[Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if they are not playing tango?

[AJ Azure]

So you could do everything you've mentioned here and then have other times
where you surrender to unpredictability. Don't be conservative just let go.
What happens then? You miss a beat? You can watch out for a collision and
still improvise. How do you think real Dixieland musicians do it?

There's room for both experiences. Rigidity leads to constipation for lack
for lack of a better visual.

A_


> From: Steve Littler <sl at stevelittler.com>
> Date: Fri, 07 May 2010 19:39:53 -0400
> To: <tango-l at mit.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if they are not playing
> tango?
> 
> On 5/7/2010 5:44 PM, AJ Azure wrote:
>> Nothing wrong with having reasonable realistic standards.
>> As for being able to predict the next footstep because you're used to a
>> pre-recorded piece, you've just mentioned the most boring aspect of dancing.
>> Predictability. That's a dance routine.
> Ahh...the pre-recorded music may be the same, but my dance
> interpretation never is. And thus never boring.
> 
> I want to know how each phrase goes, when the next one starts, and plan
> my choreography on the fly and be ready to change on ANY beat if need
> be. And I want to know exactly when the song ends for my interpretation.
> The dance floor dynamic constantly changes - spaces close or open
> suddenly, new couples enter the floor, someone suddenly takes back steps
> against the line of dance. I want at least one variable to remain
> constant on a crowded dance floor.
> 
> If I am unfamiliar with the music, I have to be much more conservative
> and just dance on the beat (until I become familiar with the song) and
> if even that isn't constant - well, its not enjoyable for me. Which of
> course will transmit to my partner, which I never want to happen.
> 
> My goal in dancing Tango is not mastery of every possible step
> combination. But the intimate connection with this great music and with
> my partner and sharing an amazing magical 3 minutes together.
> 
> To me, the joy of the Golden Age classics is that they are sufficiently
> grand to remain fresh and full sounding time after time. Similar to how
> Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley classics still make me want to jump up
> and dance. Classics are by nature, timeless and make me want to hit the
> dance floor every time.
> 
> El Stevito de Gainesville
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