[Tango-L] tango schizophrenia

[Victor Bennetts]

TFH, you may have your own style, but I don't believe people develop a style from taking lessons. Private lessons are great at helping you fix problems with your body, like if you are looking down and watching your feet while you are dancing, or not dancing with a straight back, or stepping inelegantly, or not leading with the chest. This is ensuring your body is actually moving in a way that is technically correct. I would call this the physical element of dancing tango.

The other thing you get from lessons is a repertoire of steps you can use, some guidance on how to fit them to the music and points on things like floorcraft. This is what I would call the intellectual element of tango. Style then is a third element and, in my opinion at least, something different to both of those other things. I should add that a categorisation of tango into these three elements is not an original thought of mine. I got this from a lesson with Hugo Daniels, but the rest of my comments about 'what is style' are all my own ;-).

Based on my observations, most people already have a distinctive way of dancing from the very first time they step on the floor. It is really amazing how in many cases this 'style' actually reflects their personality and is very revealing about them as a person. Sure, it evolves a bit as they work on perfecting their technique, increase their repertoire of steps etc, but if they started out as a solid dancer usually they stay a solid dancer and just get clearer and lose any wasted movements out of their dance over time.

By way of example, some followers I know are really earthy and grounded and dancing a milonga with them, for example, is great because they give you so much push back it is like you are spring loaded. Others are so precise and delicate always stepping delicately *here* or *there* in an ocho, for instance, so it really is like you are both dancing on little hearts. Still others love gently squeezing you to do slow sexy embellishments so dancing with them is a bit like flirting. And all of these tendencies seem to be established very early on from what I can tell.

To take one extreme example, someone who comes to tango after a long period dancing ballet in their teens is going to dance very differently from someone who has never danced before. They are going to tend to be turned out, for a start, which has an impact on the way they step and the way they feel. Also, a tall person's dance is going to be shaped in many ways by the efforts they make to deal with the issue of height difference to most partners, so this will impact their embrace and hence the way they feel. There was a thread a while back talking about how jazz drummers interpret music differently - another example :-).

So I apologise in advance to all the teachers out there, but these observations lead me to conclude that this ineffable thing we are calling 'style' actually has a lot to do with body shape, aptitude and attitude rather than what you may or may not learn in lessons.

Victor Bennetts

>>
>> That is really good advice TFH, but those things are all about
>> dancing well, not about developing your own particular style

>> Victor Bennetts
>>

TFH>Actually, I have always been told, since those
>lessons, that I have a style of soft tango that noone else has (in the
>places that I have danced).

Victor Bennetts

**************** CAUTION - Disclaimer *****************
This e-mail contains PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender by e-mail and delete the original message. Further, you are not to copy, disclose, or distribute this e-mail or its contents to any other person and any such actions are unlawful. This e-mail may contain viruses. Infosys has taken every reasonable precaution to minimize this risk, but is not liable for any damage you may sustain as a result of any virus in this e-mail. You should carry out your own virus checks before opening the e-mail or attachment. Infosys reserves the right to monitor and review the content of all messages sent to or from this e-mail address. Messages sent to or from this e-mail address may be stored on the Infosys e-mail system.
***INFOSYS******** End of Disclaimer ********INFOSYS***