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View Full Version : Tango - The beauty of "the" feeling ...



Bibi
5th-July-2008, 10:16 AM
I attended my first Tango class last night, where the teacher emphasised that the dance is especially about the energy and the feeling between the couple. So surely, it must be a "unique" feeling for each partner? Where the feelings (all different for every partner) are quite special, very sensual, however, these may not necessarily mean anymore or less than a dance and then there is perhaps, that extra special one - leaving one thinking - is it the dance or the person?? Does the couple experience more or less a similar feeling to each other?

As a novice dancer, trying to understand and intepret the "feelings" is a difficult one!

What does it all mean?? :confused: and should we try to make sense of it all ...

Andy McGregor
5th-July-2008, 10:53 AM
What does it all mean?? :confused: and should we try to make sense of it all ...Just enjoy the moment. Live in the moment and enjoy it for what it is. As soon as you start to analyse what is making you feel that way you've actually left the nowness and stepped back from it to take a look.

Of course you can think about it afterwards. But wouldn't you rather be having another "moment"?


p.s. Isn't this an MJ forum? Don't worry, you can also have those "moments" in MJ - if the music and partner are right.

mshedgehog
5th-July-2008, 12:06 PM
I attended my first Tango class last night, where the teacher emphasised that the dance is especially about the energy and the feeling between the couple. So surely, it must be a "unique" feeling for each partner? Where the feelings (all different for every partner) are quite special, very sensual, however, these may not necessarily mean anymore or less than a dance and then there is perhaps, that extra special one - leaving one thinking - is it the dance or the person?? Does the couple experience more or less a similar feeling to each other?

As a novice dancer, trying to understand and intepret the "feelings" is a difficult one!

What does it all mean?? :confused: and should we try to make sense of it all ...

I sympathise. There is a LOT of mumbo-jumbo in some tango classes. Should you try to make sense of it for now? In my opinion, don't bother now, and don't bother ever unless you really want to. I don't, because my world-view basically doesn't work that way, I'm a practical woman, and I am also a decent AT follower quite popular with leaders who feel great, so it's definitely not necessary.

If it is so poetic that it inspires and motivates you, then great, otherwise my advice as a dancer of tango is not to worry about it, just roll your eyes at that bit and try to work out what you are supposed to do with your body, and the 'feeling' will look after itself.

If the teacher is not one who's capable of explaining what to do with your body, find a better teacher if possible, otherwise just pay attention to the useful bits, do the best you can and start dancing socially as soon as you can - probably well before you feel fully confident. (Sometimes teachers who habitually waffle on about the 'feeling' are perfectly capable of explaining what to do with your body if asked a direct question, so try this if in doubt).

When you have grasped the very basic ideas of:

- what following is, and that you just go wherever you go to stay in front of him
- how to walk backwards with your feet close together and pivot without actually falling over, and
- how to not have your right arm too stiff or too floppy

... and you get to dance with good dancers, you will find out for yourself what the 'feeling' is all about. Honestly, it will just happen. You don't have to try to create it. And anyway your 'soul,' whatever that is, is yours, nobody can instruct you what to do with it. People say "You dance who you are". Other people's descriptions of what it should feel like are more or less useless.

There's no guarantee that both parties are experiencing more or less the same feeling. There's no way to know, anyway. Sometimes one can be having a fabulous time and it's a Very Good Thing they can't read the other one's thought bubble. That's just life.

Andy McGregor
5th-July-2008, 12:45 PM
Sometimes one can be having a fabulous time and it's a Very Good Thing they can't read the other one's thought bubble. That's just life.:yeah:

Very funny - and so true.

Kel_Warminster
5th-July-2008, 01:41 PM
I reached a new level of "dance-Zen" during the first night of tango in the Marquee at Southport in May/June....and I danced with several partners!

The mood of the day had been fantastic, I was relaxed and the Marquee's atmosphere was amazing. Quite easily the best 1 1/2 hours dancing I have experienced so far this year :) And it was the first time I had danced Argentine Tango...

philsmove
5th-July-2008, 03:17 PM
What does it all mean?? :confused: and should we try to make sense of it all ...

