Music has many dimensions and layers of nuance. We can explore music for a lifetime.
For this purposes of this article, let's examine five musical dimensions that can enhance your dancing quickly and effectively.
1. Mood
2. Rhythmic Intensity
3. Song Structure
4. Phrases
5. Dynamics
Get Into the Mood
Tango music is often associated with drama, passion, or sadness, but that's not always the case. However, many tango song express lighter emotions - happiness, cheer, fun, pep, humor.
The mood of a piece of music is very easy to sense. Even if you can't feel the beat you can probably tell a happy song from a sad song. Use that inherent ability.
When you hear a lighter, peppy song, try to dance with lighter movements. When you hear a dramatic song, dance with more expressive and exaggerated movements.
This is a guideline. You don't need to follow it all the time. Sometimes it's fun to do the opposite of what's expected.
Whatever you do, don't dance the same way all the time regardless of the mood of the music. At least make an attempt to match your movements to the mood. It's a step in the right direction.
Feel the Rhythm
I've written extensively about the creative use of rhythm; I won't repeat those suggestions here. For the purposes of this discussion, I would encourage you to notice the FEEL of the beats within the music.
Are those beats intense and driving? Or are they light and delicate?
As with mood, it's desirable to match the intensity of our steps to the intensity of the beats within the music. All of this is optional, of course, but if you do this effectively, it will give you the sense of being more connected to the orchestra when you dance. And your dance partner will love it!
Rhythm is a complex subject. Most music is structured around time, and there are many different ways to subdivide, accent, and contrast the way that time impacts the sonic events that occur within a piece of music.
Navigate the Structure
It's not always the case, but pieces of music are often organized into sections. A typical tango song might begin with an introduction which is followed by a verse or two. There might be a bridge, which sounds different than the rest of the song, followed by another verse. There could be a coda, a specialized ending that differs from the rest of the piece.
Some tango music is purely instrumental, and some features singing. Note the difference between the sections when the singer is present and the other sections when only instruments are playing.
An easy way to experiment with musicality is to change your dancing as the song moves from section to section. If you do a lot of turns through the verses, perhaps do more linear figures during the bridge. Use light quick steps during the instrumental portions and more dramatic movements while the singer is singing.
There's no right or wrong way to approach this. The idea is to do something consistently through one section of the song and then "switch gears" when another section approaches. Experiment!
Go Through A Phrase
Melodies are broken into phrases. These are the musical equivalent of sentences, and they are usually separated by pauses.
It's easier to hear phrases when listening to a singer. Try this: dance actively when the singer is singing his or her lyrics, and then pause in that brief moment when they take their breath. After a while you'll begin to hear phrases in the instrumental sections as well.
Be Dynamic
Think for a moment about mood as discussed above. Some music, like that of Pugliese and Orquesta Color Tango, varies considerably within the scope of a single song or piece. In one moment, the music is soft. Soon thereafter, it's booming and overflowing with emotion.
It's possible to ride these waves within the music expressively. Match the intensity, not only of the entire piece, but of what's happening in any given moment. Watch professional performers - their choreography often takes these musical dynamics into play. And you can, too!
Enjoy!
¡Buena suerte, amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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