A discussion of musicality with Jarvier - By Lonewolf

This is a piece by "Lonewolf", a SIngaporean Tango dancer living in Buenos Aires.  The original is in his blog:

 

http://lonewalker.blog.co.uk/2007/12/20/letras_de_tango_amarras~3471445

(There are many other interesting entries in his blog, please go and enjoy!)

 

My thoughts at the bottom.

 

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The other day I was at Javier's house, talking about musicality, he talked about dancing for the women. The dance, it's not just making the women follow your lead, follow your musicality, execute your figures. But most importantly listening to the women, in the embrace, in her figures, in her embellishments, what she wants.

 

"Its like making love, he says, when the women is climaxing, you have to listen to her body, see how she responds, what makes her come in the end. Does she want it faster? Slower? Lighter? Harder?" Javier said. "In the dance, after getting use to each others' lead and follow initially, then the best part of the dancing is to listen to what the women wants in that particular dance. Does she want it fast, aggressive, energetic? Does she want to slow down?" "Its not all about trying to do what you want anymore. Its letting her body and her emotions lead you..."

 

"...Listen carefully and especially when she is in 'angustia'..." I paused and thought to myself, for a split second I thought he meant if the women are in anguish when dancing with me.

 

"... there are moments in the dance when the women are so moved by the music or the lyrics, or it makes them remember some memories and they are in 'angustia' (anguish). Those are special moments and you have to pause and let them be." He continued.

 

"If I dance a milonga or a D'Arienzo, Biagi, then I put on full gear and fly. But if its a Di Sarli, or Pugliese, it's impossible to keep moving and be highly energetic all the time. There are moments of dense energy and pauses."

 

In listening to this D'Arienzo piece. Listening to the light piano and fleeting bandoneon and winding violin. Especially if you understand the singing; I think its one of the D'Arienzo pieces which the less is said, the better it is.

 

- By Lonewolf

 

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My reaction:

 

Do I listen to the women?  Do I know what they want?  And how?  I have learned a lot about listening to the women physically, where she is, how she moves, but what about emotionally?

 

I am not sure I do or not.  This could explain why I have had good dances with many women but the dances lack that final 10% which would make them great.  I could do what I want but I did not really know what they wanted.

 

Another thought - for some reason, in general I can feel the mood or emotion of Argentinian women better when I dance with them.  Even if our bodies do not match well, or if the dance is technically problematic, I can feel somewhere in there, there is this intensity or power.  And this power fuels my dance and increase my intensity as well.  This is of course a generalization - there are exceptions to both sides of this observation.