't 
get you there, I'll demonstrate in person whenever we finally end up in 
the same room with a few minutes to dispose of.

=CAVEAT=
I'm sure these topics won't appeal to the recreational or amateur 
dancer, and that's fine. What's not fine is neglecting the more driven, 
more perfectionist souls out there, in an effort to appease the 
implacably lazy Lowest Common Denominator. Art is demanding; and 
exhausting; but those who would be artists often find their vigor 
refreshed when they meet with another's labors, and realize there might 
be a point to giving a damn.

Jake Spatz
DC



PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society 
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance. 
http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ 

       
---------------------------------
Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
 Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.