Dance: Tango is fun when you are not limited by techniques and skills (Tulsa milonga 9/29/2024, Fernanga Ghi WS weekend 10/4-6/2024)

 As in the title, Tango is fun when you are not limited by techniques and skills.

I went to Tulsa for a milonga, hosted by friends Sergio and Irina. They were Stage Tango dancers in the past and it still shows.

Stage tango dancers are usually great at social dance, too (if they choose to social dance, anyways. With cabeceo rules, you can be choosy). The techniques and skills they have are so good that we can just enjoy dancing.

In normal social dance, lack of techniques and skills do get in the way and robbing some fun, like needing to support her shaky balance so that my options can limited at times, or "suggest, wait and hope to happen" some music-matching embellishment (which is not always leadable. It is her job), but nothing happens.

When you want to use "energy flow lead" (i.e., instead of micro-managing her steps, the lead can be done by directing the track, momentum and speed. She does her part. Especially important in Vals.), the difference between stage-level dancers and enthusiasts is even more obvious. Stage dancers do their steps nearly automatically. I'd say the amount of practice they've done makes it possible. 

When I was once discussing "naturals" in West Coast Swing, the naturals are the dancers who can "just dance it and think about it later".

Stage Tango dancers have a similar feel, although, instead of pulling off something funny on the moment, they follow the lead in more structured and predictable manner, as such is the Argentine Tango dance with tighter input-output/lead-follow relationship.



Irina is probably the best Tango follow in this state. She was so fun to dance with. Much appreciated.



The next week, Hazel was inviting Fernanda Ghi from Boston to OKC for Workshop, practica and milonga weekend.

Quoting the event ad:

"Fernanda Ghi is a true legend in the world of Argentine tango.
Ghi performed in countless shows and exhibitions, and became the World Argentine Tango Champion in 1999 ( IDO)
Ghi and and her partner were the first non-Asians ever invited to perform at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo and were the feature dancers on the PBS special ‘Tango Magic’ with Pablo Ziegler and the Orpheus Orchestra.
Ghi has performed in concert with several Symphony Orchestras (New Mexico, Long Beach, Costa Mesa) and was commissioned the creation of a tango ballet for the Tulsa Ballet Dance Company
Directed and Choreographed the famous Opera Maria de Buenos Aires, several times.
In 2017 and 2018, Ghi served as a judge at the ‘Tango Mundial,’ the World Competition for Argentine Tango.
Ghi’s new Dance company creates a fusion between Argentine Tango and other art forms, such a theater, visual arts, opera and other styles of dance.
Ghi is the founder of Boston-based academy that trains amateur and professional dancers.
Fernanda Ghi Dance Academy


Fernanda maintains that tango is based on three fundamental pillars: a clear definition of the partners’ roles; a constant and active embrace; and a common axis of the dancing couple.
The starting point is the music, which determines the dynamics of expression, and thus creates a “style”, but the “style” is never the starting point. A clear understanding of the mechanics ensures that no undue stress is placed on the body and each movement is a response to a partner’s movement. The Tango that Fernanda teaches is based on a deep understanding of the essence of the dance, and allows each student to find their own personal manner of expression, without losing the universal language of Tango and the culture from which it comes."

(quote ends)

Impressive career indeed.

I thought the name was familiar. That was because she was the performer in the PBS Tango Magic video. I collected a few Tango videos before the internet era and explosion of online Tango information, both performance and instruction. The VHS video is still around, although I have not watched anything in VHS for quite a while.

I had an opportunity to dance a few Vals with Fernanda. Yes, she was also a dancer who allowed us to just enjoy the dance.

Her teaching was well-received in OKC tango people. I am certainly hoping to see difference in their dance in the near future.

Good dance is by itself a rewarding experience. Happy to have had opportunities to dance with awesome dancers.

[(left) with Irina and Sergio at the Strictly Ballroom dance studio. (right) event ad]

Dance: Axis, lines, alignments, extension, plus "tea ceremony" approach for aesthetically-pleasing Argentine Tango

 About 2 weeks ago I went to Dallas for back-to-back milongas. Nice to dance with different people. 

A different environment can facilitate thoughts. While I was there, I was thinking what makes Argentine Tango dancers look good, and how we can break down the factors so that we can teach it if we want to.

Of course, people who do not want to learn are unteachable. And, although I do a lot of dance diagnostics while I dance and watch, I usually do not give unsolicited advice (saves a lot of trouble). 

That said, here is a thought on the factors that make Argentine Tango dancers look good.

Partner dances including Argentine Tango come with two layers; (1) what an individual dancer can do with his/her body's ability and techniques, and (2) how he/she interacts to create a good partner dance as a couple (i.e., partner skills).

I'll start from the individual aspect. 

For example, critical factors Ballet students should develop are turnout, alignment, and extension. With the concepts, they build their body.

For Argentine Tango dancers, important factors that you can work on your presentation of your body are (i) Axis (plural Axes), (ii) Line(s), (iii) alignment(s), and (iv) extension.

Now, you can check these four factors for your own presentation. 

 (i) Are your axes straight and stable, so you can use for pivoting gracefully?

 (ii) Are your lines straight and balanced?

 (iii) Are your lines well-aligned?

 (iv) Are your axis and lines well-extended when you move?

In addition, there are aesthetically-pleasing ways of dancing Tango. Think the "sandwich and walk over" move. The move is done in a particular sequence with a particular stylized body usage.

Learning the particulars is what I call "tea ceremony approach". The knowledge makes a huge difference in the dance appearance.

