[Tango-L] learning, and music

[Siamak Tazari]

Hi,

as a rather new student of tango (1,5 years), I'd like to say that I
do like to have music in class and find it generally helpful and
effective - and I felt that way starting from day 1. I am one of those
people for whom the love of the music is a major drive to dance tango.
That said, the most common way I experience this in class is a mixture
of both: talking and being shown the figure, only one part at a time
and slowly, without music for a couple of minutes; depending on the
complexity or novelty of the figure for the students, do it "dry" a
couple of times, even as far as doing some of the leaders and
followers steps separately, especially in beginning and advanced
beginning levels; but then have the music play for one or two songs
and try it with the music while the teachers go around and fix
problems. This way, we actually get to dance to maybe 8-10 songs per
class. When the music is playing, I like to take Martin's approach and
actually dance to the music and throw in the figure or parts thereof
when appropriate. I'm constantly told that my dancing is very musical
- even if I'm still doing rather basic steps.

On the other hand, when a figure seems too hard for me, well, for one
thing, I really shouldn't be in that class, but the music does get a
bit distracting. When I haven't understood the figure *at all*,
there's no point in trying it to the music. But even here, the mixed
approach helps, especially when the teacher comes around and helps me.

On another level, I think a class with no music just wouldn't be
emotionally satisfying.

--Siamak


On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 1:59 PM, Nussbaum, Martin <mnussbau at law.nyc.gov> wrote:
>
> Not expecting to convince anyone, so this is my last post on this topic,
> and I am preaching to the choir for the several who have agreed with me
> in private, unsure why they don't post to the list.    May I propose an
> experiment to those who consider music a distraction to learning dance.
> In the next workshop, when the music comes on, don't simply jump into
> the sequence or figure shown.   First, embrace your partner, connect,
> just start dancing a little, a few steps you already know,  as if you
> were in the milonga, and as if you love the music. Then when you feel in
> the groove, throw in the sequence, or as much of it that fits the
> phrase, continue with other steps you know, then in the next phrase,
> throw in the other parts of the sequence you missed. Finally, add them
> together. You will quickly integrate the new information with your
> current technique.   I have had compliments from followers in class who
> have expresses surprise that I actually dance in class while learning.
> Well, duh.   I dance to the music being played. Siempre.  I believe
> that's the quickest route to becoming musical with whatever you learn in
> a workshop. Life and my memory, are far too short to hope to remember
> that phrase at some point in the future when it will fit, if I havent
> learned how it fits musically to begin with.   As useless as memorizing
> long lists of pronouns, or verbs, in a foreign language, and then
> waiting until you get to the next chapter on sentence composition to
> actually use the pronouns in a sentence.  Or learning how to kick a
> soccer ball without using a soccer ball until game time.
>
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