Tangodurians

Goals for this Tango year: - Continue to improve leading - Get deeper into the movements and music - Starting again with foundations (feet placement, weight, balance, transfers) Always and forever a noob. Training for the first ASEAN Tango Championships, more about process than outcome really but have always been a competitive spirit so part of me really wants to make an impact. We definitely are not at the stage of winning but if improvement continues then it'll at least make a dent in the social dancing. Training. Why is it that Tango doesn't inspire the same practice spirit that a lot of other activities require (tennis, swimming, basketball, piano..heck anything I've ever picked up, or been dragged into, in my life so far)? Maybe it's the fact and core of what makes it so appealing, that we rest on our laurels because we depend so much on what the partner is giving (50-50) hence...we think that if we give 50 and the other person gives 25 then we might a...

It's been a fair while since I've taken any lessons, and not even foundational, lets break it to its lowest denominator type lessons. As a lead. Just watching the ease of execution, the degree and quality of movement was astounding and this, ladies & gentlemen is what we work for. Also getting to dance with the teacher on my own merit *faints* Plenty of notes! Lesson 1 - Walking - Start by feeling the weight transfer from left to right - transfer should be 100% of the weight - The lead stands more vertically with the intention forward, while the follow has a slight angle to reach - As a lead, watch the neck forward and shoulders up, intention is an internal action and not an actual lean, watch the shoulder sway and move linearly instead - Lift the toes so that you are aware that the weight is further back and on the heels - Stretch and separate the two half of the torso from the legs; ground downward to push the floor, but lift upward to transfer momentum &...

Tango often gives conflicting messages – go left but lean right, be strong and yet soft, be present and yet follow, give and yet yield. No wonder half the time it’s such a mess to sort out when you first start. And yet, what draws you to the dance is the first steps you take, hands stretched out in front of you with the other clueless beginner. Just, moving and trying not to step on the others feet. That is the Tango you first encounter and it is neither technically, nor visually appealing. But what draws you to it is the mode of communication. The ability to say everything without words, the ability to deliver an idea with the body rather than talking or thinking of something. That is what drops us into the whirlpool of time, effort, frustrations and elations that is yet to come…if you stick with Tango. See, Tango picks its characters, its lovers, its haters, its obsessives and its preachers. It’s entirely a love hate relationship, whether you never want to dance it because ...

Tango has meant different things to me at different stages of my life. Stage 0 - September 2009 "Tango as a differentiator" Expectation: It started out as a notion of difference - "I do the Tangooo" I'd drawl - red lipstick, long flamenco looking swishy dresses with ruffles and leave everything else to the imagination of my listener. Passion, fire, attitude, dominance. Reality: Tango is subtle, a conversation not manifested beyond the surface. Yes, red lipstick, no, not long dresses unless you want to rip it and trip yourself up. Yes, passion and attitude but quiet confidence prized above all. A meeting of equals, an intellectual conversation at its most developed state. Stage 1 - September - December 2009 "Tango as a dance" Expectation: Quick footwork, steps, technicality, sequences, stomping across the floor Reality: I am walking backwards in flipflops - wtf am I doing. Of course I can walk, ok I can't walk with someone blocking my...

What is it to be mature in this dance? Everytime I review the journey I wonder over and over again how I could have possibly danced last year, how anyone could have enjoyed dancing with me, with that funny embrace, that un-disassociated upper body, that off balance ocho. Yet the breakthrough seems to be sustained over the last year. After getting a full ass-kicking going to to the Istanbul Tango Marathon, a revelation of sorts with TC's teaching, a continued involvement in shaping and crafting the scene for KL tango, I have settled into a relatively peaceful place with this dance. I also attribute this highly to Yoga having helped me stretch out some previously un-stretchable parts and helping the balance tremendously. Deep diving in the bio-mechanics of this dance, into the music and the history, just bringing myself out of the fog of unawareness and bliss. This is where the true complexity of Tango unfolds itself. Much like a baby becomes a toddler who transforms into a teen...

Tango communities tend to pop up in a fashion that is rather ad-hoc. In areas where there are dedicated teachers, it'll be in a space as a business, as someones livelihood and dealing with the mundane of rental - overheads and operating cost. In Malaysia for the longest time, Tango was like the pop-up that happened anywhere and everywhere, from Changkat to Bangsar, from restaurants to houses. Even now, this is quite the essence of it, Fame studio is currently the only true dedicated space to Tango and growing it as a hub will be the challenge we will face in the coming year(s). What is it that makes Tango such an underground scene? The awareness of it is minimal if you take the average Malaysian off the street, and yet with such little following, you will see us going to milongas on a regular basis, looping in the temporary or long-term visitor into the scene and making them a part of its core. My first memory of Tango in Malaysia will inexplicably be linked to Tuesday night...

