Technical – Practical observations
Research has been done on the economic, social and cultural history of Argentina and particularly on the city of Buenos Aires. These writings are, in part, a testimony of my “Porteña” origins. The son of “tanguero” parents of Buenos Aires who lived during the golden age of tango, I have spent the last sixty years in this city, absorbing its culture and emotions.
In this section I would like to provide the results of the notes that I obsessively took in the tango classes in Argentina that I participated in for many years. I would also like to share the notes taken by my students in my own tango courses in Argentina, related to their difficulties, achievements, and observations. Finally, in addition to these observations, I would like to provide references about the psycho-motility, physiology and anatomy of movement.
The following are some of the thoughts I jotted down:
The human being is in movement even before birth. We move in our mother’s uterus. We dance before we speak. In fact, “Movement, even when brief, says more that full pages of verbal description” (R. Laban). Dance is a language of expression, and it is necessary to open channels to allow for the sensitivity that creates movement.
Since every human being is unique, our expressive patterns are what gives each of us identity. My proposal is to bring out that expression and to improve it.
The embrace is a privileged moment that should not be sacrificed to dance apart in choreographies.
Trends: The true dancer will choose the aesthetics that suit his or her own style and personal way of feeling and expressing. This means choosing movements that are possible, comfortable, easily performed, and enjoyable.
Who do we dance for? At its best, tango is an experience shared by two partners. It is not a presentation to be shown to an audience. It is a spontaneous expression of being.
The basics of tango are not “the basic steps.” Because tango is a dance of improvisation, the leader and follower do not need to memorize any steps. This memorization leads to dancing automatically, “by” heart and not “with” the heart.
The follower doesn’t “obey.” The woman has a much more active, enlightened and stimulating role than the old statement, “A good female dancer is one who simply follows.” In true tango, the leader and follower are equal and complimentary. It is a question of listening and responding, and this dialogue takes two people: the man and the woman. Neither role is superior to the other.
From the soul: If there is a message in tango, it is to enlighten, to bring you closer to your own, unique story. This can only be done by avoiding imitation. The masters and models may be useful in showing us the way each of them individually feels the tango, but that is “their” tango. No one can dictate your emotions and the way you feel the music.
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