What makes a waltz a waltz for you?

[opendoor]

ok, the dancing is horrible, but somehow I love that vid. Perhaps it is the sum of the music, singing and the feeling?

 

[Ray Sison]

ok, the dancing is horrible, but somehow I love that vid. Perhaps it is the sum of the music, singing and the feeling?

Oh, that is very understandable! Such is true with a lot of things in life...

 

[salthepal]

I'm seeing everyone focusing so much on the beat, not enough on the melody/music. I used to be like that, but once I learned to listen to the melody and actually dance with the phrasing of the music, I got so much better. That when I felt my tango was feeling like tango, my vals was feeling like vals, and milonga feeling like milonga. Oh and when nuevo music comes on, I sit down, because that's what lounge music is for

 

[Subliminal]

Welcome to Dance Forums salthepal.

The beat is interconnected with the melody. Phrasing is based off of the measure. There are different ways to listen to music. If you are listening to the music, you will hear the 1,2,1s, the 1,3,1s, etc. As long as you're dancing them, it doesn't matter whether you think of them as musical patterns or if you just feel your way through them.

Also, it's clear from your couple posts that you have an axe to grind about nuevo music. That's all well and good, you're entitled to your opinion, but I'll warn you the subject has been beaten completely to death on this forum.

 

[Steve Pastor]

Yes, welcome salthepal.

And then there is Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People", which discusses a subject that is pertinent to even web based Dance Forums.

 

[Lilly_of_the_valley]

For starters, everybody in this video seems to move to music, in perfect connection to their partners, and with respect to the movement happening around them.
If we could achieve just that in our local dance places, it would have made me very happy...

 

[dchester]

I'm seeing everyone focusing so much on the beat, not enough on the melody/music. I used to be like that, but once I learned to listen to the melody and actually dance with the phrasing of the music, I got so much better. That when I felt my tango was feeling like tango, my vals was feeling like vals, and milonga feeling like milonga. Oh and when nuevo music comes on, I sit down, because that's what lounge music is for

That's all very nice, but the question was what makes it a waltz, and for many of us, it's the beat/music.

 

[salthepal]

What I meant to say is that placing too narrow of a focus on the beat may cloud the dancing to the melody. The melody of a Waltz song will contain the 1-2-3 beat, 1-2-1 or 1-3-1 syncopations or even 1-2-3-1 accents, but what makes valses feel like valses is the melody of the music that makes you want to soar off. Again, this is relevant to tango and milonga; if you just think of the beat, the dance will be hollow. And I've danced to alternative valses that just didn't have that vals feel that I crave, even though they clearly have the 123 rhythm.

Sorry if the music topic has been beaten to death, but I'm new to the forum, and I thought I was entitled to present my opinion. Snarky references to self-help books (which I have read) are really not a nice way to have a discussion. Ironically, such references don't help make friends and influence people. Sorry if I infringed on the pecking order. I was seriously trying to contribute to the discussion, by specifically talking about the music.

 

[Dave Bailey]

Oh and when nuevo music comes on, I sit down, because that's what lounge music is for

I'll let you know next time I run a Tango Nuevo workshop - clearly you'd be an ideal student for it.

 

[salthepal]

Believe it or not, I was a Nuevo move monster at one point. I can actually lead volcadas, colgadas, piernazos, etc. I just haven't led any of those in over a year. At some point, my mind decided these open embrace moves done to some ambient music weren't as satisfying as moving in close embrace with a lovely lady to some good tango music.

I don't begrudge people their nuevo dancing; I'm just curious why this seems to be solely a tango phenomenon. I just haven't heard of people going to Greek festivals and doing a 'Nuevo Syrtaki" to Dick Dales's Misirlou or something like that

 

[Subliminal]

I'm not sure what you mean. While they don't call it "new" ballroom, people in ballroom dance to modern popular songs all the time. Same thing with swing. There are certainly venues that only play period music, but in my area it's not uncommon at all to throw in some current rock music. Moves are invented (or reinvented) all the time.

As far as labels go, perhaps it is just because there is a strong traditionalist movement in tango.

Music evolves. Dance evolves. Art evolves.

 

[Dave Bailey]

Believe it or not, I was a Nuevo move monster at one point.

I absolutely believe it. Converts are always the most zealous, and the tone of your posts sounds very much like that of a reformed smoker.

I can actually lead volcadas, colgadas, piernazos, etc. I just haven't led any of those in over a year. At some point, my mind decided these open embrace moves done to some ambient music weren't as satisfying as moving in close embrace with a lovely lady to some good tango music.

Good for you - and for what it's worth, I mostly agree with you.

But these are personal preferences, they're not "Good vs Evil".

I don't begrudge people their nuevo dancing;

Good of you.

I'm just curious why this seems to be solely a tango phenomenon.

It's not.

Every dance scene has similar controversies.

 

[Dave Bailey]

Music evolves. Dance evolves. Art evolves.

Times change. People change. Hairstyles change.

And don't call me Shirley.