As may people will know the answer is 42 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything)

One my teacher’s favorite description of Tango is “one person with four legs”

So yes in the perfect Dance couple could experience more or less a similar feeling to each other

But looking for the perfect dance, is a bit like a surfer looking for the perfect wave, you might only get one in a life time

So enjoy the dance and don’t spent too much time analyzing other people thoughts

David Bailey
5th-July-2008, 03:56 PM
Welcome to the forum Bibi :)


p.s. Isn't this an MJ forum?
Technically, it's a Ceroc Scotland forum. But hey, feel free to explore that to its fullest conclusion, Mr English Independent MJ Operator... :na:

Oh, OK - I've moved the thread to the Land of 1000 dances, happy? :rolleyes:


Don't worry, you can also have those "moments" in MJ - if the music and partner are right.
Mmmm. You can, but Tango is far more intense, generally, at least when it goes right.

JiveLad
5th-July-2008, 07:02 PM
Mmmm. You can, but Tango is far more intense, generally, at least when it goes right.

Did you mean Tango is more in tents?

(See Tango Under The Tent (http://www.tangounderthetent.com/))


<Jive Lad quickly zips off after posting to a Tango thread for the first time......>

Andy McGregor
5th-July-2008, 09:08 PM
Technically, it's a Ceroc Scotland forum. But hey, feel free to explore that to its fullest conclusion, Mr English Independent MJ Operator... :na:I think you are wrong on every point in the above quote.

Firstly Ceroc in Scotland teach MJ. Therefore, "technically" it's an MJ forum.

I am not English - note the surname. Just because my father was ripped from the busom of his clan in Kilmarnock (0) and placed in servitude (alright, his father moved South to find work, but it doesn't sound so dramatic) in Sussex doesn't mean I am not Scottish. Were my tribe Zulu you would not make that mistake.

There is no such thing as an "Independent MJ Operator" or, you could say "all MJ organisations are independent". Saying someone is an "Independent MJ operator is either nonsense or the same as saying "MJ Operator" and the "Independent" bit adds nothing. There is no NHS of MJ or of dance for anyone to be "Independent" from. There are many dance schools teaching MJ. Some of them are bigger than others, and each one acts independently, no matter what it's size.


Mmmm. You can, but Tango is far more intense, generally, at least when it goes right.This is absolutely right. But, I think, it is the music and proximity of your partner that create the intensity. Once you've got the right music and you are holding your partner body-to-body, it gets "intense", no matter what dance you are doing*.

Of course, if you are bouncing up and down, doing semi-circles with your hands, breaking the frame, over-rotating your partner, etc, it might be difficult to create an intensity - it must be the same with Tango - badly taught dancers will not have such a good connection and intensity will be difficult :innocent:

It will also be difficult to create an intensity if you are dancing to the latest pop song by Kylie - unless your partner actually is Kylie :waycool:

David Bailey
5th-July-2008, 10:16 PM
I think you are wrong on every point in the above quote.

OK, Andy, let me rephrase that.

Don't have a go at the newbies. :mad:

Bibi also does MJ -but even if she didn't, she'd have a perfect right to ask questions.

And, Andy, whilst I'm at a loss as to why you're injecting your Tango expertise into this thread, I'd appreciate it if people actually stayed on-topic in dance discussion threads.

So:

This is absolutely right. But, I think, it is the music and proximity of your partner that create the intensity. Once you've got the right music and you are holding your partner body-to-body, it gets "intense", no matter what dance you are doing*.
No, all dances do not have the same intensity. You're closer to your partner in many dance forms (e.g. Bachata) than in Tango, and there's soulful music in almost every dance form. Well, OK, except Merengue obviously.

Tango is about intense connection - that's its USP. Blues, I believe, has a similar ethos, but MJ certainly doesn't; I've not seen any definition of MJ which emphasises intense connection as part of the style.

