Yesterday in the car Mom and I were talking about paths to great excellence in dance.
In some sense, technique is a requirement, and you need a lot of technique, but what makes one dancer much better than another when they both have a lot of technique?
We were speculating that there were different paths ... different ways to become increasingly better:
By connecting & integrating the body more, more profoundly finding one's center - things can find a breathtaking beauty.
By becoming an increasingly better choreographer - a clear vision can crystalize movement, story, idea
By becoming more masterfully clear in one's musicality - adding richness and texture to one's dancing
"There just doesn’t seem to be any end to great dancers" :)
One thing that is also interesting about the person you posted was that he could dance fast without it feeling fast. He danced rapidly sometimes, but it never felt rushed, which was very nice. I think most of the time fast dancing should feel as timeliness as a slow dancing, and he does a good job keeping it all "one".
That said (and not contemporary) but Osvaldo Zotto was also a beautiful Milonga dancer. You don't see much of it online (I tried to find one!) because he always performed tango, but his milonga was beautiful in a somewhat understated way.
Some quotes on my list of quotes about Simplicity :):
"When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." - R. Buckminster Fuller
Art is the elimination of the unnecessary - Pablo Picasso
The more technique you have, the less you have to worry about it. The more technique there is, the less there is. - Pablo Picasso
Yes, thank you Steve. That was very beautiful. We miss you too ... take care of yourself! Should you need advice, we are only an email or phone call away!
They are both beautiful dancers! The 3rd clip is from the movie "Tango" by Carlos Saura, and Copes was 67 at the time. I loved that movie ... I remember I practiced 1 8 count sequence in that movie for hours :)
The combination (especially the pivot to cross over rather than weight change) at 2:21 is very nice. And the turning colgadas at 2:56 is also very beautiful! I think I'm going to play with this last idea.
Choreographically, it's interesting that he does a lot of walking, and then a figure. Reminds me of how Paiva Sr. puts routines together ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjpJhWFHCKA
"One day, when I am old and not able to dance, I will dance in my bed with my eyes or eye lashes or whatever I can move. If not, I will dance with my dreams, with my mind, with my breath...My bones may waste away as I grow old, but my spirit will remain intact until my last breath !"
I agree - Kaustov's post was beautiful. Kaustov, I feel the same way! Literally!
Yesterday in the car Mom and I were talking about paths to great excellence in dance.
In some sense, technique is a requirement, and you need a lot of technique, but what makes one dancer much better than another when they both have a lot of technique?
We were speculating that there were different paths ... different ways to become increasingly better:
Just musing.
Can you think of other ways? What do you think?
Best,
David
"There just doesn’t seem to be any end to great dancers" :)
One thing that is also interesting about the person you posted was that he could dance fast without it feeling fast. He danced rapidly sometimes, but it never felt rushed, which was very nice. I think most of the time fast dancing should feel as timeliness as a slow dancing, and he does a good job keeping it all "one".
My favorite is Horacio Godoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtUzLQfKHPo
That said (and not contemporary) but Osvaldo Zotto was also a beautiful Milonga dancer. You don't see much of it online (I tried to find one!) because he always performed tango, but his milonga was beautiful in a somewhat understated way.
Steve posted a fun article in the main forum - take a look at it :)
"What Men and Women Want - By Melina Plebs"
P.S. This post was deleted and re-posted to test a fix to the forum functionality.
Some quotes on my list of quotes about Simplicity :):
"When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." - R. Buckminster Fuller
Art is the elimination of the unnecessary - Pablo Picasso
The more technique you have, the less you have to worry about it. The more technique there is, the less there is. - Pablo Picasso
Yes, thank you Steve. That was very beautiful. We miss you too ... take care of yourself! Should you need advice, we are only an email or phone call away!
It is cool to see the evolution.
They are both beautiful dancers! The 3rd clip is from the movie "Tango" by Carlos Saura, and Copes was 67 at the time. I loved that movie ... I remember I practiced 1 8 count sequence in that movie for hours :)
Thanks!
P.S. I found it ... it was the "Salida simple in 8 tiempo" :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWY4Lr7YDf4
Hi Kautav,
The combination (especially the pivot to cross over rather than weight change) at 2:21 is very nice. And the turning colgadas at 2:56 is also very beautiful! I think I'm going to play with this last idea.
Choreographically, it's interesting that he does a lot of walking, and then a figure. Reminds me of how Paiva Sr. puts routines together ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjpJhWFHCKA
Happy feet!
Thanks for those Steve! I agree with your comments - really insightful!
I haven't seen any of the newer videos of Milena plebs ... a great pleasure! She is one of our couple of favorite female tango dancers!
Thank you Carrie!
"One day, when I am old and not able to dance, I will dance in my bed with my eyes or eye lashes or whatever I can move. If not, I will dance with my dreams, with my mind, with my breath...My bones may waste away as I grow old, but my spirit will remain intact until my last breath !"
I agree - Kaustov's post was beautiful. Kaustov, I feel the same way! Literally!
Hi Carrie,
You're a hoot ... did we know that Sally was a ballerina? :)
Kaustav --> fascinating that they are also working at being educational as well as showing dancing.
Here's a video inspired by SVBernot, another short film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD9D3FlSYaI
David