Call and Response is a musical construct where a phrase is introduced by one performer and repeated by another or a group such as a chorus.
A well-known example of call and response from popular music is "Hi-De-Ho" by the late Cab Calloway. Cab sings, "Hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho!" and the audience repeats the phrase note for note. Cab's part is the call, and the audience gives the response.
Call and response is used in choral music for religious services, and in both opera and modern show tunes when a chorus interacts with a soloist to amplify the impact of what is being sung.
An Effective Response
Picture a church or a temple for a moment. A lone singer standing at the front presents a musical phrase (the call). The choir and congregation then repeat the phrase (the response) filling the building with sound.
Which part is more important, the call or the response?
The Call makes a statement. It defines the words and the melody of what is to be sung.
The Response magnifies and amplifies the statement with an impact that no single voice could ever project, no matter how emotive or well-trained the lone singer might be. The Response brings emotional depth to the experience by offering a full expression of the original idea.
The Response also conveys a sense of unity and connection. The response says, "we are with you, we accept the call willfully and joyously, we are together and we are whole."
Lead and Follow
Call and Response have parallels in partners dancing. The Lead is the parallel of the Call. It provides information about what to do and how to do it, but it's emotionally and artistically insignificant by itself. The lead requires the expression and amplification of the follower's movements to give it gravity and significance.
Watch a leader practicing by himself for a few minutes. The movements are an important part of the dance, but it's not at all enjoyable to watch.
Watch again when a skilled follower joins the leader. Watch as her body interprets his movements and his touch. Watch as she becomes the embodiment of his lead expressing it beautifully in physical space. Watch as she conveys a sense of connection and unity as she receives his lead and amplifies it. The couple becomes one, because each of their parts is important.
Controversy
According to online discussions that I have read in recent years, some followers feel that their role in tango is less important than the leader's role. They seem to feel that unless the are actively guiding the flow of the dance, they are subservient to the leader.
I disagree for several reasons.
1. Following well requires full concentration. The lead is not predetermined. It has to be interpreted and expressed in real time. This is an enormous challenge even for experienced dancers.
2. Determining the direction of the dance requires a keen awareness of traffic. Followers are at a disadvantage in this regard based on their position and their responsibilities. It's simply not possible to see what's happening behind you. A good leader is not only deciding on steps purely for artistic expression. He's also keeping his follower out of danger.
3. As I have tried to express in the Call and Response analogy, the full emotional and aesthetic expression of the dance is the follower's domain, not the leader's. No one watches the dance floor to see a leader rotate his torso in a precise way. They want to see what the follower does with that information. They go to watch the interaction and the chemistry of the couple.
4. Outstanding followers are are rare as outstanding leaders. I often share the story of going to a practica week after week and being ignored by most of the people there. One week, I brought a friend who's an excellent follower. Afterward, several people ran up to me to tell me what a "great dancer" I was. The point is that I looked good because my follower was excellent. Instead of trying to be a co-leader, focus on becoming a better follower.
5. If you want to lead, lead. Learn what it takes and give it your best. Learn how to guide the follower to do what you want her to do. Learn how to compensate for followers with poor balance or a clutching embrace. Learn now to navigate traffic well (a skill that female leaders sometimes neglect). And when you go back to following, should you chose to do so, forget about leading and give that role your best as well.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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