Argentine Waltz - on the spot or circular?

[opendoor]

Do you think that vals should definitely be danced in a round? I heard this call somewhere.

My favorites (by now Eider y Luisa Rua) don´t do so: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWRCYIc3Hqo

 

[Joe]

What do you mean by "in a round?"

 

[opendoor]

I´m not a native english speaker and I lack a word for "usual dance direction" . But, my on-line dictonary does not know a term for it, either

 

[Mladenac]

I´m not a native english speaker and I lack a word for "usual dance direction" . But, my on-line dictonary does not know a term for it, either

by round I suppose you mean dancing using ronda.

U always dance using ronda, but if you can go forward, you dance on spot.

 

[dchester]

If you are asking if you are supposed to move with the line of dance when doing Vals, then my answer is yes. People do more turns, so the line doesn't move quite as fast as with tango, but IMO it should still move.

 

[Peaches]

Um...yes? I'd say it should be moving along LOD. But it should also be able to be danced in place (as with tango and milonga--you've got to be able to do something while the idiot in front of you decides not to move so his lady can do her dangerous kicks). Generally, I think of vals as using very circular figures without a lot of dramatic pausing...more constant motion. (It doesn't have to be fast, mind you, just moving...as the music tends to be constant.)

 

[AndaBien]

...while the idiot in front of you decides not to move so his lady can do her dangerous kicks).

Peaches, you are too harsh. Sometimes the floor is merely crowded. When it is not possible to move forward it's good to be able to dance turning on a spot. This is true for tango or milonga also.

 

[Dave Bailey]

If you are asking if you are supposed to move with the line of dance when doing Vals, then my answer is yes.

Yes. In the same way that both Waltz and Viennese Waltz are progressive line-of-dance dances.

Given that the Tango Vals is clearly a descendant of the VW, it makes perfect sense that Vals should be LOD.

 

[opendoor]

Yes. In the same way that both Waltz and Viennese Waltz are progressive line-of-dance dances

.. lack a word for "usual dance direction"

Thanks for the word LOD and for your suggestions!

 

[dchester]

...while the idiot in front of you decides not to move so his lady can do her dangerous kicks).

Peaches, you are too harsh. Sometimes the floor is merely crowded. When it is not possible to move forward it's good to be able to dance turning on a spot. This is true for tango or milonga also.

While I agree with what you said about turning on the spot, if the floor is crowded, then the guy would be even more of an idiot for leading dangerous kicks. I don't think Peaches was being too harsh at all.

 

[Peaches]

Peaches, you are too harsh. Sometimes the floor is merely crowded. When it is not possible to move forward it's good to be able to dance turning on a spot. This is true for tango or milonga also.

Yes, of course. In my head, I meant it in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way.

 

[Lui]

To me a Vals is a little bit like a gentle river, you jump into the stream of music and it carries you along. Therefore, it feels best when I can uphold a continous motion a long the line of dance. I’m pretty sure Eider y Luisa Rua would do the same, if they were dancing at a milonga. However, in the vid they do a show and therefor follow more or less the guidelines of stage tango.

Even when your stage is big enough, it makes no sense to dance a long it’s borders in form of a circle. Following the traditional line of dance, half of the time the audience will see only the back of the man – the most unspectacular sight. Hence, the dance pattern is contorted in such a way that the spectators will see a lot of the front and faces of the performers. If you watch the vid closely all figures are aligned for best visibility possible.

Stage and social tango are two quite different art forms in their own rights submitted to very different conditions.

 

[AndaBien]

"When it is not possible to move forward it's good to be able to dance turning on a spot. This is true for tango or milonga also."

I mentioned this because I've seen leaders who did little or no turns, I guess because they didn't know how or weren't comfortable with them. Leaders who can't turn must be able to move forward or else they can't dance.

 

[Me]

WWGD? (What would Gavito do?)

 

[Angel HI]

As Andabien said, most every dance that travels will, inevitably, stop to rotate (giro) at some point, then move on. Vals is probably the smoothest partner dance on the planet. Definitely move...then not when necessary.

Given that the Tango Vals is clearly a descendant of the VW, it makes perfect sense that Vals should be LOD.

Not to hijack the thread, and definitely not important enough to really discuss, but it is actually said to be a direct descendant of the Boston Waltz (but I understand your meaning of VW influences).