[Tango-L] How to dance the "3 3 2" form

[Tom Stermitz]

Good question.

This is different from the Habanero rhythm which is also embedded in  
tango:
Bump-b-Dump-Bump, Bump-b-Dump-Bump, Bump-b-Dump-Bump,

Or what I call the reverse habanero:
Bump-Bump-b-Bump, Bump-Bump-b-Bump, Bump-Bump-b-Bump,


As you note, the "strong" or "walking" beat is syncopated and you  
would typically step on the ONE, FOUR, SEVEN, but to do this all the  
time would start to become repetitious and lose the syncopated feel.

An interesting song that focuses on the steady One, Four, Seven is  
Melingo's "Leonel El Feo".

One variation would be to step on the ONE and FOUR, holding across the  
SEVEN.

However, instead of dancing steady, you need to mix in the rhythmic  
steps on the 2,3,5,6 or 8 which adds a nice counterpoint. It has to  
come from feel, or demonstration as it is difficult to explain and  
more difficult to do. For that listen to 40s Troilo, like Cachirulo.


In addition, this 1,4,7 with 2,3,5,6,8 counterpoint will involve a lot  
of internal body motion: hips, tummy, spiral. In tango we might  
usually be stepping on the regular walking or rhythmic steps, while  
using syncopation internally.


Now, for extra points (or brain damage), try dancing tango to the  
Ballroom rhythm of Half-and Half.


On Oct 16, 2008, at 2:59 AM, mekimdung wrote:

> Hi you,
>
> -------------------
> Without going into musical notation to show the rhythm, the easiest
> way to describe it is to count out loud from 1 to 8, but emphasising
> or clapping the numbers underlined:
>
> One 2 3 Four Five 6 Seven 8.
>
> (http://www.totaltango.co.uk/Forms/tangomusic.pdf)
> -------------------