Tango often feels like a loop, as though you keep revisiting things over and over and over again, except continually through a new lens, through new insights, through new understandings. It's like having the tools to pass a level at a rudimentary level at the first go, then once you've covered the breadth of the landscape, going over the level again, this time with a deeper level of sophistication, ever shaping and shaping and crafting and toying with new ideas and refining that skill on the pottery wheel. Is something ever shiny enough? Probably not, it's a continuous and continual process.  An area I would want to explore is the concept of a conversation. Dance is a conversation, we have good conversations, bad conversations, moments of silence and moments where you can't get the words out of your head or mouth fast enough. With each partner you see this range of what is being said, sometimes we even dabble in other languages, if you're at that level.  ...

Headed to Paris over the course of the new years for the Tango Marathon. Was interesting, small-ish marathon, not the nicest venue and limited number of dancers, but was quite impressed by the quality in general. By the last night left foot so out of whack that really wasn't enjoying dancing anymore, but that's quite normal! That being said, I would have rated this one a B+. Atmosphere was ok, could have been nicer, dancers were a mixed bag too, music was all round good.  Other than that was nice travelling with the Tango girls, gossiping, eating, sightseeing, The funny thing is, once coming back, a regular dancer exclaimed - from the first embrace-, "is this how they embrace in Europe?" Turns out that I had become far more comfortable with the close embrace than I had realised, and it probably boils down to more "rolling" which was something taught by T.C. sometime mid this year. That is to say you're always seeking for the chest, even in ...

Tonight. An avalanche of men. A tanda with a solid dancer. A playful vals with the lilting ochos. A dramatic sweep and trampolining skirt ganchos. A heavy rhythmic Noelia wannabe impersonation for the Milonga. An accented weight change that is not off-putting but very...interesting. Music was divine. All the solid songs strung together. Safe. But a good kind. Weight on point. Mindset on point. You see, Tango. It gives you these moments, these moments of pure fun, of showing off, of enjoying the music and really dancing to it while keeping an eye to what your partner is suggesting. If you stick with Tango you unlock levels as you go. Friends. Lovers. Strangers that turn into the most intimate acquaintance for 12 minutes. Being able to give and receive joy, this is where the true essence is. Forget about hierarchy or rank. Forget about being hesitant or snobbish about dancing with that one who doesn't look that good. Focus on yourself in the dance, even the quietest talker...

Ah, Musicality. So hard to teach. So so hard. Lessons with Bichi and Luciana who are a lovely couple. Facing all our very blur and quizzical faces and off tempo walking, totally patient and totally strict on the fundamentals. Tough love! Side Runs - Side step then forward outside for the guy, side-collect x3 by the fourth a walk forward, change weight, step back and repeat the whole sequence - To maintain the step and collect to the side, elevate the follower and keep the side on intention clear so she does not end up doing a grapevine, don't let the hips run free (square feel) - Additional post side run will be to rotate the follower so she is on the side of the lead, keeping thighs somewhat close and doing a back-cross sequence x3 as well; the accent is on the back, the cross is a tuck and more of a quick transfer into the next step rather than a rock-step - Do not change the height with the side step, that does not mean that you lock the knee but you try and maintain th...

The more and more I think about WHERE I want to be with this dance, the more I'm leaning toward being a visually fun and fantastic person to watch. I know, everyone says the best Tango can never be seen, and I do not disagree with that, in fact I wholeheartedly agree, but at the same time, I find that putting on an 'act' or a persona, allows me end up inhabiting my moves so much more. That the fact that you can fake it til you make it actually has some truth to the matter. When we see teachers, and when we see professionals dance, all I see is the gloss and polish and shine. The confidence is palpable, sometimes because they have a set choreography (which can either be discernible or not), sometimes because they have practiced together since they were 5 and know how just about every sequence will feel like before it is done. Practice. One thing I've always tried to not do is..not practice. I have always felt that practicing takes away the rawness of matching energi...

Made a holiday out of it this year by combining the Marathon with sightseeing. Istanbul has always had a strong Tango scene. Sometimes I wonder whether cities where "huzun" features so strongly in the DNA of a place creates such fantastic musicality. Do you really have to understand the death and decay in order to move and express yourself? Perhaps? It makes sense then that they hold their own dancing with such pride. If B.A. is the birthplace, then no doubt, Istanbul is its protege. It's fascinating watching the examples of what an advanced community looks like. The fact that there are so many schools, so many people dancing that no one quite knows everyone else makes you realise that in this community, there is no need to travel elsewhere to find new dancers. They're all here. Every night of the week. That being said, it was also highly frustrating wanting to dance but not being able to cabaceo. I really need to work on the eye contact thing and get over how ...

It has been a while since I have managed to bring myself back toward elements of beginning stages. Back to the days in tiled Union lobbies with an exasperated ponytailed guy telling me to shut my eyes and just feel. To stop fighting the lead and to surrender. What does it mean to be a good dancer? I sometimes think we are so caught up within this dance that we do not utilise everything else outside of it to inform our progress. Metaphors and imagery resonate so much stronger than describing a step ever will. What does it mean to be a good speaker then? Is it necessary to be Oprah before we deem ourselves worthy of the title? Hardly! Then why is it that we expect to dance like Rojas, like Hurtado, or any other headlining name? Maybe because Tango is so accessible, so fundamental in nature, like walking, that we believe we can partake in it, and expect to at a very high level. Truth is, it really does require training, it requires years of dedication much like ballet, gymnastic, yog...