Ass MsHedgehog says, there's also a lot of guff talked by teachers :grin: - whilst I don't think the teacher BiBi refers to is a guff-pot, it's a heck of a culture shock coming from a Ceroc / MJ class to a Tango class, it's a complete world-change.

So Bibi, it's quite natural to be overwhelmed by the Tango thing. Stick with it, is my advice :wink:

Andy McGregor
6th-July-2008, 12:51 AM
OK, Andy, let me rephrase that.

Don't have a go at the newbies. :mad:I think my throw-away comment was precisely because one of the "newbies" had made her first post on our MJ forum about Tango :confused:

I did stay on-topic when responding to the "feeling" bit of her post.

And, when it comes to Tango. I've spent many years learning Tango and have even earnt the odd medal from the IDTA for, amongst other things, Tango. And I've done quite a few Argentine Tango classes too*. So I do feel reasonably qualified to comment about the intensity of the dance.

* I would do a lot more Argentine Tango if there were decent classes locally. There are no weekly classes in my area that I'm aware of that have the intensity and passion that the dance deserves. And I'm not going to fall into the trap of travelling to London two nights a week to get decent tuition - not again :tears:

David Bailey
6th-July-2008, 09:56 AM
And, when it comes to Tango. I've spent many years learning Tango and have even earnt the odd medal from the IDTA for, amongst other things, Tango. And I've done quite a few Argentine Tango classes too
Yes, I can see you with a flower in your teeth... :D

Andy McGregor
6th-July-2008, 09:59 AM
Yes, I can see you with a flower in your teeth... :DAnd one day I will learn the man's part of the dance :wink:

Bibi
6th-July-2008, 11:39 AM
I think my throw-away comment was precisely because one of the "newbies" had made her first post on our MJ forum about Tango :confused:



Sorry Andy :blush: - I must say that 1) Not only am I a newbee to this forum but new to dance so I am not an expert to know not to mix MJ and Tango (albeit MJ / Ceroc's defination "a fusion of dance forms :confused:) 2) I should have paid attention to "where" I posted my first post in relation to topic! (I shan't do this again).

Like you, there are no local AT venues for me and oops, I've fallen for it in a BIG way (oh dear!) and just like I need my Ceroc class ... more Tango - yes please!

Lynn
6th-July-2008, 11:48 AM
Like you, there are no local AT venues for me and oops, I've fallen for it in a BIG way (oh dear!) and just like I need my Ceroc class ... more Tango - yes please!I was like that too. Fell in love with AT and not much in the way of classes. Now there are classes, practicas and even monthly milongas locally - I really should get back to it.

There is a thread here (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/land-1000-dances/7420-learning-tango.html)where folk have shared their Tango journey and frustrations - warning - its very long! But its a good place to post your experiences of classes as you go along and I found it great to get some moral support and really helpful advice from other MJ folk who were further along the tango journey.

rubyred
6th-July-2008, 03:49 PM
try to work out what you are supposed to do with your body, and the 'feeling' will look after itself.

If the teacher is not one who's capable of explaining what to do with your body, find a better teacher if possible, otherwise just pay attention to the useful bits, do the best you can and start dancing socially as soon as you can - probably well before you feel fully confident.

When you have grasped the very basic ideas of:

- what following is, and that you just go wherever you go to stay in front of him
- how to walk backwards with your feet close together and pivot without actually falling over, and
- how to not have your right arm too stiff or too floppy

... and you get to dance with good dancers, you will find out for yourself what the 'feeling' is all about. Honestly, it will just happen.


:yeah::yeah::yeah:

As a relative newbie to AT I couldn't agree more with mshedgehog. The main thing I have concentrated on is what to do with my body. It is so important to dance with as many leaders as the night allows, even if you don't feel confident yet, this will help to improve your balance, posture, and enable you to feel what seems right and what doesn't, whilst also helping your confidence as a follower.

Good luck and welcome to world of Tango.:flower: