Argentine Tango and Ballroom Dance in Mich

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Tango Music-Contributed by a Ghost Writter

What would dance be without music? First comes a beat, a rhythm that compels us to move.

Argentine tango music is unique. It uses distinctive instruments and syncopation that identifies it. Tango dancing is wedded to the special music. You can put the steps to anything, like we do with alternative music, but to capture the joy of Argentine tango dancing, it helps to be familiar with how tango music is organized and presented at milongas all over the world. You can walk into a milonga in Tokyo or Copenhagen, Paris or Buenos Aires and hear pretty much the same recordings, the same groupings that we hear in the best programs in San Diego or Southeast Michigan.

Tango music is centered in the Golden Classics that go back historically to the early orchestras of the 1920's onward. Nuevo music, sometimes included, as a short change of pace, is still identifiably tango, but works with a different arrangement, a stronger beat, or electronic instruments, but the music is identifiably Argentine tango. Alternative music is using pop, swing, blues, rock and latin music and while it is interesting and challenging, for a change of pace, it is outside the genre. You can put tango steps into anything but it won't be Argentine tango but a modern dance form. I am confining my discussion here to the classic universal form.

The music programmer, or dj) arranges music in tandas or sets of three or four pieces by the same orchestra, the same tempo, either a tango, vals or milonga. In between these tandas, a cortina is played to signal the set is over and to regroup, say “thank you” to your partner and walk back to the sidelines. Cortinas are usually non-danceable music so one is not confused if the set is over or not. Cortinas are anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute long.

Tandas and cortinas came into being to keep partners circulating. They also make it easier for leads to determine what they will dance to by hearing an orchestra or familiar music in choosing a partner. They bring clarity to the flow of the evening's experience.

Contributed by a Ghost Writter

Monday, February 2, 2015

Dancing To The Music

There has been a lot said lately about dancing to the music. In Tango we have many options, and that can cause some people great trepidation. The main thing is to listen to and peruse a great library of orchestras so you know and understand the music. The more subtleties you know, the more comfortable you are to interpret the music into your dance.

Each orchestra has a different style, and each seasoned dancer whom has chosen their style, may prefer one rather than the other because they fit their movements, or tastes. For example, a more rhythmic orchestra may be preferred over a more melodic, or dramatic ensemble.

Without getting to technical, what are our choices of dancing to a piece of music? I like to break it down as follows. First the beat, which should be obvious, but may need further explanation at a later time. Another would be the melody or phrasing of the music. Some may call this the musical structure, or sentencing of the piece. We may also dance to the lyrics or poetry. If we do not understand the language this can be difficult. There are ways to overcome this problem. We do have resources to look up any piece, and get a translation of the words to your native language. Without that, you may be able to feel the sentiment of the words or the emotion of the singer. Another avenue to consider when interpreting the music to your style is the instrumentation. For example, if the violin is crying out to you, what would it move you to do? How about a run of the piano, or the breathing of the Bandoneon?

Whatever it is that you dance to, there must be a musical choice in each step you take, you must allow the music to move through your body in some way and convey it to your partner. If this is intimidating at first, perhaps you are too focused on the steps. Make the music a priority. You, the music, your partner all become the dance.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

What Happened To Tango

I have watched the dance I love, and have given up so much for become something different, something for me, watered down, sometimes something I don’t recognize.

I will never forget that first year I went to Buenos Aires, 1994. Things were so different then. The Culture, the ambiance, the codes were still pure. There was very little tourism and the Milongas were more of a neighborhood establishment. I would travel back every year growing my understanding of the subtleties, and making connections with the older Milongueros, loving their ways more and more each time, thinking it could not get any better. Then it happened, change came. More and more tourists ventured with the decline of the financial structure of Argentina and the popularity of the dance. Everyone started to look for ways to capitalize on the new market. New dances and fusions, young new shinny, flashy for sale signs on every dancer.

I read an article about an Argentine lady who danced Tango from the time she was a child, but wanted to stop due to the tourists whom she claimed ruined the dance for her. I am unsure I agree, the tourism can be good, but I would like to see more respect for purity, depth and knowledge than for shinny new things that are meant for the stage being sold as an experience, or something meant for everyone.

I am told in Argentina they are leaving the new styles, letting them fade and holding their honor to the pure, with evolution. Growth is always good, development, towards perfection, which really means reaching for something man can not obtain as one of my ballet masters once said. As always, what starts in Argentina will travel the world of Tango. I feel given time the world will love the pure ways of the Tango, and will allow it to evolve into something beautiful and pure.

Monday, January 26, 2015

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Teaching On The Dance Floor

As a dance instructor with well over 25 years of experience
I have seen so many people come and go from the dance community that I really
thought had the passion to last. One of the main factors I would contribute to
their demise or frustration has been the seemingly helpful advise of their
peers.

It starts out with an innocent acceptance of a dance. The
advanced dancer, with good intentions, wants to help share their knowledge, and
starts adjusting the posture, the embrace, dictating the length of steps, the
part of the body to engage…. Now the once partner, feels like a charity case
and will be afraid to ask anyone again for quite sometime.

Another disturbing factor is the flow of the dance when
people are stopping for direction or advice giving. There is constant moving
with the line of dance and this is a sure way to block the flow of movement
when people stop and adjust their partners.

If asked for help the most gracious way to encourage people
is to politely and discretely remove them from the dance floor and take them to
a space where they won’t be embarrassed by others and call over the in house
instructor or give them one small suggestion. To bombard them with pointers
will only confuse them and make them feel overwhelmed.

Everyone wants to see the community grow and become better
dancers. Everyone wants to share their knowledge, but there is a time and place
for everything.