Re: [Tango-L] Milonga 101 -- conversation between dances
Janis Kenyon wrote: > > > Tangos are three minutes long, and yet conversation between dances continues > for most of the tango. There are some who continue talking requiring others > to dance around them. There are some who continue talking while dancing. > It keeps getting worse and worse in Buenos Aires. > > > Not just in Buenos Aires either. Ad Melbourne, Australia to the list. I had always assumed that the delay between start of music and start of dancing was to listen to the music, determine its character, then dance to fit the music. That made sense with live music. When it is a CD that you danced to last week, and the week before, and listened to in the car .. it seems to me that no longer makes any sense, My feeling is that if you have something that is SO important to talk about, get off the floor and do it. Floor is for dancing. Tables and chairs, over there, off the floor, is for talking. I have a (possibly uncharitable) feeling that the whole delay thing is an affectation. "The longer I talk, the more 'authentic' it makes me look." rde ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] 'Milonga is a guy thing?'
My partner (in my > opinion) is the best dancer around and she still > prefers to do the milonga with me. So, there must be > something fun about all that fast tango mixed in! She > comments that I am very exact. So, make sure you're > really feeling the milonga beat if you do these! For > example, a quick boleo should have a sharp ending. > Eso! Does milonga have any boleos? ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] 'Milonga is a guy thing?'
Milonga is a very different dance from tango, not only in speed/tempo, emphasis, "steps", figures, etc. but also, and more importantly, in the nature of the embrace and the overall body movement and general attitude. Many currently recognized male milonga dancers (like Casas, El Flaco, Rodriguez) while all displaying superb technique, are too smooth for my liking. Good thing there is no "central committee" on milonga (or on tango, for that matter), but milonga dancing is different from tango dancing in some fundamental ways. === seek, appreciate, and create beauty this life is not a rehearsal === ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] 'Milonga is a guy thing?'
Milonga is a very different dance from tango, not only in speed/tempo, emphasis, "steps", figures, etc. but also, and more importantly, in the nature of the embrace and the overall body movement and general attitude. Many currently recognized male milonga dancers (like Casas, El Flaco, Rodriguez) while all displaying superb technique, are too smooth for my liking. Good thing there is no "central committee" on milonga (or on tango, for that matter), but milonga dancing is different from tango dancing in some fundamental ways. === seek, appreciate, and create beauty this life is not a rehearsal === ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] 'Milonga is a guy thing?'
Milonga: I don't really care about the official definitions of correct vs not correct when I am dancing. However, in discussion I like to learn about it. Going to the cross: I don't do it a lot. But, when I do, it is in double time. It also feels good to lead a fake step with her right foot right after the cross. Turns: I like doing the waltz turn in double time. I was originally taught that turns should be done in double time. Although, I don't see many people doing this. It feels great! And my followers love it! Boleos: Again, I was taught not to lead boleos. However, a short, sharp boleo, sometimes followed by a pause, yes a pause, is FUN! Pauses: Yes, I do pauses. If used very sparingly, again, it's fun. Tortion moves: I am on my right foot, she is on her left. I lead the beginning of a back ocho for both of us and return to facing each other, again. Do it three times! It looks great and feels even better! Fast tango: Yes, I know. I am describing fast tango. But, sprinkled in? Mmmm, mmm, . I have a bad left foot. (All those plantar fasciitis posts were for me.) So, I admit that I do some of the things I just described to remain on my right foot for a couple of beats. Ahh. My partner (in my opinion) is the best dancer around and she still prefers to do the milonga with me. So, there must be something fun about all that fast tango mixed in! She comments that I am very exact. So, make sure you're really feeling the milonga beat if you do these! For example, a quick boleo should have a sharp ending. Eso! Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] Milonga 101 -- convers ation between dances
I remember Gavito talking about the men in the center of the floor between tandas making a "mushroom." And the men who weren't successful in the cabeceo then went to the "bathroom." Times change. http://tangocherie.blogspot.com/ ** Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp0030002489 ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Milonga 101 -- conversation between dances
Decades ago the young men stood in the center of the dance floor, and the girls sat at tables around the perimeter in neighborhood clubs with an older relative or friend who escorted them to the dance. The men invited the girls with the cabeceo. The only opportunity they had to talk was between dances, but the conversation was brief and private. And it was limited to the topic of the music. I learned that the topic of conversation during a tanda is only about the music from dancing with milongueros. The woman is the one who initiates. If she says nothing, the man doesn't speak. Talking isn't mandatory between dances. One leaves their personal life at the door of a milonga. The music is the main event in a milonga. At least it used to be. Today there is so much conversation that it is difficult to hear the music. It's no surprise that the sound level has to be increased to hear the music over all the talking. A milonguero told me that he went to dance last night and left after a half hour because there was so much noise. A brief exchange between partners on the dance floor should be low enough that others do not hear what is being said, like whispering into the other person's ear. These days it is possible to hear conversation in the middle of the dance floor while one is seated at a table. Tangos are three minutes long, and yet conversation between dances continues for most of the tango. There are some who continue talking requiring others to dance around them. There are some who continue talking while dancing. It keeps getting worse and worse in Buenos Aires. There is an interview with Gustavo Naveira in which he says it used to be about the music; now it's about the dance. I disagree with him. He doesn't understand what is special about tango because he has been concentrating on technically identifying everything in dance. He is missing the essence of tango. It still is all about the music. http://www.10tango.com/interior/detalle_nota.php?idx=90&seccion=4 Janis www.ToTango.net/milongueros.html ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] 'Milonga is a guy thing?'
The basic milonga figure is the 6-step Cuadrado. It's also the first figure I was taught in Tango. For the man, it's RF back, LF side, RF fwd O/P, LF fwd in-line, RF side, LF close to RF. While I'm on, I'd also like to say that I don't agree with a number of posters who've said that milonga is danced with small steps. This isn't necessarily true for those who can dance well. Keith, HK On Sat Jan 12 23:59 , "Astrid" sent: > > I heard a request >> from one follower recently to "do the basic milonga pattern." I am not >> even sure what that is, its whatever her teacher selected to walk in >> milonga rhythm. > >the basic milonga pattern, from what I know is basically walking a square, >without a cross. Like side, back, back, side, close. > >___ >Tango-L mailing list >Tango-L@mit.edu >http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] "Milonga is a guy thing?"
I heard a request > from one follower recently to "do the basic milonga pattern." I am not > even sure what that is, its whatever her teacher selected to walk in > milonga rhythm. the basic milonga pattern, from what I know is basically walking a square, without a cross. Like side, back, back, side, close. ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
