Learning Tango

[CeeCee]

Originally posted by Lynn
Then you just drive, respond to the road, road users, conditions, car, without much conscious thought.

Are we all on our way to Effortless Mastery in Tango as described in Stephen Brown’s article? Can it ever be like driving a car? Surely, we are all doomed because we think too much, no I’ll rephrase that, we are all doomed because we think at all.

What I am sure of is that my feet are killing me this morning after a super night of yummy, dreamy dancing at last night’s milonga. The music was sublime, lots of Gotan Project and other techno stuff with some 1930s Polish and Turkish orchestral Tango tracks thrown in for variety.

The class beforehand was full of foot flicking, tapping, nudging, swinging moves and one called the Canary! (Don’t ask) I’m on the verge of having a real rant but suffice to say the Canary has been consigned to the bottom of my list of moves to learn or look forward to. In fact, I think I’ve found my Tango Archie/Pretzel. The Canary is far too comical for my liking and reminded me of something from a Lindy Hop cabaret.

Briefly, leader and follower side by side, facing opposite directions, right hip to right hip, he scoops her right foot off the floor with his right foot and they look like lemons swinging their feet.

Not stylish, not elegant, not for me.







Sueño el Tango
I didn’t choose Tango, Tango chose me
The journey continues…

[LMC]

Originally Posted by CeeCee

... we are all doomed ...

- in approximately 5 billion years the Sun will go supernova and none of it will matter. Shame, because I'll probably just about have mastered walking properly by then

Part of the "problem" I think is that because we are beginners, we are inevitably dancing mostly with beginners. I wouldn't mind betting that dancing freestyle with someone who can *really* lead or follow would be just wonderful - and if they are sympathetic to our beginner-ish-ness maybe we'll be able to stop thinking about it so much and JFDI!

I'm extrapolating there from my beginner days in MJ - but tango people are fewer and further between and the culture is different, as well as the dance being a lot more structured (and difficult) - so maybe we'll just have to wait a little longer is all

Personally, I already have a glimmer that the first effortless (because the leader keeps it VERY simple) dance will be well worth the wait...

[philsmove]

Brilliant beginners class tonight

We started with a “role reversal” and with even numbers; all the ladies had a go at leading

Then on to learning how NOT to lead a cross and ganchos

But there is a very big gap between beginners, and improvers most of whom have been dancing for at least two years. It seems easier for the followers to move up but very difficult for leaders

[Lynn]

Tango tonight! Feels like ages since the last class (2 weeks). And I feel like I've gone backwards. Looking forward to seeing what I missed last week.

Though I'm finding the 'grab a man right at the start' thing a bit stressful now. If you don't you run the risk of either being forced into dancing lead for the whole two hours (which I don't want to do, not at this stage) or else getting 'lost' in the rotation. (I was out of the rotation for about 1/2 hour last time.) As the pairs move round the rotation while dancing and you don't while waiting - if you jump in when they rotate again you can get very annoyed looks from the next woman when they find they are now 'out' - but what other option is there?

Sorry, there's me having another moan - second thread this week.

[Lynn]

Tonight's class was a step forward again.

Only 2 women over and the teacher rotated us frequently so no long periods of waiting out. At one point the teacher joined in the rotation to dance with all the leads - great idea.

I decided to wear a skirt this week and it did feel nicer dancing tango in a skirt than jeans.

We went over a few things we have done before - the 'ocho cortado' and 16 count basic (because someone asked about it) and we learned the 'barrida' which was great as she showed us some decorations - the lapis, the shoe shine and a little kick. One partner said I was like a frisky pony with my kick, not sure if that was a compliment or not! I did like the shoe shine move though.

A milonga is planned (the other one I mentioned never happened) - and I can't go! Its the same night as the Ceroc NI 'All that glitters' freestyle party (1st April) which of course I will be at! But I'm not at the level yet for a milonga anyway and I'm sure there will be another one.

I think I said in the other thread that I feel I need a 'led' tango dance every so often (rather than just practicing a sequence of steps) to help me feel I'm on the right path. I was fortunate enough to get the more experienced lead in the rotation near the end and after a track or two practicing the barrida he said 'Lets just dance' and did a freestyle dance which turned out to be the last track of the night.

And went for coffee after class again...with a different guy this time.

[philsmove]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Tonight's class was a step forward again.

Learning Tango is defiantly a two steps backward one step forward experience
Fortunately occasionally one goes four steps in the right direction

I have very similar experiences to you in Bristol and Bath were there are often men over

Last night in Bath, one of the more experience men offered to be a follower for the whole of the beginner’s class


This was great, as he explain exactly what was wrong with my lead

Tango classes; do not seem as well organised at moving round, as MJ classes

it is frustrating to pay an hour’s lesson and only have 15 minutes instruction

The etiquette of having 3 dances before changing partners does not help the practice session when there is an imbalance of numbers

As mentioned in the North London, thread the standard of teaching seems very variable, but there are some very good classes about

[Lynn]

The morning after my tango class and I now have a question (which worryingly was almost the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning, was I dreaming I was dancing perhaps?).

