Jive / Tango: fusion / stepping stones / tasters and suchlike

[David Bailey]

OK, following on from the discussion we had recently in the "Should tango be done properly" thread (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8483) about Jive / Tango - fusions, stepping-stones, tasters and the like, Chris has had some interesting ideas about the whole "fusion" thing, which have caused me (yet again) to rethink.

Summing up - there is no "right way", there's a number of different paths, and it all depends on what you want to achieve.

I've created a new section on my site for this area:
http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/

We'll be adding more content to this area, to try to describe these different paths - the idea is that this will act like a SatNav for people trying to navigate their way through the Tango jungle, hence the name TomTom Tango :)

I'd very much appreciate some suggestions for other content to fit in this area, or any feedback on existing content there.

[Trouble]

Was going to wait till May to start Tango but Scarface and i have decided to go for it now or as soon as possible.

Is there a intense workshop weekend or a good place to start to get to know it as quickly as possible.

We can do every other weekend and all nights during the week exept Weds...

Any pointers would be great.
xxxx

[David Bailey]

Is there a intense workshop weekend or a good place to start to get to know it as quickly as possible.

Tango Boot Camp would be ideal - the next one is on 30th Nov:
http://www.decadancenights.co.uk/tangobootcamp/id22.html

Edit: hmmm, that one may not be ideal for a complete novice, but maybe call up and ask?

[Trouble]

Tango Boot Camp would be ideal - the next one is on 30th Nov:
http://www.decadancenights.co.uk/tangobootcamp/id22.html

Edit: hmmm, that one may not be ideal for a complete novice, but maybe call up and ask?

yes not ideal for novices. Also, got Adam that weekend which is a bit annoying.

Come on Bailey.. how about a bit of training once a week for me and Dan... you know you want too... could do with you and Lory actually, even better.

:D :D :D :D

[philsmove]

I don’t think there is a quick way to learn Tango, it sort of has to sink in

I am just getting the hang of it after 4 years

( I completely gave up 3 times )

I would suggest you start with two or three night’s week

for a one day Beginners Workshops you wont beat
Tango Toolkit Beginners Workshops (http://www.tangouk.co.uk/tkjan09.htm)and don’t let the Milonga in the evening intimidate you, just soak up the atmosphere

[David Bailey]

. could do with you and Lory actually, even better.
I saw you dancing with her last night, you hussy. :na:

Actually, Lory's better at teaching than I am. Don't tell her I said that though.

[martingold]

I saw you dancing with her last night, you hussy. :na:

Actually, Lory's better at teaching than I am. Don't tell her I said that though.
so whens lory :worthy::worthy: going to set up tango school for all us would be dancers

[Trouble]

I saw you dancing with her last night, you hussy. :na:

Actually, Lory's better at teaching than I am. Don't tell her I said that though.

yes i gave Lory a few of the trouble moves that seem to turn men into quivering wrecks..... (beyond me why)... anway, she did well to follow me cause trust me, i actually am crap at it... LOL

Lory is exceptionally good at teaching which i didn't realise until last night. She picked up on two habits of scarfaces that i had not picked up on and her simple change to what he is doing has made an exceptional difference. Brilliant.

Tango though... cant wait to do more of that cause i suspect, with Scarface's natural dance tendancys he will make a great tangoer.

Looking forward to next sunday and doing a little bit more before we get it on with Mark and Racheal. xxzxx

[Rachel]

yes i gave Lory a few of the trouble moves that seem to turn men into quivering wrecks..... (beyond me why)... anway, she did well to follow me cause trust me, i actually am crap at it... LOL

Lory is exceptionally good at teaching which i didn't realise until last night. She picked up on two habits of scarfaces that i had not picked up on and her simple change to what he is doing has made an exceptional difference. Brilliant.

Tango though... cant wait to do more of that cause i suspect, with Scarface's natural dance tendancys he will make a great tangoer.

Looking forward to next sunday and doing a little bit more before we get it on with Mark and Racheal. xxzxxGood for you two! You see, tango's contagious ... Will look forward to seeing you both next Sunday - I shall be up & dancing again by then, I hope!

Rachel x

[David Bailey]

OK, there's a couple more "Fusion" entries now:


"I want to learn lots of cool moves" (http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/CoolMoves.html)
I want to learn technique (http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/Technique.html)


All comments welcome.

[David Bailey]

Another couple of "Fusion" articles:


One Step at a time (http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/OneStep.html)
Getting Sidetracked (http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/Sidetracked.html)


Remember to evolve into a chicken not a poodle :wink:

[Gadget]

Filtering places

You're also going to be a lot more fussy about where you dance, the type of music and the people who are there, the MJ equivalent of Weekenders or Specialist Freestyles. Again, despite the MJ cries of "Hotshot!" it's simply that you've moved to a different place. Your directions are now "head downstairs" rather than "head south". But you're both still heading to the same place.

What can also happen is that the person is traveling to a different place, but they've gotten lost because they didn't have this road map; how much you want to filter them probably depends on where you both are on the journey. So using the analogy we started with, two people heading from Scotland, one to Wales one to England could both "travel south" for a while, but there will reach a point where one of you is heading in the wrong direction.
This analogy explains and tries to justify "Hotshotism", but it fails to take into account where you've been, the path you've taken to get where you are, and where you are just now: It focuses on where you want to be - England or Wales rather than Scotland (and that's just wrong for a start! :rofl: )
It seems that it's looking to justify ignoring everyone of a lower level than yourself... which to me is a self-defeating argument and one that promotes the hotshotism cry.

The MJ journey may take a similar path, the travellers may be travelling to different places, but every step taken is one that can be trodden again: you can meet someone on the same path as you were on and dance with them. If someone has gone to Wales and someone else to England, then you can both still meet at the point where paths diverged and dance.

Personally I find getting "lost" is part of the exploration and fun in MJ.

[David Bailey]

This analogy explains and tries to justify "Hotshotism"
No, it really doesn't.

It's part of a series of articles, which overall describe the different potential journeys to different destinations, based on your aims.

It's not unreasonable to filter people based on circumstances - there was exactly this discussion on the "I didn't get a dance with you tonight" thread. For example, here:


This is yet another reason why the music is so important to me. To give someone the very best dance I tend to pair people with types of music. I hear a track and have seen someone that I would like to dance with to that type of track earlier. So I think "this is a so-and-so track" then scout around to try and find that person for a dance.

This means that if suitable music isn't forthcoming I tend to miss dances with people - but I may have a few with other people whose style suit the music better on the night. But hey; that's just the way I are :flower: Maybe I need to be more discerning with my choice of venue.

It's not hotshotty to say that people have different strengths or are at different stages, is it?


It seems that it's looking to justify ignoring everyone of a lower level than yourself... which to me is a self-defeating argument and one that promotes the hotshotism cry.
Only if you think that England is "lower" than Wales - they're different, is all.

And Ghost (Chris) is about the least hot-shotty person on the planet, in my experience.

[David Bailey]

OK, we've now got the full set of destinations up:
http://www.jivetango.co.uk/Fusion/

The destinations we've identified are:

...Dance to modern music
...Master tango NOW!
...Improve my connection / frame / dance technique in MJ
...Learn a fusion dance
...Add Tango-y moves / footworks to my MJ
...Learn lots of cool moves
...Learn technique


If you can think of any we've missed out, please let me know.