Part two

In the first part, I suggested that in order to become a musical dancer, you need to think of your leader role as being a choreographer. I said that you need to focus on meshing movements and music. To do that well, you need to improve your own technique and to study tango music.

In this part, I will dive a little bit deeper into how I think about this. I will give credit to specific teachers as I can remember where I learned which elements. There are two main teachers from whom I have learned “musicality” with respect to tango dancing (see the end for details).

Tango works in 4/4 time. Vals is in ¾ time. Milonga is in 2/2 time.

4/4 time means that there are four beats in a measure. Our main timing for tango dancing is to land our steps on beats 1 and 3.

¾ time means that there are three beats in a measure. For vals, we typically land our steps on the first beat (or the “1”) of each measure.

2/2 time (otherwise known as "half time") means that there are two beats in a measure. For milonga, we tend to land our steps on each of them.

As in all things tango related, the variations are very large and there are no set rules. However, just keep these ideas in mind upon which to build your musical foundation. Once the emerging leader understands the framework, he understands where variation is possible.

Taking tango music first, tango ideas (or phrases) tend to play out across eight measures. Recall that each of these measures contains four beats and we are typically stepping on the 1 and the 3 of each of those measures.

You, the choreographer, can use even this basic idea to begin to plan your dancing.

First, find the 1 and the 3. Organize your movements to step on those beats. Even if you can’t or don’t want to count the beats out for four measures and then for four more, you will develop a feel for these phrases – when they begin, when they end. Keep your ears open. They feel quite natural once you start really paying attention.

Contrast is the key to the beauty, drama and tension of tango music. Accordingly, if one phrase has been sharp with accented notes (staccato), the next phrase is likely to contrast with the first one and be more flowing (legato).

The vocals can likewise create this contrast. The simple act of the voice coming into the music and you adjusting the tone of your body and the way in which you move can create a very significant effect.

To make your dance feel musical, in the accented section, “play” those accents on the floor with your feet. You aren't stomping on the ground, but allow your feet to truly *land* so that the steps can be felt by your partner and that your entire body *arrives* with your step.

Then, in the flowing section, step more lightly, more gracefully. These sections are better for the panther-like steps of the more elegant method of walking and stepping.

Listen for the end of the phrases. They usually make perfect times to pause. You can use this pause to finish your current idea and to think about the next phrase. Don’t be afraid to pause for a whole measure ( a count of 4). Enjoy holding each other.

_Conclusion_

Learn how your body moves. Learn how it moves when connected to a partner. Study the music. Add variations to your movements that are suggested to you by the music. Play. Have fun.

Endnotes:

The first teacher is Brett Lemley, a professional trumpet player and the Director of Tango Mercurio’s Community Orchestra. He also dances tango. His contributions to my learning have been most directly in translating a sheet music approach to hearing tango music. He also unlocked for me the idea of how different instruments behave in the unique idiom of tango music. I have taken several classes with him and I expand my knowledge each time.

The second teacher is Murat Erdemsel, one of the best tango dancers out there today. Murat is also a visual artist. He developed a workshop on the idea of “kiki” and “buba” in the context of tango music. For my purposes here, I will say that “kiki” is sharp, staccato music, while “buba” is flowing and legato. Tango music continually contrasts these ideas.