Re: [Tango-L] Back to the 8CB‏

[tony parkes]

hola sergio

i have a great respect for you and the content in your emails over the
past few years

maybe i am missing something here, but when i dance the tango i
subconsciously am aware of the 8th beat. for me it signals a new
round, a new adventure, a new figure, steps, whatever.

so if on the say the 6th beat i have finished whatever i have been
doing with my partner, then i will basically stand still and allow her
the last few beats for adornos etc, so that when i hear the 8th beat i
am prepared to set off on a new set of steps.

and please, i never count the steps, oscar casas from el beso said
something similar, i just know when the count is ending, that the 8th
beat is near and it is out with the old and in with something new. but
not all the time.  i never try to contrive my dancing to always fit in
with 8.... several times during a tanda i will synchronise with it, at
other times the movements i am doing overrun the 8 beat count, there
is no problem.

but for me, most of the music you mention i hear an an 8 beat count
and melding with those phrases gives me a strong connection to the
music

cheers
tony






On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 1:00 PM, Sergio Vandekier
<sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I am Argentine, I grew up in Villa Urquiza (a neighborhood famous for its tango clubs).
>
> I have known most of the great tango teachers and dancers of my time; I never heard any one once to talk about the 8 or the 4 musical phrase or of any count of any type.
>
> You have to recognize where the beat is. You must step on a beat, any beat. You may dance fast or slowly, you may pause whenever you wish. You may pause after the first step, or the second, or the third or after any one that you wish.
>
> You have to feel the music, some people say that tango  is a restrained emotion that eventually explodes.
>
> To learn to feel the music you must listen to tangos as much as you can. Preferable to orchestras like Carlos Di Sarli, Angel D'agostino, osvaldo Fresedo, Juan D'Arienzo, Miguel Calo, etc.
>
> What you cannot do is to step off the beat.
>
> A tango is your creation, it has a beginning a mid portion, a preparation for the ending and an ending.
>
> You have to make an interpretation of the music, adjusting somewhat to the changes in dynamic that it has.
>
>
> There are figures for Adagios (slow moments) and figures for Variations (fast moments played by the bandoneon).
>
> The back step is a natural one that occurs when you bring the left foot close to the right one. Since you alternate both feet, like when you walk, after that move with your left foot, the natural step next is with your right one.
>
> This step  (depending on many things,... available space behind you, for instance) may be a real back step, it could be very short or long, or it could be in place as a weight change. Or it could be a lateral step to the right, or it could be a forward step, or you could cross it behind your left one for a right half turn, etc.
>
> Do you think that any of the following dancers are concerned with any 4 or 8 or 16 beat phrases or any count of any type?
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zet-EKeo8   Osvaldo zotto
>
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alcBFsaRoPQ  Tete Y silvia
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDKwI0I8xms&feature=related osvaldo y coca
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVTHdM2LRLc&feature=related Orlando Paiva Jr.
>
> Summary I have taught many foreigners to dance tango, I get them to dance to the music very fast and I never mentioned any phrase either...but then there are many ways to dance and many ways to teach.
>
> So if you like to talk about phrases of the music please do, there is no need to argue about this.
>
> Best regards, Sergio
>
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