tangoaddict
New Member
I find AT more enjoyable and easier when it is slow. What do others think and is it actually easier to dance slow? Or are mistakes less noticable when it is flying along?
And yet another question...
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tangoaddict
New Member
Hi FTL
Can you let me know the difference between the milonga and the valse? And is normal AT vastly different to them? I'm aware of the tango waltz (is that the valse?) and it is slower, but I was under the impression that the milonga is really fast.
Can you let me know the difference between the milonga and the valse? And is normal AT vastly different to them? I'm aware of the tango waltz (is that the valse?) and it is slower, but I was under the impression that the milonga is really fast.
Zaratustra shaking it
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tangoaddict said:
tangoaddict
New Member
Thanks ssjss and FTL.
Can I ask - if I am learning the AT, is it possible to get up and dance to vals or milonga if I am led correctly? Would I know the difference in the dances because of a change of music?
Can I ask - if I am learning the AT, is it possible to get up and dance to vals or milonga if I am led correctly? Would I know the difference in the dances because of a change of music?
Peaches
Well-Known Member
You should be able to tell the difference between tango, milonga and vals based on the music.
Vals (tango waltz) is probably the easiest to pick out—it’s got a strong 6/8 or 3/4 feel to it. In other words, if you count the strong beats you should feel like you want to count to 3 or 6 (instead of 2, or 4 or eight). Good examples of this are Caseron de Tejas (by Alberto Del Campo, is the version I have), Desde el Alma (by Canaro), and Tango Cancion (by Gotan Project) to pick 3.
Milonga is characterized by it’s quick, light, playful sound. Examples of this are Mano Brava and Con Toda La Voz Que Tengo (my versions are by Anibal Triolo), Taquito Militar (Quintango), and Murga Tango (by Debayres).
Straight-up tango is pretty much everything else. Notable examples are La Cumparsita and Por un Cabeza, to pick some of the most well-known ones.
There are, of course, songs where you could dance several styles to them, depending on how you want to interpret the music.
The general repertoire of steps for all three are the same, although certain subsets are more suited to one than the other. As a beginning follower, you should be able to dance all three at least on a basic level if you have a good leader. Fancy stuff won’t be possible, but you’d be able to get up and dance something to all of them.
To answer the original question—I personally find tango to be the hardest of the three. With milonga and vals it’s kind of a rule of thumb (and therefore a generalization, to which there are lots of exceptions, so please don’t deluge me with them) that you will be stepping/changing weight with each beat. That principle gives a basic structure which makes it marginally easier to follow. With tango (especially slower tangos), however, there are so many different ways that the music can be interpreted that the tempo of the dancing can shift. Steps can be elongated, or compressed, or syncopated, or what have you. The greater variation of possibilities can make the following more difficult. Also, I’ve always found slower dancing to be more difficult, technically, because it requires greater control of your movements.
There’s my…well…not $0.2. More like my nickel.
Vals (tango waltz) is probably the easiest to pick out—it’s got a strong 6/8 or 3/4 feel to it. In other words, if you count the strong beats you should feel like you want to count to 3 or 6 (instead of 2, or 4 or eight). Good examples of this are Caseron de Tejas (by Alberto Del Campo, is the version I have), Desde el Alma (by Canaro), and Tango Cancion (by Gotan Project) to pick 3.
Milonga is characterized by it’s quick, light, playful sound. Examples of this are Mano Brava and Con Toda La Voz Que Tengo (my versions are by Anibal Triolo), Taquito Militar (Quintango), and Murga Tango (by Debayres).
Straight-up tango is pretty much everything else. Notable examples are La Cumparsita and Por un Cabeza, to pick some of the most well-known ones.
There are, of course, songs where you could dance several styles to them, depending on how you want to interpret the music.
The general repertoire of steps for all three are the same, although certain subsets are more suited to one than the other. As a beginning follower, you should be able to dance all three at least on a basic level if you have a good leader. Fancy stuff won’t be possible, but you’d be able to get up and dance something to all of them.
