[Tango-L] Expanding social dancing to exhibition level?

[Keith]

David,

No, of course that's not what I'm saying. Do you seriously think it is? Maybe you
just don't understand what the message is about - if not, please read the message 
again - or just the subject line.

When we dance socially - EVERYTHING is improvised because that's what Social Dancing 
is and that's how we like it. We never know what's coming next - we just dance for the 
pure pleasure and, trust me, there's very little pleasure in repeating a choreographed 
routine. I've done my share of Performance Dancing to know that. 

But this message is not about Social Dancing - it's about exhibition and competition 
dancing and, more specifically, how to win. My concern is that, in order to win, couples
will choreograph a routine and, thereby, have a better chance of dancing perfectly and 
without any errors, i.e there'll be no improvisation, which, as I've already said, should 
be a major element in Social Dancing. Since competitors won't improvise voluntarily, 
perhaps we can force them to improvise by putting random obstacles in their way. 

Understand now? 

Keith, HK


On Thu Aug 30 15:42 , "Burnett, David"  sent:

>I am curious about "no improvisation was necessary as there were no
>obstructions".
>Are you seriously saying that improvisation only consists of alteration
>of movement due to lack of space.
>Seems a strangely insufficient idea of improvisation to me.
>

>David AU  
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tango-l-bounces at mit.edu [tango-l-bounces at mit.edu','','','')">tango-l-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf
>Of Keith
>Sent: Thursday, 30 August 2007 2:54 PM
>To: Tango-L
>Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Expanding social dancing to exhibition level?
>
>For a little R'n'R I entered a Tango competition earlier this year [in
>BsAs]. It's as Janis says, there was so much space available, it was
>much easier than dancing in the milongas. Other than moving CCW around
>the floor and dancing to the music, no improvisation was necessary as
>there were no obstructions. We could pretty much dance whatever we
>wanted whenever we wanted. Given time and practice, we could have
>choreographed an entire 3-minute dance routine for use in the
>competition and I'm sure that's what many competitors are now doing. So
>it really is just an exhibition or a performance - something the couples
>have probably practiced hundreds of times before. It may even become the
>same as in Ballroom, where the top competitors have their competition
>routines choreographed for them - by experts who are in high demand. 
>
>I wish the arrangers could think of a solution to the problem, as
>improvisation should definitely be a major factor in judging a Tango
>competition. Perhaps, just before each dance, obstacles could be placed
>randomly about the floor. The judges could then see how skilfully and
>inventively the competitors navigate around them. As the competition
>progresses, the number of obstacles could be increased. 
>
>As Ilene says, I also love to see exhibitions by the very best
>salon-style dancers. But the Salon Competition should be something
>completely different - it should, as far as possible, try to simulate
>the milonga experience.
>
>Keith, HK
>