[Tango-L] followers expressiveness

[jackie ling wong]

what a great thing to say... a playground.  freeing the inner  
child.  :-)    i love that visual!   i just wish there were playground  
like exercises for feellng the music.  i've done some but i'm not  
satisfied.  what can i say.  i want more.    homer and cristina do a  
great job around playfulness in some of their exercises.

great feedback everyone!  thank you.
jackie
On Mar 18, 2008, at 12:03 PM, 'Mash wrote:

On 2008-03-18 08:52-0400, jackie ling wong wrote:
> as most people on this list know, i lead and i follow.  i have been
> told that one of my best qualities as a dancer is my ability to
> express myself musically.  to quote someone... "you dance the music".
> this is not through only embellishments.
>
> now, i have led many followers... and there are followers who just
> follow which is nice and then there are followers who dance with
> you....  who dance melodically... and hear the notes that are
> emphasized and can translate that to their dance.  it feels like they
> are reading my mind because my expression in the dance becomes so
> easy.  her/his boleo considers not only the time of the movement but
> the energy, how the beat is used (emphasized at the beg. of the
> beat...etc)...  it feels like painting.
>
> i probably am not expressing this correctly and please don't give me
> grief for that.  in fact, if someone can express it better, i would
> love to hear it.
>
> my question...  how do you teach this?  is there an exercise that can
> help people understand what i am saying?
>
> thanks
> jackie

I think you teach them the same way you would teach somone to smile.

My point being I don't think you can teach it, rather you provide a  
confident platform of skills which gives the student freedom and  
opportunity; and then by having the right atmosphere you bring it  
(musicality,playfulness,creativity,improvisation) out in your students.

I would put money this; that teachers who's classes are relaxed and  
friendly bring out more musicality in their students.

If you are in a playground you play.

'Mash
London,UK