When I was at the afternoon milonga in Dallas, I saw two followers doing the "tea ceremony", out of 20 followers. Although these two were not exactly advanced dancers, they naturally stood out by showing "they know what they are doing".

There are "veteran beginner" dancers whose dances do not look trained, even after many years of dancing. The main causes are the lack of (a) body usage (for Tango, demonstrate skillful uses of axes, lines, alignments and extension) and (b) demonstration of knowledge.

Judging from watching many dancers, few people want to work on these "basics". Most want to "improve" by accumulating patterns. From the standpoint of an instructor, it is an easy way to have classes with happy students.

Although patterns are important part of your dance knowledge, if you want to stand out, you need to work on the "basics".

I am kind of a fundamentalist about that.

[Japanese tea ceremony "The hostess fills the bowl with green tea powder and then pours hot water into it and stirs with a bamboo whisk." (Wikipedia image)]

Science: School is starting. Time to pick up active learning.

 Today there was a research retreat of our cancer center. Main audience were fellows (trainees to be MD) and junior faculties.

I checked out the talks on zoom/remote. The contents were educational, something like an orientation for the audience to start up their research careers.

Manty of the speakers were presenting their own career development, so that we can see them as relatable life stories, or learning materials for success and for life at the clinical setting. 

Knowing the rules of the game early is terribly important.

An important thing to play the game is that we need a go-getter's mindset.

For example, in our research lab, for high schoolers and undergraduates, we spoon-feed things.

A major transition we anticipate to occur in the graduate school students is to practice active learning. 

Instead of waiting patiently for teachers, mentors and colleagues to feed them, graduate school students should acquire the methods to actively construct their learning on the subject of their interest.

Certainly, active learning is a methodical approach to find, study, and make progress in the subject of interest. Active learning can speed up your progress so much.

PhDs need it. To some extent, MDs (or research-minded success-conscious MDs), too. But unfortunately in practice, MD candidates can be too busy acquiring all the medical knowledge, and they may not always get active learning skills.

Active learning methods include how to select resources and materials. This knowledge can make you somewhat resistant to manipulations by others (politician, strangers in internet, biased media, etc. Opinions are cheap. Baseless lies can even be harmful. You got to be selective about the sources).

That is why I thought the old buzz phrase "I did my research" was so laughable. Really depends on who is saying and what the "research" actually is.

Another important notion is critical thinking. But for today, I'd emphasize the importance of active learning here. 

You can apply the active learning approach to anything, like your hobby. 

I am still using the approach to my ballet, too (hehe).

Dance: The "trained look" is not only for elite Ballroom or Ballet dancers.

 When I mentioned the "trained look" in a past entry on 6/5/2024, I was thinking where the dancer's "trained look" comes from.

Most community dancers of Salsa, Bachata or Kizomba don't have it. Most WCS "improvisational" dancers don't have it.

Hip Hop dancers? Recreational Ballroom dancers? Tango dancers at milonga? Hit or miss.

To my eyes, very few community dancers have it. 

An easiest way to make the call is that, you imagine yourself as a producer of a Broadway show, and if you'd hire the dancers for the show. 

Amateurish-looking or -moving dancers are out.

Yet, certainly, I see the "look" more often in elite Ballroom dancers and Ballet dancers.

So what makes the difference in the look? I list a few factors.

(1) Body, posture and line. (And their upgraded version; "presence").

How you hold yourself, and how you present your lines, are immediately noticeable. Ballet dancers add extension and turnout; all are advantageous in this regard.

(2) Basic training focus is on the look and execution, rather than how they feel about dance.

This mindset difference is huge. As long as you are dancing like no one is watching, you will not develop the "trained look". Expression comes later when you have good tools.

(3) The dance style itself is designed for theater or show.

For example, kizomba is fun social dance. But it is not showy, or designed for theater to be seen from a distance. Motion range (=effective viewing range) is small. Good luck organizing a Kizomba show on Broadway. May work in a small room or in a close-up video filming, though.

I am not against Kizomba or anything. But some dances are not designed for or friendly to theater shows.

This difference also applies to stage tango and social tango. We need to accept that they are two differently evolved dances.

(4) Existence of solid syllabus, aesthetics, and training structure to follow.

Ballroom dance has standardized curriculum/syllabus. It is easy to see if the dancers know them or are performing them. Strong aesthetics exist (e.g., Rumba walk, Cuban motion) for each dance style, which further strengthen the "trained look" of practice outcomes.

Ballet dancers (esp. classical ballet) train themselves to perform the theatrical art of Ballet. The art even requires you to conform to it, not the other way around. No wonder Ballet dancers develop the "trained look" (if they can use it in a partner dance is another story).

Some theatrical dances have "correct answers". Many other community dances have looser standards (or they are not for show at all).

(5) Consistency and reproducibility.

Once a basketball player learns a good form to shoot, he will use the form many times over with good outcomes. Having a good form as your default, and not straying from it unless by choice, is critical.

Good dancers should always, consistently, and reproducibly, look good. 

...........Off the hat, there are five. And if you apply these to your dance, it would be easier to develop the "trained look" in your own dance.

Here is a thought. Give it a try.

For your reference, here is a video that gives us some ideas about how professional Ballet dancers train. Royal Ballet in London (UK) is one of the most famous Ballet company in the world.

They start out from basics-warm up exercise on barre. This unapologetic practice of basics is what best professionals do.

[Royal Ballet morning class - barre and centre #WorldBalletDay 2021]