Very true.
I don't believe that they shouldn't be taught. However, I think that it should be made clear that they are an adornment, not a fundamental step of tango! Otherwise, you're just another octopus flailing around in the center of the room.
Styles anyone
- Thread starter tanjive
- Start date
Other than a step what would you call a fundemental step of tango?
Subliminal
Well-Known Member
Very true.
I don't believe that they shouldn't be taught. However, I think that it should be made clear that they are an adornment, not a fundamental step of tango! Otherwise, you're just another octopus flailing around in the center of the room.
You seem to be mixing terminology here. An adornment is something that one partner does that does not affect the other. A gancho is clearly a lead step that a follower performs. You could argue that they aren't a fundamental step (and really, what is besides walking?) but it's still a step.
Dave Bailey
Active Member
I agree, they're difficult moves to master.
Which, to me, seems to imply that they're good tools for teaching and learning - at least, on occasion.
The problem, as I think most of us would agree, is that people tend to use them inappropriately. But I think "not teaching them" is not the answer to that problem.
talking about styles..
I am in BA at the moment. For the last two weeks, my husband has had a rather nice time, getting dances in touristy and traditional milongas and often being complimented for his dancing.
In the last two days though he was lectured on two occasions by two older Argentine women, who clicked fingers at him, told him to step on every beat and advised him to get an Argentine teacher. Leaving aside the rudeness of teaching somebody in the middle of a milonga, what is he supposed to make of it?
SOME of older guys here I've danced with indeed dance stepping on every strong beat, and sometimes do double-time steps, i.e. they would do at least 8 steps in each phrase and sometimes more, but never fewer.
However, a lot of the locals, very good young and old dancers, let alone foreigners, would now and then miss a beat, like my husband does, slow down, etc.
Am I right to think that these are two styles of tango: the older one, rigidly rhythmical, and the more recent one, with a changing tempo?
Yours,
Baffled of Buenos Aires
I am in BA at the moment. For the last two weeks, my husband has had a rather nice time, getting dances in touristy and traditional milongas and often being complimented for his dancing.
In the last two days though he was lectured on two occasions by two older Argentine women, who clicked fingers at him, told him to step on every beat and advised him to get an Argentine teacher. Leaving aside the rudeness of teaching somebody in the middle of a milonga, what is he supposed to make of it?
SOME of older guys here I've danced with indeed dance stepping on every strong beat, and sometimes do double-time steps, i.e. they would do at least 8 steps in each phrase and sometimes more, but never fewer.
However, a lot of the locals, very good young and old dancers, let alone foreigners, would now and then miss a beat, like my husband does, slow down, etc.
Am I right to think that these are two styles of tango: the older one, rigidly rhythmical, and the more recent one, with a changing tempo?
Yours,
Baffled of Buenos Aires
Do you really mean dancing on every beat - 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
or even - 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 ?
Hope this is clear, I'm no musician.
bordertangoman
Well-Known Member
talking about styles..
I am in BA at the moment. For the last two weeks, my husband has had a rather nice time, getting dances in touristy and traditional milongas and often being complimented for his dancing.
In the last two days though he was lectured on two occasions by two older Argentine women, who clicked fingers at him, told him to step on every beat and advised him to get an Argentine teacher. Leaving aside the rudeness of teaching somebody in the middle of a milonga, what is he supposed to make of it?
SOME of older guys here I've danced with indeed dance stepping on every strong beat, and sometimes do double-time steps, i.e. they would do at least 8 steps in each phrase and sometimes more, but never fewer.
However, a lot of the locals, very good young and old dancers, let alone foreigners, would now and then miss a beat, like my husband does, slow down, etc.
Am I right to think that these are two styles of tango: the older one, rigidly rhythmical, and the more recent one, with a changing tempo?
Yours,
Baffled of Buenos Aires
of course there is here in the Uk the jazz interpretation; the rhythm = the groove ie a tempo around which to improvise, so you can cut across the rhythm, follow the melody, or a particular instrument's refrains, but of course when you return to the rhythm you must be within a gnat's crotchet
well, it's not just the UK thing, because a lot of locals dance like this as well, especially in "younger" milongas.
but some older guys never depart the rhythm, no matter what is happening with the music. which is fine.
what really perplexed me was how intolerant these Argentine women were to the other style of dancing.
I don't know if I'd call it different styles, but people do dance differently to different songs (or artists). What I'm wondering is if they were trying to say he wasn't "on the beat", rather than complaining about stepping on every beat.talking about styles..
I am in BA at the moment. For the last two weeks, my husband has had a rather nice time, getting dances in touristy and traditional milongas and often being complimented for his dancing.
In the last two days though he was lectured on two occasions by two older Argentine women, who clicked fingers at him, told him to step on every beat and advised him to get an Argentine teacher. Leaving aside the rudeness of teaching somebody in the middle of a milonga, what is he supposed to make of it?
SOME of older guys here I've danced with indeed dance stepping on every strong beat, and sometimes do double-time steps, i.e. they would do at least 8 steps in each phrase and sometimes more, but never fewer.
However, a lot of the locals, very good young and old dancers, let alone foreigners, would now and then miss a beat, like my husband does, slow down, etc.
Am I right to think that these are two styles of tango: the older one, rigidly rhythmical, and the more recent one, with a changing tempo?
Yours,
Baffled of Buenos Aires
In any case, this is very strange for a milonga. In a class, I could see it happening, though.
Dave Bailey
Active Member
He's supposed to realise that rude, ignorant idiots are everywhere, even in BsAs. Either way, you never ever try to give a lesson in Milonga. I admit I'm surprised that this happened - possibly, these women were trying to hawk their friend / hubbie as a teacher. But "selling by intimidation" is pretty pathetic, I think - I've seen it happen in London, and I found it contemptuous there.
The speed, size and direction of each step is for the leader to determine. In fact, that's pretty much the definition of the role of the leader.
If a follower wants to control that, they can learn to lead.
Not really. There are different types of music, however.
Chalk it up to "Sometimes people are rude and don't listen to idiots just because you're in BsAs".Yours,
Baffled of Buenos Aires