To answer the original question—I personally find tango to be the hardest of the three. With milonga and vals it’s kind of a rule of thumb (and therefore a generalization, to which there are lots of exceptions, so please don’t deluge me with them) that you will be stepping/changing weight with each beat. That principle gives a basic structure which makes it marginally easier to follow. With tango (especially slower tangos), however, there are so many different ways that the music can be interpreted that the tempo of the dancing can shift. Steps can be elongated, or compressed, or syncopated, or what have you. The greater variation of possibilities can make the following more difficult. Also, I’ve always found slower dancing to be more difficult, technically, because it requires greater control of your movements.
There’s my…well…not $0.2. More like my nickel.
tangoaddict said:
Yes, you won't have any problems. They can both be quite fast, but just try to relax. If you dance with a good leader you will notice that both types are danced differently from tango. The steps are usually a lot simpler, especially in milonga, and there are not really any pauses as in tango. Vals is usually very flowing and romantic, with a lot of turns. I adore it. Milonga is playful and you step/change weight on each beat (or more often depending on the lead).
I also find that dancing slower is often more difficult, because you have to control your movements and have better balance. You can't just "fall" into the next step.
Vals and milonga are often perceived as more difficult, but that's probably because we start doing them at a later stage and in milongas they are not played very much, so we don't get to practice as much.
Someone I danced with a few days ago suggested that we ought to learn milonga first, and then move on to tango. That way we could learn to move with the beat, not worry so much about fancy moves but just relax and connect with our partner to feel double timing etc.
Vals and milonga are often perceived as more difficult, but that's probably because we start doing them at a later stage and in milongas they are not played very much, so we don't get to practice as much.
Someone I danced with a few days ago suggested that we ought to learn milonga first, and then move on to tango. That way we could learn to move with the beat, not worry so much about fancy moves but just relax and connect with our partner to feel double timing etc.
hee hee... I can definitely see how for followers, milonga and vals are easier because there's less variation in rhythm and when to step.
Milonga is characterized by a strong syncopated rhythm. If i'm counting it right, it's 1 (silent 2) and 3 4 1
Where the 3 and the 1 are strongly accented.
The quickness of milonga combined with its simplicity make it my least favorite of the three forms of tango. Those who are more interested in the rhythmic aspects of tango seem to like milonga the most, but that's not my favorite part of tango... I do swing instead when I'm into faster or more rhythmic music.
Milonga is characterized by a strong syncopated rhythm. If i'm counting it right, it's 1 (silent 2) and 3 4 1
Where the 3 and the 1 are strongly accented.
The quickness of milonga combined with its simplicity make it my least favorite of the three forms of tango. Those who are more interested in the rhythmic aspects of tango seem to like milonga the most, but that's not my favorite part of tango... I do swing instead when I'm into faster or more rhythmic music.
Peaches
Well-Known Member
jhpark said:
Yes, definitely with the syncopation. I'm not sure about the rhythm you mentioned, though. I was first taught with 1, a 2, and 3, a 4. But that's only one syncopation. I was just discussing this with my teacher last week, and he was showing me all kinds of variations of syncopation. I've also danced it plenty of times without syncopation--just as small "marching" steps. Not as fun, but it's better than sitting out, since most leaders where I go rarely syncopate.
tangoaddict
New Member
Phew! Thanks very much for the replies. As someone totally new to AT and dancing in general, there's a lot to learn.
Ah well, if I continue to go to lessons and follow the lead, I should be okay! If I start to think too much about numbers I'll make a complete twit of myself.
jhpark - I think I am in agreement with you. If I wanted speed I'd take up some other dance. But I speak with no experience here
Ah well, if I continue to go to lessons and follow the lead, I should be okay! If I start to think too much about numbers I'll make a complete twit of myself.
jhpark - I think I am in agreement with you. If I wanted speed I'd take up some other dance. But I speak with no experience here
tangoaddict said:Ah well, if I continue to go to lessons and follow the lead, I should be okay! If I start to think too much about numbers I'll make a complete twit of myself.
jhpark - I think I am in agreement with you. If I wanted speed I'd take up some other dance. But I speak with no experience here
When I started I'm so much into counting but after a while I just feel for the music. That's pretty much my experience when it comes to musicality be it AT or ballroom. I am not so sure about the follower counting. As a leader I prefer to interpret(count) the music.
With regards to speed, you'll discover your own preference as you progress. There are some nice relatively faster AT pieces, usually the older ones. One thing I like with older faster pieces is that the rhythm is more regular and easier to predict.