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

[Lois Donnay]

How about a Jack and Jill? They do that in West Coast Swing and some 
Ballroom competitions. You select the partner you dance with by picking a 
name out of a hat right before you dance.

Ballroom dancers don't know the music they will compete to in advance. I 
have competed in ballroom using no choreography, and did well. The judges 
were impressed that it was all "lead/follow".

How about we line up 50 leads and 50 follows. Everybody dances with 
everybody, then puts the name of their favorites in a hat.

Or we could just record the conversations in the bathrooms at the milongas.

Louisa Donnay
Minneapolis


>> 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
>>
>