Tangoblitz wrapping up this weekend with Alejandra Hobart and Adrian Veredice, good sessions, always refreshing to see the level that professionals get up to. Notes, notes, notes! Parallel vs Cross Systems The L shaped lead-linear - Leader leads on dual track system (to the left and to the right of him) -Follower crosses across this track using a back step, side step and a cross over front ocho-forming L shapes zig-zagging back and forth -Leader strides forward on the beat while follower is on a 1+, 2 beat-option to twist the hip into a front boleo for the follower, leader must change weight with every 1-2 step -Leader starts on right foot and follower on left foot   which is the foot further away-Mirror start=parallel system-sacada happens to the cross over track (guy left, girl right) -Variation is to have leader start on left foot and follower on left foot-non-mirror=cross system-sacada happens on the parallel track (guy right, girl right) The L shaped lead-circu...

Been putting on the hat of a leader over this past week and enjoying it even more. Yeah I have no idea how to do giros or sacadas, and don't talk about ganchos either, but what I've figured is that as long as musicality is there, as long as connection exists, both parties enjoy it. This has made me wonder about something though-I always thought that leaders were having all the fun at the start-in the sense that the steps that are taken in this dance are dependent on the leaders to have trained and learnt them-as a follower you can follow even if you don't know much about what you are doing, as long as the leader does. All the classes then seem to be about the leader's steps. But then I've also come to realise that, as a leader, you are expected to craft the dance to understand the steps through the viewpoint of the lady, and maybe this is where many teachers don't emphasize enough. That every step you take, you have to realise what signals you are giving ou...

It's been delightful to realise that I've actually reached a new plateau in Tango and it's a good one. It's the one where I'm completely stable, completely on my axis and completely in-tune to what my partner is doing. It's the one where I know the music more and I know how to emote better. It's also the one where I'm starting to kick and slice myself less with stray moves. Not sure where the transition happened though, perhaps by practicing more and finding newer connections? Perhaps on a physical front by being more grounded in my moves and having greater spatial awareness? Whatever it is, hope it stays! Less questions, more acceptance.

This years tango fest was...curious, in the sense that it was a funny mix of people who were not from the region and decided to show up, as well as quite lacking in regional representation. But above all, it was kinda fun, and yet again I find myself miles away from the seriously nervous dancer I was 3 years back and even quite recently last year. I don't know what it is but I've found my feet I guess? This grounding that I need to not be nervous and to interpret the music and not care about what everyone else around me is thinking. Eons ago wise words were shared with me on the dance floor of Vitosh Guesthouse by J. "Don't bother with them, they're all too concerned with themselves anyway". Some things come back from the past and hit you hard when you realise exactly what was meant. Had a couple of dream tandas, beautiful waltzes where my partner exclaimed "you're flying!" and proceeded to try and lift a very panicked me. If I could respond...

http://dancingsoul.typepad.com/dancing_soul/2008/09/energy-and-tango-the-fundamental-base-of-the-dance.html Loved this article, summed up the recent 'breakthroughs' that I've been having with this dance. Things that make following easier: Commit energy to establishing your axis. If you are not on balance, even a good leader has trouble leading you in the dance. Use your breath and energy to create balance and grounding. Send your directional energy TOWARDS your partner, not away in the direction you are traveling. Keeping the energy focused on your leader means that there is a mini force field between the partners, even in close embrace. (!!!) This protects you from getting stepped on much more than trying to get your feet out from underneath yourself. Also, this gives the leader more energy to play with, reducing the leader's tendency to drive you like a MAC truck. If you feel your partner tense, release your solar plexus. There is no need for both people to...

Besides, most of us come to tango after having had a largely intellectual education. We live in our heads and our computers, not our bodies.   We try to process intellectually what is happening to us. This is not effective when learning movement. Your body works in ways you cannot fully fathom, let alone fully control by your mind. Do you control your digestion? Do you activate your heartbeat? Do you consciously push the blood through your veins? In your brain there are more neural connections than there are stars in our galaxy, and this is a fact, not a figure of speech. Are you controlling them? Or are they controlling you?  Stiffness in a dancer is often the result of his or her conscious mind trying to understand and control every movement BEFORE it happens, which is simply not possible. Your mind is not running the show, it only helps you to understand the intention and the mechanics of the movement. This is why leaders implore their followers: “Please stop thinking!...

It's been a good year for dancing if not for every other aspect of my life. 2 travels to Shanghai and Singapore, 1 homegrown festival and on a smaller scale Tangoblitz and other lessons with visiting teachers. New tango venues in town and the community continues to attract people on mid-length stints in Malaysia, providing a base for these expats. Started DJ-ing a couple of times. 3 more pairs of shoes. Oops. Above all shifting my POA yet again. This time into more stable dancing and translating this into being more grounded and collecting better. I think I've figured my lag between learning something and putting it into action is about 8 months... Been a good year, will spend next year continually honing the skills even more and being exposed to even more variety of dancing globally.