[Tango-L] I can Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLEfi7w5XuQ ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Denver roommate
Hello all, I'm looking for a roomie for Denver Festival; please respond to michaelfig...@yahoo.com Thanks, Michael from Houston ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] sound
Hello all, A question for the dj/audiophiles; I'd like to get a Bose Wave radio/cd player. I know you can get the accessory to play music from an ipod, but is there a way to play from any mp3 player, any brand? Thanks, Michael ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Moe Tango
Last month, while my normal partner, Sarah, whom many of you know, was at the Portland Festival, I had an old friend come to Houston to visit. Susana Gonzalez from Tampa and I lucked into a video at Dan Electro's Guitar Bar, dancing to some great blues by one of our favorite local bands; "Moe Hansum". I've long advocated dancing to alternative music as a way of improving your musicality. I didn't grow up listening to tango, for me it was rock and blues. That's the music I grew up feeling and living. And learning how to interpret the blues, for me, translates into learning how to interpret the great tango orchestras of the 30's and 40's. Yes, I know that many say this is not "Tango", since there is no tango music, but this is not the point, and its a helluva lot of fun. We often hear of using "pauses", but it's difficult learning how to make this pause a long, slow, sensuous pivot, or something other than just a "pause". Dancing like this has taught me so many things that enhance my Argentine Tango. Many, many thanks to the Moe Hansum band, especially Sandy the bass player and his wife Janet, of "Sweet Spirit Productions", for posting this video. Michael is on guitar and vocals, John on guitar, and Steve on drums. Sarah and I have enjoyed dancing to their music on many an occasion. Also thanks to Bob, and "Dan Electro's" for providing Houston with a great venue and great live music. Susana is a beautiful partner, and a wonderful dancer. The weekend she was here, we had not seen each other for two years. Here we are, dancing to "Water into Wine" written by Michael Durbin, and performed by Moe Hansum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J6JVS7_g3g Looking forward to the St Louis "Hot Winter Tango" Festival next month; hope to see you there. Regards, Michael Figart II ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] denver roommate
Looking for a spot at the hotel for Saturday and Sunday nights..does anybody already have a room and want to split the bill? Thanks, Michael Figart II, Houston Tx, michaelfig...@yahoo.com ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] St Louis roommate
I'm looking for a roommate for St Louis Tango Festival. Please respond to michaelfig...@yahoo.com Thanks, Michael ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] dancing
This is really, really cool; http://youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY Enjoy, Michael ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Milonga - inspiration for the weekend
Hi Mario and all, Mario wrote, <<<http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=t8wXbuJ0SYM >>>>>> OK, I've met Igor, and we sometimes correspond. He's a good dancer, and I like him. But Mario, this video you've posted is not a great milonga. Its more like a sped-up tango with no pauses. Everything is too big (look at the size of some of the steps!). Everything is the same speed. There are no traspie steps. It does not have the look and feel of a milonga except that they step on every beat, which I don't like anyway, but some people have the idea that milonga must be danced that way. Yes, its a performance, as are all these I've posted below, which we must take into consideration when we watch all this stuff. Usually performances are danced differently than they would be otherwise. And while there are fewer good dancers and teachers of milonga (good milonga, in my opinion, is the hardest of the three genres), the USA does have some teachers that are very good at it. While I can pick stuff out of any performance that I don't care for, these four videos are of US teachers dancing milonga that showcase the look and feel of milonga done well. I'm sure there are more, but I picked these out in 5 minutes (I'd never seen these videos before today). I would also like to say that I'm not a great dancer of milongamaybe one of these days! http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=SxEH_eYzC3M http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=zAKBvfg0yq4 http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=souF9ZZPAjA http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=zdjocXq05es See? No head-exploding ammunition! Regards, Michael Figart II Houston Tx ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Tips for Followers? prt 1
Larry, please send my thanks (and my wish for a few tandas), to Liz. There is a lot of wisdom in her "Tips for Followers", and not just for the women. Most of the men on this list should hope for, and be working towards, the time that they can dance a woman toward the kind of experience that this woman describes and desires, and has obviously experienced. Women, please take note of the second paragraph! I do need to say one thing about the third paragraph; I rarely dance in a straight line, and I think foot placement becomes, with skill and work, completely led down to the half-millimeter. Women should not step in a perfectly straight line unless they are led to do so, but yes, it looks better, and teachers should make this a clear goal for dancers; to be able to lead, and follow, in a manner that both can look elegant in their steps and stance. I think it would be better put to the follower; try to place each step the perfect distance, and in the perfect direction, so that as you both step, you can easily, smoothly, and with a minimum of effort, move together into that next "neutral spot". Women; please take note of the second paragraph!!! There is some more I don't necessarily agree with, but there's enough wisdom in her words to make me think I may be wrong in disagreeing. I've still got worlds of tango exploration in front of me, and lots of looking for the next dance with the woman who understands and practices what Liz proposes. Thanks again, to both of you, Michael Figart II Houston ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] how much weight?
Hi, there's been a whole lotta talk about all these weight changes. They are not black and white. It seems as though many, many people in the US, teachers and dancers, have ascribed to the belief that a follower should always be on one foot or the other. I have to lead women all the time who bounce quickly from left to right and back again, when all I've done as a leader is move 60% of my weight to my left foot, to 60% of my weight on my right foot. What I want, dear followers, is 60% of your weight on your right, and then 60% of your weight on your left. Don't think you have to go immediately all the way to one foot with a small shift of my weight; take your time, and move slowly with me. Slowly, smoothlytake your time; Joan Bishop says, "Be Blanche Dubois, get there when you're damn good and ready". Susana Miller says, "A little late, but right on time". If I move 60% left and come back to center, do it, if I move 100% left and all the way to my left foot, do it. But I can also move 60% left, and then 10 degrees (circular) left, and tell you that we're fixing to take off, as I move more left rotationally, as you wait, going from 60%weight on your right to 65%, to 70%, as you pivot, and then 75%, as you lift your left foot.. Jeez folks, it's pretty impossible to put this down where it's understandable and intelligible by all in the same manner in which its intended, which is one reason I don't post too often. But I've grown tired lately of reading all this pontificating drivel and nonsense by one or two so called experts who couldn't tango themselves out of a moist paper sack sitting in the mist of Buffalo, I mean Niagara, Falls. Please look for teachers who know how to control their axis. Watch for those who "collect" their axis. That doesn't mean they necessarily "collect" their feet. A dancer can "collect" their own axis without their feet being together...(but it helps, especially for the first ten years!) Avoid those who slop their axis all over the place, with never a thought about leading from a center to a center. We've been shown some really great examples of this kind of "leading" lately, on internet video. My best to all, Michael Figart II Houston Tx ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] how to lead (was 'weight change')
Alexis wrote;
<>>>.
Jeez, Alexis; that's exactly what many here are
saying; that unless you "disguise" it, or make it
"invisible", the follower will change weight also.
Oleh made his case very well; at least I understood
exactly what he was saying, and it seems to be exactly
what he meant.
And then you go introduce this "locked frame" crap,
and confuse a bunch of people on this list. I guess
what you're really meaning is "leader and follower
moving in exact mirror images"jeezus, what the
'ell made you come up with this? All I can think of is
that you wanted to look like a big dawg, so you throw
up your straw, ("nobody is claiming"), and attack
one who presented a good explanation of this
"phenomenon". So who died and made you King? Was there
some kind of proclamation that I missed?
To everybody else; a leader can change feet with or
without changing the feet of the follower. Sometimes
the follower can really feel itsometimes not. If a
leader keeps the body of the follower in a position so
that it would be uncomfortable to change her weight to
the other foot, she should not change. If he moves his
follower's position so that she should, or must,
change feet to keep her axis comfortable, then she
should change feet. It really is that simple.
And..I've got to expand this a bit, so I'll start
another posting."how much weight?"
Regards,
Michael (Houston)
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:45:04 +0200
From: Alexis Cousein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] how to lead (was 'weight
change')
To: Oleh Kovalchuke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: tango-l@mit.edu
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1;
format=flowed
Oleh Kovalchuke wrote:
> In the way I dance tango, weight shifting per se is
not a lead at
all.
*Your* weight shifting isn't.
Nobody is claiming that you necessarily lead a weight
shift of the
follower through your own weight shift, except when
the frame is locked
(i.e. when your axis and hers are moving in unison).
>
> I lead the follower by moving her body axis.
Which shifts *her* weight (by definition)- QED.
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[Tango-L] Weight of words
Keith Elshaw wrote;
[Tango-L] estilos de abrazas
Robin asks; how about the placement of the women's arms and head? Hi Robin, and all, I've watched this trend with interest the last couple of years, and asked around about it. I've been told that it's "just a style", and also "more freeing" for the woman. My own observations seem to indicate that these "holds" (as you describe them, Robin!), are used almost exclusively by those interested slightly more in the "exhibition" aspect of tango; those who dance more open or "V", and those that alternate between close and open embrace. The "draping of the arm"; can be used in close embrace, and even in "milonguero", and is many times accompanied by open, spread fingers. I find it inelegant to watch, and uncomfortable to feel. My teacher cautioned followers seven years ago (way before this "trend"), to avoid the "gecko paw" look of splayed fingers. I can dance with women who do this, but I don't go searching them out for a second tanda. It's ugly, and it sucks, when compared against that beautiful connection when our hearts are focussed. The "woman's left arm very low"; even more obviously for open moves, etc, where this position does not constrict leader's right arm/shoulder. This embrace does not work well at all except in very open, very physical movements. I will not dance at all with a woman who hampers my abilities and efforts in this manner (since I dance only super-close!) As far as men who insist on follower's head direction? I've never seen, or heard that a man would insist on woman turning her head like this. I will not dictate to them, and I'll probably finish the tanda, but for a woman to hold her head anywhere but naturally over her shoulders, looking over my right shoulder, is nearly universally unbearable. For a woman to hold her head to her right is almost always extremely uncomfortable. I've danced with a couple of womwn over the last century who can pull it off. All head contact should be incidental, and gentle; temple to temple, or cheek to cheek, but with absolutely no focus of lead or follow through cranium. And as an aside, in addressing the recent debate regarding whether crosses are lead, or automatic, or not lead, or not automatic, etc, etcplease let it be known: CROSSES ARE LEAD. PERIOD. An "automatic cross" is a MISTAKE, which can be caused by the leader, or the follower, but it is a "MISTAKE". "La Cruzada" is a move that is lead; it is not "automatic". THERE IS NO "AUTOMATIC" IN ARGENTINE TANGO See you in Atlanta, later on! Michael Robin wrote. Especially interested in two "holds" that I observe these days in the milongas in BA. First the draping of the woman's left arm down across the shoulder of the man with elbow pointed at the ceiling and the other with the woman's left arm placed very low, almost around the man's waist. And then there are the men who insist that the woman turn her head to the right. Robin Tara Tara Tango Shoes ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] oops, jeez, sorry, but what else?
