[Tango-L] Counting steps or beats while dancing tango

[Sergio Vandekier]

,,,"But counting can be a useful tool while learning, and I'm
sure, long ago, most of the old milongueros spent at least some time
counting beats and counting steps."

IMO counting steps or beats is totally useless when learning tango musicality.
 
I grew up in Buenos Aires, I have known many dancers, I have seen many tango instructors teaching, I have never seen anyone counting beats or steps.  
 
Counting steps is a custom of ball room dancing.  IMO counting helps to remember all the steps of a figure, if you know the total number of moves that compose such a figure but is detrimental in the sense of distracting your mind from the dancing itself.  Once you learn to count you will do it for a very long time.
 
In Argentine Tango, you show the steps, you teach exercises to acquire the necessary skills to execute them, you allow the students to do them, you correct and add technique and style.
 
Argentine tango is unique in the sense that you do not have to step on every beat, you have the freedom to step on "any" beat .
 
At times you may walk on every third beat, or every second beat, or do a run using every beat, or pause and do nothing for several beats.
 
>From this perspective IMO, all that you need to do is to recognize where the beat is.  This should be taught by the instructor, walking with you and stepping properly on the beat. Once you recognize the beat, you step as you wish, you dance slow or fast, you pause. the only concer is : you must step on "a" beat, any beat, you cannot step off the beat.
 
You dance the slow moments (adagios) differently from the fast moments (variaciones), you use different dynamics in your dancing as you feel the music. You learn to use some moves at the precise time.
 
Counting, IMO is useless but if this is a valuable teaching/learning instrument for you, by all means continue to use it.
 
Analyzing the music is more useful (IMO) from another perspective, such as knowing that a tango has a beginning, a mid portion , a preparation for the ending, and an ending. That each portion has its own characteristics.  Learn to recognize those characteristics.
 
To learn to recognize each instrument, as each one takes turn to come to the front, and how they seem to interact or "talk" to each other.
 
To learn that the beat may always be present, but that at times it disappears and you still step on the "Imaginary" beat. You may learn to dance to the melody at times to return to the basic beat, back and forth.
 
To learn how "contrapunto" is used where two melodies interact or fuse, etc.
 
Summary: IMO counting has no place in tango.
 
Best wishes, Sergio
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