[Tango-L] Structure of Tango

[Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org]

Hi Everyone:

I agree with Jake Spatz that if we  think of tango dancing as being made 
up of individual steps and sequences of steps (step patterns), the 
structure is not these steps and patterns.  The structure is the fabric 
from which these movements are created.  Structure can be discerned 
through the examination of step possibilities.  But, I also wouldn't 
regard the systematic examination of step possibilities as being the 
structure.  Rather, that is the theory through which structure is 
described.  Why is it only theory?  The systematic examination of step 
possibilites is thoughts about the dance that can be confirmed or refuted 
by an examination of its elements and not the fabric from which the 
movements are created.  Such an examination cannot be used as dance 
itself.

I think it is quite reasonable to point out as Gary Barnes has done that 
many dancers learn without studying the theory of the structure, but such 
an observation may be beside the point.  As Gary points out, a structure 
underlies what the older dancers do and they "have an intuitive or 
subconscious understanding [of tango's structure], not a rational one." 
The idea is that studying the structure of tango is a quicker means of 
learning the knowledge that the dancers of an older generation took 25+ 
years to master intuitively.

I should be clear that I'm not proposing studying structure in a book as a 
formal knowledge as an end in itself.  One has to develop the intuitive or 
subconcious feel for the movements, and the only way to do so is by 
dancing.  The idea is to use the conscious mind to help train the 
intuitive mind for dancing.

Edgar Degas said, "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the 
painter do good things."
Charlie Parker said, "Learn the changes and then forget them."

With best regards,
Steve