I just had 2hrs worth of work destroyed by Yahoo. I hope you are monitoring this, Yahoo business people, cuz you're dead if you step anywhere in my sights. ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] No dancing before the music
Hola list, I've been reading with much interest lately all the postings on this subject. For the record, here in the US, I'm considered pretty traditional, and to a large extent, am at odds with much of my community, because I advocate the use of the cabaceo, the tanda format, the old guard and golden age music during milongas, and traditional "milonguero" courtesy and respect on the dance floor. I've travelled to Buenos Aires twice for a total of nearly two months, etc, etc. I love Janis, and her postings, and have a lot of respect for those such as Ron, who are "right wing" in their views regarding the music and the dance. But, I do disagree with them at times, and here's one of the big times. I did not care for tango music when I started the dance. I got into it because a neighbor invited me to a milonga. It happened to be on a weekend when the sponsoring teacher also was sponsoring a workshop featuring Daniel Lapadula. I was awestruck, and needed a new hobby, so I started lessons the next week, and have been working at improving my dance ever since. Anyway, I did not grow up listening to tango music, had no idea of the culture, or the codes, etc. I struggled for 2-3 years, and where the majority of men quit and try something easier, like salsa, I was not going to let tango get the best of me, and I persevered. I've grown to really love tango music, and now I CAN "feel" it, it is getting into my bones. But I DID grow up listening to the blues, a form of music that I feel is particularly suited to dancing in a style similar to that of tango. I don't care if its really tango or not, that's not important. What IS important is; that's the music I grew up with; that's the music I've "felt" all my life. And its also important that I really enjoy it. Like Jake, I've always been inclined to snap my fingers on the upbeat (or in the south, the backbeat). And here is what's really important; I would not be anywhere near the dancer I am today had I not learned and worked at dancing to this music. It has taught me so much about musicality that transfers easily to tango music...so much you wouldn't believe. And the gist of it is, that's everything about tango; the music and the ability to dance to it with musicalilty. It kills me to see 98% of the US dancing tango 1-2-3-4,1-2-3-4, over and over and over. Or 1-2, 1-2, 1-2. no pauses, no imagination, no playing with the rhythms, no pauses at all, especially no pauses where they should be, where the music tells you to put them. I am a strong advocate of dancing "tango" to music that you feel, and using what you learn doing this to help you learn to "feel" tango music. There is no music richer, more inspiring, or with more feeling than tango. But if there is anything that can help you to learn this, and feel this, use it. The blues helped me. And as a kind of an aside; in support of musicality, I'd been dancing for about five years when I met Senor Ricardo Vidort. He had watched me dancing the night before at a milonga in Denver (I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn't know who he was). We talked for thirty minutes the next day before he told me his name, and I mentioned that I was sorry I had not taken any of his classes. He told me I didn't need his classes, or anybody else's; he told me to dance often and just listen to the music; just work on feeling the music. I know there's a limit on the length of these postings, and I also know there will be some asking for specifics, so I'll cut you off and continue... My warmest Michael ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] What's the trick??
Hola list, I gotta put a cent or two in here, in response to someone who wrote "I lead, she steps and I follow her." Yes, I've heard this also, and it sounded really cool when I'd been dancing for 2-3 years, (I'm a slow learner). The way I dance now, and the way I feel about this subject now, is that if a follower does this, she is anticipating and pulling on me. My lead is to show my partner the nature, the length, and the direction of the step. As she gathers all this information, her job is to interpret it, and do her very best to step exactly WITH me, not to step ahead of my step, but to help move our bodies in sync with one another. The job is not get from one foot to the other, but to enjoy the time in between, when you are passing through, or pausing in, that magic, weightless point in between steps...don't rush it, there's a lot more time in there than you think. Yes, this can get kinda blurry in many cases, and there are many times, in quick steps, or milongas, etc, where the last part does not seem to apply, but a leader should never have to follow his partner. And if you'll practice this, especially to really slow music, I'll guarantee you'll become a better dancer, on both sides of the embrace. My best to all, Michael (Houston Tx) ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] (no subject)
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