[Tango-L] 1 1/2 yrs of watching YouTube

[Shahrukh Merchant]

Like others no doubt, I have been somewhat skeptical of Mario's "learn 
by YouTube" approach to Tango. But a year and a half later (has it 
really been that long?), he comes up with a not-so-bad summary of 
observations. It occurs to me that probably few people have watched with 
the same degree of scrutiny as many videos (or even live performances 
for that matter) as has Mario, so there is no doubt value to the 
approach and a good "summary record" created of the observations.

The results are still clearly limited by Mario's relative newness to 
Tango as well as the inherent limitations of analysis by watching 
videos, but it nonetheless made an interesting read and provided food 
for thought. I look forward to future versions; until then, here are my 
comments (with the caveat that I have watched almost no Tango on YouTube):

> 1. 90% of 'walk to the cross' is done in cross footed position.
> 2. A 10% (or less) is done in parallel footing.

Consistent with my own observations and preferences. It is more 
comfortable in a close embrace, as one does not have to "get past" ones 
partner as much, and is also more accommodating of wider-girth 
partner(s). It is also more interesting to do owing to its asymmetry 
(both spatial and temporal).

> 3. Cross footed is also used for the back crosses and back ochos.

I am not sure what a "back cross" is, but I suppose I'd agree with the 
comment about back ochos, although there are so many options for the man 
while he leads the woman to a back ocho, I would feel a little less 
confident about this being as blanket a statement.

> 4. That's about all you will see done crossed feet but some dancers
> use the walk to the cross, back cross , ochos and giros for 90% of their dance.

Add ocho cortado (not really an ocho despite the name), and really there 
isn't much else that cannot be considered a variation on or 
embellishment of one of the above. In other words yes, I agree with 
Mario's observations (Michael had made a similar one in his Buenos Aires 
report) that there are really very few elements that are fundamental to 
Tango (but those are REALLY fundamental).

> 5. After the (cross footed) walk to the cross is executed, usually there follows: an immediate giro or a few steps in parallel (or a milonga box) and then a giro right or left. This pattern is amazingly similar with most dancers. It seems like THE thing to do after the walk to the cross.

Well, there are clearly other things one can do after the cruzada that 
fit in with the "milonguero style" (easy example: side step to man's 
left), but it's quite believable that one of the above "usually follow."

> 6. All rhythmic patterns are usually danced in parallel position. Witness
> the Milonga (song) which is 99% danced parallel feet. I checked with
> some students of the old guard Milongueros and they agree that Parallel feet was preferred for the most musical/synchopated passages.

I don't understand this one. What is a "rhythmic pattern"? True enough 
that Milonga is a "parallel-foot" dance (where "cross-foot" is an 
exception for effect, or perhaps for certain syncopations where the man 
is taking 2 steps to the woman's one). But the last statement that 
parallel feet are preferred (in Tango) for the "most musical" passages 
really does not compute.

> 7. The old generation of milongueros (Richard Vidort, etc) danced a lot in parallel position and improvised mainly in it. In looking at the
> old guard, some prefer to dance almost entirely in crossed feet for the Tango and Vals while others choose mainly parallel footing for their dances. (Repetitive movements are important in social dancing with random partners.)

Now you've really lost me. It reminds me of the occasional woman who 
asks chirpily when we take dance position, "Are we dancing open or 
closed?" I never thought of that as something needing clarification or 
commitment before the dance started. But if she were to ask, "Are we 
dancing parallel feet or crossed feet?" I would be truly baffled. The 
two are, of course, not at all mutually exclusive and in Tango there is 
a constant transition between the two. It is to me somewhat artificial 
even to make that distinction, other than as a teaching aid in a 
beginners' class. Unlike many other social partner dances (including 
Milonga), Tango has considerably less built-in symmetry in the steps 
that the man and woman take (which of course is a good part of the 
reason for its complexity and appeal).

> 8. Walking, outside follow's right, usually signals a cross footed walk to the cross. The cross then always follows a couple of steps later. When walking on the outside right is in parallel footing, there usually is not a walk to the cross but an extended outside walk or a few steps later a box or giro. Only rarely do I see a cross follow in parallel feet. (=1 or 2 a month after watching many videos daily.)
> The difference is that cross footed outside right is a signal to walk to
> the cross...while in parallel it can mean a giro soon or an extended rhythmic walk.

