[Tango-L] Back to the 8CB

[Tom Stermitz]

On the surface, this is a sensible defense of the 8CB w/DBS, but in  
the end I don't agree that the traditional 8CB teaches phrasing.

Yes, the tango phrase can be counted, and matching MOVEMENT energy to  
the MUSICAL energy is a key aspect of "musicality", but the 8CB is a  
poor framework for learning this. Tango phrasing is really 4+4=8, so  
these shorter phrases of 4+4=8 work better for teaching musicality.

Here are a number of other points:

(1) The 8CB matches 8 counts of the music only if your tango stays on  
the slow, walking beat. The other two rhythms of tango (after walking  
on the beat) are the QQS and dramatic pauses. So, once you go beyond  
the most basic walking, you need more tools to dance to the musical  
phrase.

(2) The 8CB method of teaching typically jumps from the basic to  
ochos, and turns. These directly take you out of the phrasing, and the  
more you practice these figures, the further you get from the phrase.

(3) Tango musicality relies to a great extent on suspension and  
acceleration, which means matching the musical phrase on Count #4 and  
#8 and Count #1 or #5, respectively. So, the traditional 8CB w/DBS is  
all wrong for matching the musical phrasing of tango because the  
acceleration and suspension steps are not with the acceleration and  
suspension of the music. (* see below)

(4) In the end tango dancers have to depend on feel or intuition  
rather than counting in order to dance on the phrase. This isn't hard  
to teach, but you have to use simpler structures where students can  
feel the phrasing.


(*) Can anyone explain why Step #1 of the traditional 8CB w/DBS is  
backwards?

In terms of acceleration to match the musical energy, Step #1 should  
be to the side in terms of acceleration. Also, in social dancing, the  
first step is traditionally to the side. And, Step #4 should be at the  
cross because the musical phrasing calls for a suspension, which  
prepares us for accelerating forward again on Step #5.


On Jan 14, 2010, at 5:05 PM, Tango22 wrote:

> The 8cb follows the structure of tango music, in that tango is
> composed in phrases of 8 beats, with the phrases arranged in
> particular sequences.  Each phrase ends with a pause or a signal.
> This structure is carefully explained in Amenabar's book "Dance Tango
> to the Music" (currently only available in Australia, NZ and Europe).
> Amenabar is currently touring Europe and will be touring Australia in
> July where he will conduct "music for dance" workshops for the Milonga
> Para Los Niños charity ball.
>
> So the 8cb may have some value, in that it encourages the beginner to
> dance the phrases of the music, pausing at the end of each, or some
> phrases.  The problem in my experience is that (a) beginners "lock in"
> to the sequence and find it an extremely difficult habit to break and,
> (b) most dancers and teachers do not understand the structure of the
> music or how to recognise the phrasing.  I find it more convenient to
> impart this knowledge in a series of listening and simple walking
> exercises rather than a fixed sequence because students, especially
> beginners, do not have to concentrate on two things at once and it
> avoids the "lock-in" habit.
> ...
> Tomorrow it's Saturday.  Let's dance.
> John

Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org
Denver, CO 80207