What does it mean to dance with ‘good musicality’?
2010 January 22
Tango dancers often discuss the importance of dancing to the music, having ‘good musicality’ etc. But what exactly does it mean to dance musically? I tried noting some possibilities, and since some are very basic, while other are more advanced (and should be used sparingly).
I tried to classify them within the usual trichotomy of beginner/intermediate/advanced, thinking that you have to know the very basics, and you should master basically everything in the intermediate before venturing out into the advanced concepts. Some of the advanced concepts should be used with care, such as stepping on the weak beat.
Very basics
- Dancing when there is music and not when there is not (yes, really)
- Stepping on the (strong)beat
- Make your partner step on the (strong) beat.
- (be able to)Dance double time
- Make pauses
- Dance tango to tango music, milonga to milonga and vals to vals (etc)
Intermediate
- Interpretation of the emotional content of the music (e.g. humorous, sad, tragic, romantic etc)
- Walk to music with strong walking beat
- Dance to the phrasing of the music
- Dancing the pauses
- Dance smoother to smooth music, more rhythmically to rhythmic music etc.
- Leading one rhythm while doing another
- Match something in the music with particular step or ornament
- Dance the final variation
- Predict the end of a song and close in time.
- Cadencia
Advanced
- Step on the weak beat (and not on the strong)
- Moving counter to the music (e.g. slow down when the music is fast)
- Play with rhythms
- Fit sequences of steps with the phrases of the music
- Repeat and make variations when the music repeats with variations
- Syncopated steps (e.g. suspension or anticipation) that fits the music
- Something extra
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Nice list, Simba. Amazing how elusive of a quality musicality can be to define…
I would add to this list the ability to keep energy in your body when you pause. Beginners often think of it as a stop, but they (hopefully) gradually learn that the pauses and slower movements are when the energy builds even more before the movement continues. Love those moments, especially when you’re dancing with someone who does it too!
Whatis Cadencia for dancers?
@Karin: Thanks, I first thought maintaining connection throughout the pauses was more of a technique/connection thing, but when I think about it I think you are quite right. Dancing the pauses (not merely make pauses) is very important and quite typical of tango, so I will add it to my list. I think it would qualify as intermediate. Yes, dancing the pauses…
@El Chupacabra: Cadencia is the soft up and down movements (and maybe others as well) that the couple makes over a number of steps. Usually more connected to the melody/phrasing than with the rhythm. I wrote a post about cadencia a while ago. Without cadencia, the dancing will feel and look ‘flat’, while cadencia adds life and character.
I was intrigued by your title – its a pretty big topic!
Thanks for the info on cadencia -I’ve been trying to discover its meaning for a while.
Very big indeed… Here I was trying to span some of the richness in musical interpretation. Each bullet point is really a topic in itself, and cadencia is certainly quite a topic in its own right. Glad it could be of help. Thanks for your comment.
I think this classification is really fair. Happily, there is nothing more fun than playing together with rhythm. I wrote some maybe odd thoughts on rhythm and síncopa (syncope) on my website . Hope you like it.
Please feel free to comment and to criticize.
“I tried to classify them within the usual trichotomy of beginner/intermediate/advanced”
I don’t think such a classification usual for anyone except classeros. In the real world, it is meaningless.
I think that you’re confusing musicality with rhythm. A dancer with rhythm is on the music, a dancer with musicality is in the music.
What makes you think that, JC? I think you are setting up a false dichotomy with your play with prepositions. As I see it, rhythm is an important part of music(ality).
I’m curious to know what is someone that dances above the music!
That is a really good list. Not just for tango dancers, but dancers in general. Although the use of the word ‘cadencia’ does seem to be different within tango from all other contexts. Excellent list to have and a good guide for how much further we can all take our musicality.
Thanks, Clint. The word ‘cadencia’ is very confusing in tango, I agree.