I missed the AT class tonight as I was working late which was a shame. I got a text from Sean just before the improver class started saying they were men short; I hope that the ladies aren't discouraged and stop coming along.
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Originally Posted by Gav it isn't just Tango that get's played at a Practica/milonga |
I'll do my best Gav, but my knowledge of Tango music is pretty poor. You'll normally encounter 3 different sorts of music: tango, milonga (the same word is used for a dance event, the type of music and the dance you do to that music) and vals.
Milonga, generally, has a faster tempo than Tango and a more "playfull" feel - it's too quick for fancy figures so keep it simple and concentrate on having fun. I tend to play a game of trying to catch my follower out with syncopations, little rocking steps, rapid accelerations and decelerations and such like. Try not to bounce or to "pump" with your left arm in time to the music (both habits I had); your upper body should be smooth and level. I find it easier in close embrace, but then I find leading in close embrace easier for most things. You lead in exactly the same way as if you were dancing Tango but the mood is one of fun and giggles!
Wikipedia definition (normal wiki disclaimers apply)
You can get very slow milongas - it's the musical form that defines it. Have a listen to
Milonga del Angel by Piazzolla which makes for a really delicious, intense Tango.
Vals is, as you'd guess, the Tango form of walz. It's 3/4 time and as a leader you generally step on the 1, with occasional double-time steps on either 1,2 or 1,3. The follower will use 1,2 or 1,3 more frequently than the leader as she does giros and ochos and what not. The mood is generally more "swirly" than Tango and I tend to use a lot of rotations aiming for a "carried away on a wave of romance" sort of feel, if that makes sense. Try and keep a continuous flow of movement without any lengthy pauses. Again, stay smooth and level and lead in exactly the same way as a normal Tango. I'll open the embrace more in Vals to allow the rotations and sometimes Julie and I will play "keep your own axis in open embrace vals" to see who stumbles most often - she normally wins.
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Originally Posted by Jivecat I think it would be a Milonga but might degenerate into a practica. |
Judging by the Tango at Southport in June, that sounds about right. I'd treat it as a milonga and conform to the line of dance - I try to at practicas as well, moving into the centre if I want to stop and work on something rotational or static and then rejoining the line of dance to practice in normal movement. Diving across the line of dance isn't a great idea in any circumstances but you can get away with it at a practica (normally in an effort to get to a spot where there are no other dancers - why do we tend to cluster in one corner of the floor?!) Keep your eyes open - there'll be lots of people stopping and starting!
(In my travels I came across my hero
Gavito doing something a bit special.)