Normally when the man steps forward the woman steps back out of his way. In the barrida she waits for him to push her foot away (which I didn't always do, it seemed more natural to step out of his way). How do I know the difference? Is it because the feet are touching that I wait for him to push my foot away? Are there other moves where this is done?

[philsmove]

Originally Posted by Lynn

The morning after my tango class and I now have a question (which worryingly was almost the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning, was I dreaming I was dancing perhaps?).

only worry when you dont dream about dancing

Originally Posted by Lynn

Normally when the man steps forward the woman steps back out of his way. In the barrida she waits for him to push her foot away (which I didn't always do, it seemed more natural to step out of his way). How do I know the difference? Is it because the feet are touching that I wait for him to push my foot away? Are there other moves where this is done?

BarridaThe barrida refers to any move in which one or other - even both - partners sweep - or appear to sweep - their partner's foot along the floor with their own.There are many starting positions but interplay is always between two unweighted feet and the motion is controlled by rotation of the leader's torso, not his feet.

The barrida can appear to be a hooked or a magnetic "pull" or "push" depending on relative feet position; it can take place between either foot of leader and follower; and can be in either direction. It can also be linear or rotary according to the direction of the basic move that is being accentuated by the barrida.

[Lynn]

Thanks, I was wondering when the link turned up a picture of a church in Cambridge, presume the website is Cambridge based or linked.

I think there are only 2 or 3 more weeks of my Tango course. Don't know what I'll do then!

[Graham W]

Again not time to read all this HUGE thread but that I randomly selected a lady to dance weds (okay she was wearing black) and was rewarded with an amazing dance - felt like something out of the tango lesson,

how do u guys remeber the moves...,

G

[CeeCee]

Happiness is…

A teeny weeny bit of Buenos Aires in London

Saturday Night, 11th March, Corrientes, Mary Ward Hall, Tavistock Place, London.

The Website said 7.45, a friend said 8.00 but I arrived at 7.35 to find that the beginner’s class had started at 7.00. This is a shame because with just four people it would have been like a private lesson.

While waiting I chatted to a chap who seemed to know about every teacher at every venue, everywhere in London. He certainly had an opinion about all of them (especially our little lamb, Fed) even though he told me that he hasn’t taken lessons for a long time.

There was a reverent introduction for Pablo Pugliese, an Argentinian from Buenos Aires, who is in London for a couple of weeks teaching at classes and workshops. He is the son of Mingo and Esther Pugliese who have taught many of the current teachers and performers of Tango. (I guess these are the people Clive referred to in his post about his experiences last Wednesday).

Pablo taught the intermediate class, after dancing to a couple of tracks first he asked us to think about our ‘relationship with the floor’. Mmm… thought provoking stuff. He told us that leading from the chest puts us in the wrong position, so we spent some time finding our ‘centre’ (is it supposed to tickle?) and maintaining the distance between our centre and our partner’s centre. Pablo called the giro a turn, he called the barrida/sweep a drag. I found it interesting that he didn’t feel the need to call the moves by their Spanish names.

He continued with an amazingly inspiring class concentrating on the structure of Tango being centred around the turn. Pablo talked a lot about the turn, we practised while thinking about the relationship between the leader’s and follower’s shoulders at various stages of the turn.

Everything he said made absolute sense. All moves stem from the turn. They are all variations of the turn. He emphasised that knowledge, experience and confidence in leading and following the turn form the basis of improvisation, rendering the learning of moves unnecessary.

I was fortunate enough to dance with a fantastic leader who made it all seem so easy. I said I was fascinated by Pablo’s words and wanted to write it all down. He said “There is no need to write it down, you just have to feel it”.

I spoke to people who were teachers of Tango, or here on holiday from Buenos Aires, or living here but from Buenos Aires, or just about to return to Buenos Aires, some of them don’t take classes any more but when they ever did... they were in Buenos Aires.

The Milonga was amazing. With around 130 people I was told that there were extra dancers because of the visiting dignitaries. Pablo’s parents were treated like royalty and were obviously much respected.

The standard of dancing was awesome, inspiring and a joy to watch. The dancing was slow, languid, stylish, elegant and fluid with very few kicks, flicks and other fancy foot stuff. (Certainly, didn’t see a single canary!) So many couples moved as one complete totally integrated unit. They seemed to assume a position of the closed embrace and maintain it throughout. It was clearly evident that these people have considerable experience and knowledge of this craft and have been dancing for a long time. This is the first place I’ve been where couples actually danced to the beat of the music, stopping at the breaks, executing slow pivots, slides and sweeps during the pauses and ending on the last note of the track. These guys knew the music.

A few women danced with their eyes closed. Wow, is that the ultimate?

It was an evening of total inspiration and there was so much to be gained by just being there, soaking up the atmosphere.

We are new, very new, there is so very much to learn, our journey has only just begun and last night the destination moved much much further away.













