New Dynamics in Argentine Tango
From an individual method to a global
methodology
by Alexandru Eugen Cristea
Bucharest Social Dance
After more than a century of dance evolution, its high time we
considered some of the changes in the peoples perception systems.
Because we all dance tango, and many of us also teach it, for so many years,
and we all have some kind of a personal methodology.
There is a lot of information available, from the old-fashioned books
and DVDs to the up-to-date online training programs like those of Mauricio
Castro, Sebastian Arce and Sebastian Achaval, all teaching us their
methodology.
But what is the essence of all these teaching methods? Is there
something that belongs to all of them without being owned by anyone in
particular? As the years have passed, I have identified some new reference
points in order to better understand the structure of the dance and its
organic pattern of movement. In the material that follows, I will present to
you two of these fundamental concepts that help us identify the new
dynamics in Argentine Tango. As always, a new understanding comes from a
new way of using our mind, making connections that were unavailable in the
past. And from these new connections, comes a new way of dancing, hence,
new dynamics.
CIRCULARITY
The first concept we will describe is that of circularity. This is not
something entirely new, we have an idea about it. Here we have three types
of circularity:
1.
2.
3.
Horizontal circularity
Vertical circularity
Diagonal circularity
The horizontal circularity is used for pivots, such as the ones that make
figures such as ocho adelante and ocho atras.
The vertical circularity is used to change the weight, from one foot to
the other, traspie. Like from Followers right foot to her left foot, as we are
facing the Follower. This type of circularity looks like the letter U, but
upside-down.
The diagonal circularity is used in such elements as circular high back
boleo, where the knees of the Follower are apart the boleo invented by
Eugenia Parrilla.
A linear back boleo will use a vertical circularity, but in another plan of
movement, from down to up. A planeo will use a horizontal circularity. The
three basic steps open step, front cross and back cross will have a
downward vertical circularity.
But the best way to distinguish between all this characteristic figures of
Argentine Tango is to use the concept of levels.
LEVELS
The second concept is that of levels. We will consider three levels at
first, and after that, all the seven levels.
It is just like a house has a ground floor, first floor, etc. In Argentine
Tango, we can consider the ground floor level zero as being the caminar.
Both partners are walking together; this is level zero, from this we build up
and down our organic structure.
If we walk together and at some point the Leader projects his impulse
marca a little down, the Follower will naturally stop with her feet apart and
straight knees. It is just like in a balanceo. This will be our -1 level.
If we take the energy a little up while the Follower has her feet
collected, this will generate a change of weight traspie. This will be
considered as +1 level.
If we will stop here, we will understand that a lot of Argentine Tango
movements and step combinations and figures will be based on just these
three basic levels. Also, it is crucial to understand that when we speak of
levels, we are considering the marca, where the Leader actually leads his
impulse, not the end result of his lead.
If the couple is walking, and the Leader wants to stop the Follower, he
has two options: either stop her with the feet apart this is -1 level, or with
the feet collected this is zero level.
The ganchos of the follower are at zero level also, because they are
an intercepted step. If you want a balanceo, a cunita, an ocho cortado or a
sandwicitto, you will need to project you impulse, as a Leader, to -1 level.
If you want a calesita, a sostenida, a high boleo, you will need the +1
level.
But this is not the end; for we have also -2, -3 and +2, +3 levels. Lets
explain them by examples, as it is the easiest way to understand.
If you want the Follower to raise her foot up to knee level, this is +2
level. Here we have the kick type of boleos, the piernazzo, and the llevaldas.
If you need the Follower to bend the knee of the leg that has weight,
you will use -2 level. At this level there will be movements such as lapiz,
planeo, corte.
For the Follower to jump or for movements such as sentada, we will
use +3 level. If we want her to flex the weighted foot all the way down, this
will be considered -3 level.
As you can see, all the movements in Argentine Tango can be
explained and led in more detail with the concept of levels. Some
movements are a combination of levels, starting at one level and ending at
another one. Some other movements like circular boleos can be
performed at several levels with different results.
For the classical circular boleo, only with the hips, will use level zero.
For a high classical boleo, where the knees are together, but the foot goes
up, we will use +1 level. For a nuevo type of boleo, where the knees are
apart, or for a cuatro type of boleo, we will use +2 level. Or if we want a low
boleo, where the foot of the Follower maintains the connection with the floor,
we can use -1 level, or even -2 level, depending on our wish.
Of course, if we combine our knowledge of circularity with the
knowledge of levels, a lot of movements will not only be easier to
understand, but also the way in which they look will be different, because
our dynamics change when our applied understanding changes.
CONCLUSION
You will be able to change the way you dance, the quality of the
movement and through this your dynamics, if you will start to apply this
understanding to you dance structure and moving patterns. You will also find
it easier to communicate to the Follower and to others and also to
understand a lot of tango step patterns and discover, by yourself, a new way
of deconstructing and of course, composing the dance.
