Learning Tango

[Gerry]

PS Mental note to self to prepare for Gerry's big moves prior to hitting the dance floor

Be prepared, be very prepared

[Lynn]

I've been going with a newbie to AT who is coming to SP - hoping to persuade him to venture into the practica/milonga.

He was a bit reluctant, but I managed to persuade him to come into the practica and have some dances, we tend to just practice to part of a track in class, so even dancing through to a whole track was 'new'.

Stayed on for the milonga... and ended up doing all of Jenny and Ricardo's classes (doing the intermediates ones fixed) and going to all the milongas. I think we worked it out as a total of 14 hours of tango over the weekend. And as if that wasn't enough, we went to our Monday tango class on the way home from the airport!

As well as practicing with my friend, I had some lovely dances with more experienced leads, who were forgiving of my mistakes. I also remembered that I love AT music.

So I've dug out my tango shoes (I hadn't even brought them to SP as I didn't think I'd be doing that much AT, many thanks to Ruby Red for letting me try hers :hug as it looks like I'm back to tango...

[rubyred]

So I've dug out my tango shoes (I hadn't even brought them to SP as I didn't think I'd be doing that much AT, many thanks to Ruby Red for letting me try hers :hug as it looks like I'm back to tango...

happy to help xxx

[rubyred]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ2u-xLu-QI

Some truths in here me thinks

[David Bailey]

That's brilliant

[jivecat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ2u-xLu-QI

Some truths in here me thinks

Painfully funny!

[jivecat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvGE0TGmCE

More in the same vein.

Are you pre-embarrassed yet?

[CheesyRobMan]

Lynn has tempted me along to a tango class in Belfast tonight... never done tango before. It's going to be interesting!

[rubyred]

Lynn has tempted me along to a tango class in Belfast tonight... never done tango before. It's going to be interesting!

well done Lynn, and good luck CheesyRobMan, hope you have 'fun'

[CheesyRobMan]

Had a good time the amount of concentration required just to walk back and forth left me quite drained! But seemed to pick up the basic technique OK. The teachers were good and focused on how to lead and follow, rather than "here are 7 sets of footwork, come back when you've learnt them". I'll try and get back, although like any other evening activity it'll depend on my nights off work...

[Lynn]

Had a good time the amount of concentration required just to walk back and forth left me quite drained! But seemed to pick up the basic technique OK. The teachers were good and focused on how to lead and follow, rather than "here are 7 sets of footwork, come back when you've learnt them". I'll try and get back, although like any other evening activity it'll depend on my nights off work...

I really enjoyed last night's class - lots of simple stuff about connection and lead and follow and the teachers (new ones this week, one just visiting for a few weeks from BsAs) spent a good bit of time watching and correcting.

Hope you can get back when you can, you were getting it.

[CheesyRobMan]

Went back last night, had a good time, feel like I'm getting the technique a bit better. Still the occasional collision though... Oh, and we got free group hug therapy too

[CheesyRobMan]

Week 3 - feeling more relaxed, not so tense all the time. Learning to do side steps as well as walking forwards & backwards, although they were encouraging us to walk musically and I'm still finding it hard to 'tune in' to the tango music. Finding the beat isn't a problem, but hearing the structure is a challenge. Apparently next week we're doing pivots...

[philsmove]

.....still finding it hard to 'tune in' to the tango music....

If the only the time you listen to tango music is during the lesson, understanding the music may be an issue. If you are not already , try listening to the music at other times

[ant]

but hearing the structure is a challenge. ...

It was suggested to me that Calo and early Di Sarli tracks have the clearest phrasing.

Originally posted by Philsmove If you are not already , try listening to the music at other times

If you do start listening to music at other times it may help if you start with these orchestras first.

[David Bailey]

Week 3 - feeling more relaxed, not so tense all the time. Learning to do side steps as well as walking forwards & backwards, although they were encouraging us to walk musically and I'm still finding it hard to 'tune in' to the tango music. Finding the beat isn't a problem, but hearing the structure is a challenge.

Good to know you're carrying on with it.

With regards to the music, I think if you're on the beat, after 3 weeks, I'd be very happy with that. I think trying to spend too much time working out musical structures at your stage may be counter-productive, it may damage your lead.

If, for example, you try to do double-time movements (which are far from easy to lead well) to fit the music, you're likely to make a mess of it.

I'd personally recommend focussing on the clarity of your lead for a while. I won't say how long "a while" should be as that may depress you...

Apparently next week we're doing pivots...

Try and avoid "rowing" with your left arm - it's so tempting for a MJ-er to try to lead with the left arm, and it's so wrong to do so.

[Zuhal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ2u-xLu-QI

Some truths in here me thinks

I am Kurt

(after Sparticus)

[Lynn]

Week 3 - feeling more relaxed, not so tense all the time. Learning to do side steps as well as walking forwards & backwards, although they were encouraging us to walk musically and I'm still finding it hard to 'tune in' to the tango music. Finding the beat isn't a problem, but hearing the structure is a challenge. Apparently next week we're doing pivots...

Glad you're enjoying it. Looking forward to some tango dances.

[CheesyRobMan]

This thread seems to have died so I hope I'm not transgressing by bringing it back. Went back to the tango class tonight after being away for a long time because of work - I had done some at Southport which I picked up easily (relatively speaking) and enjoyed a lot. So I turned up to the beginners class thinking it would be ok.

The so-called "beginners" class seemed to assume a much higher level of technique than previously, and I really struggled to pick up the pattern being taught. A lot of the follows took it upon themselves to stop me and tell me what I was doing wrong (and this varied partially or totally depending on the follow), and the teachers kept running over to stop me (and others) mid dance and correct us. I don't mind being taught - that's why I go to a class - but I hardly got a chance to dance for more than a few bars at a time because everyone kept interrupting me. I think I managed about 2 or 3 dances longer than 30 seconds.

Also, amusingly, we were all handed 2 sheets of paper detailing the anticlockwise rotation, which I knew about, and tango etiquette, most of which I'd heard before - one that was new was that apparently you're not allowed to ask anyone better than you to dance, because they will either "be forced to decline, or dance only with reluctance." So as a beginner, who are you expected to dance with? If you never dance with anyone better than you, how will you ever learn and improve? This is at odds with what I've been taught before and makes very little sense.

[Andy Razzle]

Never heard the new rule before, ignore it