Sueño el Tango
I didn’t choose Tango, Tango chose me
The journey continues…

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by CeeCee

The standard of dancing was awesome, inspiring and a joy to watch. The dancing was slow, languid, stylish, elegant and fluid with very few kicks, flicks and other fancy foot stuff. (Certainly, didn’t see a single canary!) So many couples moved as one complete totally integrated unit. They seemed to assume a position of the closed embrace and maintain it throughout. It was clearly evident that these people have considerable experience and knowledge of this craft and have been dancing for a long time. This is the first place I’ve been where couples actually danced to the beat of the music, stopping at the breaks, executing slow pivots, slides and sweeps during the pauses and ending on the last note of the track. These guys knew the music.
A few women danced with their eyes closed. Wow, is that the ultimate?

It was an evening of total inspiration and there was so much to be gained by just being there, soaking up the atmosphere.

This is what I would love to see, to experience. To be somewhere where people who have danced tango for many years just express the music, to watch, to be inspired. *sigh*

Originally Posted by CeeCee

We are new, very new, there is so very much to learn, our journey has only just begun and last night the destination moved much much further away.

It is such a long journey and I feel even more limited being in Belfast than I did with MJ. With MJ I could sort of manage and even progress somewhat dancing solely at weekender freestyles. I know I can't do that with Tango. I'm beginning to think that my best way of progressing in Tango here in NI is to find a dance partner, take private lessons and travel to Dublin regularly. I should start looking.

[Feelingpink]

After what I think are months of not dancing, I took my first tango lesson last night. Yum. A tango connection should be made a rite of passage - something that everyone needs to learn to be considered an adult ... sure we'd all be so much happier in the world.

I went with Clive & met DJ & CeeCee, so it was delightful to have friendly faces there and Clive's introductions to others. It was also thanks to his great directions (cream pub, go down the left-hand side, near the mini-cab office etc etc) as well as having run into Kate Hargreaves by complete coincidence earlier in the evening, who had mentioned that the venue was called The Dome, that I found it with no problems at all.

The lesson was all about technique and very like a vertical pilates lesson (but more fun, because there is actually a point to it, rather than "just" being something that is good for you). We did some walking and turning and leading and following, feeling where your partner's weight is. What I did find very odd and somehow very intimate was allowing the guy to lead with just your hand on his chest. The actual action wasn't weird, but leaving it there for such a long time with a complete stranger was. But when the lovely teacher came over to get the guy to lead with his chest more, it completely transformed the guy I was dancing with - an absolute wow - so strong and manly. Yum again.

I'm definitely there next week, but also need to find a class that teaches actual steps as well (Mr Long is going to help me here). When dancing with DJ, it helped hugely having a vague recollection of a hero, from Kate & Will's Jango classes as well as ochos (& before DavidB chimes in, there is no need for Will/hero jokes).

Watching a number of couples after the class, it was definitely a case of "I'll have what they're having". I want to be able to 'do' this tango thing (even if it is going to take a lifetime).

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Feelingpink

After what I think are months of not dancing, I took my first tango lesson last night. Yum. A tango connection should be made a rite of passage - something that everyone needs to learn to be considered an adult ... sure we'd all be so much happier in the world.

Its so good to read about someone else 'discovering' tango!

...an absolute wow - so strong and manly. Yum again.

Maybe that's part of the appeal - men do seem to be 'strong' in Tango -not by sheer force but in their 'intention'. Hmmm, yum too!

When dancing with DJ, it helped hugely having a vague recollection of a hero, from Kate & Will's Jango classes as well as ochos (& before DavidB chimes in, there is no need for Will/hero jokes).

Just a little point - its 'giro' (pronounced hiro) as in 'turn'. Sorry to spoil any anticipated hero jokes.

Watching a number of couples after the class, it was definitely a case of "I'll have what they're having". I want to be able to 'do' this tango thing (even if it is going to take a lifetime).

And it probably will. But a lifetime of learning tango doesn't seem any great hardship to me.

[Feelingpink]

Originally Posted by Lynn

...

Just a little point - its 'giro' (pronounced hiro) as in 'turn'. Sorry to spoil any anticipated hero jokes.

Thank you x

[Rhythm King]

*Hijack the Tango thread for a change mode*


Of course in Germany, giros are doner kebabs

Ah, the sweet taste of revenge, seasoned of course with chili sauce and lemon salad dressing. Mwahahaha!

R-K

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Rhythm King

*Hijack the Tango thread for a change mode*

Hijack the tango thread? Its supposed to be the other way round!

Actually this must be one of the most focused and least hijacked threads on the forum. (Can we keep it that way, pretty please? )

[Lory]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Its so good to read about someone else 'discovering' tango!
Maybe that's part of the appeal - men do seem to be 'strong' in Tango -not by sheer force but in their 'intention'. Hmmm, yum too!

I know what you mean... for some reason, the men seem more manly in Tango, they have a kind of dominant presence about them, which in turn makes me feel very feminine

Maybe it's the serious passionate look on their faces (called concentration ) or their stance, with the proud chest, or the power they have to move you, with just their body movements, whilst maintaining a softness in their hands and not manhandling you?