Here is where a weakness in the "learn by YouTube" approach is more 
evident. For reasons that Michael pointed out, a cross follows from the 
implicit lead that results from the offset position created by the man 
stepping outside the woman's right, and her "wanting to get back in 
front of him." If he is in parallel feet outside her, the offset 
position is even stronger and the (implicit) lead for her to cross even 
stronger.

What Mario is seeing is perhaps that if he steps outside her in parallel 
feet, he actually does so to lead something other than a cross and this 
other lead (by body position or rotation, perhaps) is not as evident in 
a video if you don't already know what to look for. The observation may 
be correct in those videos ("a step outside the woman's right is usually 
not followed by a cross"), but that would only be because the natural 
cross that would follow was superseded by another lead.

> 9. So, walking cross footed means either an immediate walk to the cross or back crosses first (back ochos, too) and then a walk to the cross. .
> When a giro or any turn variation exits with the lead walking outside
> right in crossed feet, the cross follows immediately.

Perhaps mostly true in terms of what usually happens, but I wouldn't use 
this as a "rule" for teaching (though admittedly Mario was not actually 
proposing that), because it incorrectly focusses on the man's foot 
placement as the lead for a woman rather than on what the woman feels 
*as a result of the body position caused by the foot placement*, and 
possibly other lead elements.

> 10. Walking outside follow's left is usually only done for a couple of steps and then the lead crosses in front to go parallel or outside follow's right.

True, it's a less "natural" position and hence not usually prolonged.

> 11. The first step in walking for follow or lead is; if forward begin with the left foot, if backward begin with the right foot. If the first step of a dance (or most sequences) is sideways (open), it's always to the leader's left side.

Again, that's usually what happens, and a good rule of thumb if the man 
is ambiguous in where he puts the woman's weight at the start of the 
dance, but really this should be led, or at least the "default" above 
confirmed by the man positioning the woman's weight consistent with the 
above before taking the first step.

> 12. When a leader walks outside follow's right in parallel, he usually does a giro before ever reaching the cross. I have only seen the outside parallel go all the way to the cross about once in a zillion (70?) dances.

Again, I would guess this to be a "correlation vs. causation" error. The 
man doesn't lead the giro BECAUSE he happened to chose an outside walk 
in parallel, but rather he INTENDED to do a giro and hence walked 
outside in parallel to position himself for it. But it's nice to know 
that a parallel outside to cross is that rare (1 in 70 sounds about as 
often as I would do it).

> 13. Any synchopation of the walk, with rock steps, etc. thrown in, is always done in parallel footing. (perhaps for the mirroring desired?)

Rock step, maybe, but "any syncopation" I think not; after all, one 
often uses a syncopation to get into cross position.

> 14. Only 3 or 4 patterns; (walk to cross, back crosses, giros, etc.) need
> be learned, and made automatic, to be able to improvise and lead an
> enjoyable social dance for both partners.

Absolutely correct. I would only take issue with the "and made 
automatic" part. It should be learned to the point that it comes 
naturally to and is danced fluidly by the man, but should never "become 
automatic" for the woman in the sense of being thought of as a sequence 
(self-propelled "ocho machine" alert ...).

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUxVZUtRfA8
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX-nunHKNqs
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXmek2EfkjI
> The above three videos are good examples of the complete dance
> done simply, enjoyably and elegantly.

I'd tend to agree for the first two more than for the last (and 
congratulations--you got me to see THREE YouTube videos in the same day).

> 15. Last but not least; the term "Milonguero" (as used here) applies to someone who is dancing socially, has the embrace and Music as THE most important thing happening, during the dance, and would rather feel good than look good (if given the choice).

Not a bad definition (and even allows for non-Argentine "milongueros" 
who cannot whisper, at a moment's notice, piropos excerpted from the the 
lyrics of song then playing!). I would argue, however, that the music 
and embrace, important as they are, would be the SECOND most important 
things, the most important (two) things being the comfort and protection 
of the woman, and the consideration of and respect for the others on the 
dance floor.


Shahrukh