[Tango-L] Musicality. What is it?

[Tom Stermitz]

I have a simple description. Admittedly, you can find more complicated  
explanations:

Musicality is when Movement Energy Corresponds to Musical Energy.

Energy is still a fuzzy, undefined concept, but it includes various  
aspects of movement such as speed, force, size, suspension,  
acceleration, lift, grounded-ness.

So musicality is about adjusting your physical movements to go with  
the music in a pleasing (again undefined) manner.


To teach it, you have to provide examples of musicality in the  
exercises. The goal is to offer enough varied examples, that people  
can ultimately learn it how it feels in the kinesthetic sense.

So, for example, I teach brand new beginners to walk with musicality  
by matching their short elements to the musical phrase. Tango is built  
on four plus four equals eight walking beats. Initiate movement  
(compression and accelerate or surge) on the one or five, and come  
together stationary on the four or eight (suspend, momentum = zero).  
I'm very deterministic, and really insist on beginning at one and  
ending at four.

Wooden? Yes at first, but at least they are wooden WITH the music  
instead of walking woodenly and aimlessly around the room.

The value here is that when movement energy corresponds to musical  
energy for these 4+4=8 steps, then they "FEEL" right, the leaders are  
more confident, the followers learn about their musicality (i.e. how  
they respond through the connection), and that all adds up to bringing  
people closer to kinesthetic awareness (i.e. achieving musicality  
through intuitive learning).



On Nov 30, 2007, at 3:24 PM, Igor Polk wrote:

> Following Steve's thoughts,
> I have deepen more into that, and to my surprise have found that I  
> can not
> really define what people understand under the term "Musicality".
> I can not say what it is. I know that dancing supposed to be with  
> music. (
> And I believe I myself dance musically too ) But on a logical side, or
> rather sociological side I am confused.
>
> If it is so common, can one define what "musicality" is?
> What most people understand under "musicality"?
> So if one say: "This is a musicality lesson" what people expect?  
> Those who
> come and those who do not?
>
> Another question is how to develop it.
>
> Igor Polk