A few weekends ago now, ASU Argentine Tango Club hosted their annual fall tango retreat. They invited Meng Wang (pronounced “mung”) as a guest instructor and we all went to Sedona for a weekend of tango fun! It is a great way for the ASU students to immerse themselves into the dance and also to get to know the tango community in a different context.
I was along for the ride and to assist Meng in the classes. And I performed with him, not just once but several times over the weekend. I even was exposed to a little Meng choreography!
This brought up a few tango questions that I have yet to address and they pertain to performing.
It appears that there are several levels of performing in the tango world: socially at a milonga as an informal demonstration, performing at a festival could be improvised or choreographed and then tango for stage. I have always thought and this has been discussed amongst my colleagues that performances by tango couples at a festival is sometimes arbitrary or even boring! Some festivals don’t have any performances and some have MANY performances! I think it is a part of my job as a tango teacher, advocate, coach, educator to perform. My dance background was really about performing and choreographing so how is that different in tango. Well, here’s the glitch. Some dancers are better teachers than performers and visa versa. I personally think that there should be some ‘coaching’ for those teachers who are “obliged” or asked to perform often at milongas or during festivals. And who sets the bar for what makes us “like” or enjoy a performance?
We can argue a few points. From my theatre and dance background I have learned certain criteria for “better” choreography and better performing, better positions of the body relative to the audience (ie: no crotch shots or butts to an audience), also positions of a performance space in relation to the audience (ie: drama happens in the center). There is also the point about how to “bring in” the audience to a dance form that looks a little strange from the outside. I mean, there are 2 people dancing usually very close (as some of my students observe) and they don’t look at each other. They sometimes intertwine their legs sometimes they move fast or slowly. Sometimes there is dramatic tension through the movement itself and sometimes it just looks like you’re watching something intimate through a window, like a peeping tom. I think dancers don’t always know any of this. But again I ask the question – what makes 1 couple interesting to watch perform and the other look like just another improvised tango performance at a festival?
I think choreography sometimes helps some of these situations. A couple can plan certain movements in advance to certain parts of the music to bring in a sense of tension or release or playfulness. Maybe a couple who practices a lot together helps with this and if they are choreographing they must be dancing and practicing a lot together! Maybe the dancers’ relationship to the music? Maybe just technique? Maybe a combination of all of these elements. And I will let this idea sit with you.
I post here several videos of Meng and I performing at the milongas of the Retreat weekend. They are improvised. He and I practiced a little bit. He showed me a little bit of choreography. He had a plan! And my goal was to dance with him as beautifully and comfortably as possible!
Due to technical difficulties – the following post includes videos of Meng Wang and I performing at Relics Restaurant in Sedona, AZ