opendoor
Forum Master
I don't find this helpful.
Can you comment on my dancing in this video
- Thread starter flandrienne
- Start date
I agree. You start where you are and build from there. There may not be a wealth of traditional tango schools around, and some start from an 'alternative' context. Traditional tango music isn't always appreciated on first listening, and what's around can be elevated from the street to a less danceable concert performance. With that 'alternative' sometimes goes the embrace (although I agree that's an issue). Open, in some form, has become more common, for a variety of reasons. We're not in BsAs, and any desire to dance there with a non-tourist goes with that tradition and appreciating and enjoying that culture.
But, as suggested previously, sampling a wider, diverse, tango culture would be helpful to understand how to move better.
We may developed bad habits learning tango or bring bad habits to tango from our previous life.
Some bad habits are useful when we dance with certain partners.
AT is social dance primarily.
I agree that those habits hinder are progress but we can accept first and deal with them later
Tango Distance
Well-Known Member
flandrienne, I think it looked beautiful (the dress was great, too). I especially liked the planeos; after seeing yours I said to myself, "I have to start leading those!" The overall smoothness of motion was impressive.
A fine point: It could very well be you were following as led, but I'll report what I saw in case it was you:
A fine point: It could very well be you were following as led, but I'll report what I saw in case it was you:
- Your leader was repeating many things, that can lead to anticipation
- A small number of times it looked like you might have anticipated (weight shift that was taken back, and a couple times your step preceding his on the 2nd of two side steps)
It's a compromise, but you don't realise that there's better unless you look around and it's explained, and sometimes you need assistance (e.g. privates) to see what's not so good and how to improve. Ingrained poor technique is more difficult to get past.
'Bad habits' are never a good solution; better skills always allow you to deal with poor partners. Although bad habits might ensure fewer future dances.
It's a social dance as described here; not escenario, ballroom, or competition, so there's a spread of abilities and acceptance but, as the OP said:
LadyLeader
Forum Master
Most dancers in tango develop their personal and couple skills as a single package which means that your development is totally dependent of a partner. If you split it you can develop your own personal skill as much as you want and speed up your development.
Bodies work differently and you maybe need to test several ways until you find the one working for you. I state some ideas which have been helpful for me.
My core training is the pajamas session in the morning, six days a week. It includes one or two repetitions of each of the steps and pivots for the week. I am in exploring mode trying to notice what is happening, where it goes wrong and what is working. If it doesn't work I leave it until next morning - the body needs some time to sort out the difficulties. If I have a video on the movements I watch it also once a day.
Followers and leaders are both pivoting on the ball of the foot and have similar techniques. For me the unsupported training has been helpful to understand where the alignment became distorted. It has also speed up the development of muscles needed for turning.
The most important exercise has been this! Turn the upper body - stop - turn the hip also.
This pattern forced me to use the muscles in core and to create the flowing turn from there.
The whole video
Bodies work differently and you maybe need to test several ways until you find the one working for you. I state some ideas which have been helpful for me.
My core training is the pajamas session in the morning, six days a week. It includes one or two repetitions of each of the steps and pivots for the week. I am in exploring mode trying to notice what is happening, where it goes wrong and what is working. If it doesn't work I leave it until next morning - the body needs some time to sort out the difficulties. If I have a video on the movements I watch it also once a day.
Followers and leaders are both pivoting on the ball of the foot and have similar techniques. For me the unsupported training has been helpful to understand where the alignment became distorted. It has also speed up the development of muscles needed for turning.
The most important exercise has been this! Turn the upper body - stop - turn the hip also.
This pattern forced me to use the muscles in core and to create the flowing turn from there.
The whole video
I didn't day they are solution but that they are useful.
If you are dancing to cleanly and to perfect, and to ... you might scare other people to dance with you.
Oh, why would I won't dance the best version of me. Read again the line above.
Majority of my posts on DF are against perfectionism in AT.
I've seen many people quit that got tango burnout or become dancing ghosts.
And what is suitable for one person is not for another.
Mr. Moustachio
Active Member
You're opposed to hugs and tango music?
opendoor
Forum Master
(Not at all. I probably get more kisses at the milonga than you do, and I think my collection of golden age shellacs also is bigger than yours.)
Unfortunately, many in this forum confuse technique with style, I don't know if you belong to them. If someone asks why I'm getting sea sick, you can of course answer: drive the car, do not take the ship. My aim is to answer a technical question and tell the engineer that the bottom of the ship has no keel and no stabilizers.
flandrienne
Member
Thank you! I actually worked really hard on that move, and I always feel like I do it very unelegantly and can only step into with wide legs and my partner has to practically keep me upright, so I was quite astonished to see it looking so effortless here. The dress was because the dresscode was roaring 20s, we always close off our semester with a festive practica with a fancy dress code.
LadyLeader
Forum Master
I think comfortable steps adapted to the partner is a more friendly goal than the perfect steps! So some bad habits need to be addressed but maybe not all or not fully removed!
I also like the roughness a performing couple has in the beginning when they have not yet really adapted to each other. It has happen that I lost interest when they reach the perfect performance!
pianistamediano
Forum Master
I recall watching a couple smile and giggle when there was a little hiccup in their performance - it made them seem more human, more present and part of the milonga, rather than aliens with superior technology descending from their spaceship. Lovely touch!
Loisa Donnay
Active Member
I guess we could change Argentine Tango to fit our tastes and culture better. I think that has already been done. Ballroom tango, for instance? But that's a lot to give away. I, for one, am kind of tired of telling people that A. tango and B. tango are two totally different dances - including the music.
itwillhappen
Forum Master
That's all good, but we probably have a fundamentally different perspective. Dancing in a nice dress in front of a nice partner might look exciting to you, but it seems kind of
I recently invited a tanguera who had a clearly visible sweat stain between her breasts, and our tanda certainly didn't make it any smaller. Another tanguera checked the sweat on her makeup after the first two tangos, but then relentlessly sought cheek-to-cheek contact for the rest of the tanda.
I agree. Traditional social AT is more than a dance, bu also a culture, although it has degenerated to merely a dance in some areas, but seems to be developing more of a alternative social side in some instances. Enthusiasts may not even be qualified, let alone 'good' teachers, but just wish to pass on their findings. And I guess there's already that differentiation with 'alternative', 'nuevo', 'neo', 'jango' (argh
), ballroom, and any other; and of course we then get into differences in the music ranging from early-20th/late 19th century through to electro and punk tango (which seems to be re-imagining early music as well as new). Early, scratchy, recordings may be interesting to some, and become an acquired taste, but they're not going to sell AT to new starters. Whether we like that or not, that is where some/many people are. Appreciating dancing to the wealth of traditional AT music, in some form, may need to be developed. If it's not available where you are (there are AT deserts), then you have to start with what you have. You widen your perspectives, and then discover better options, or not.
As an aside, a local 'swing/jive' DJ, once renowned for their 'alternative' AT music has now moved to the dark side of traditional, and is noted for providing both sets.