The Most Sensual Dance Ever : TANGO

The last topic from this blog is the most sensual dance. When we do this dance we get unusual feeling like enjoy it and something pull us into this dance. Let’s talk about it ^^

Tango is earthy and dramatic. Although walking movements dominate, Tango walks, having a "stalking" or "sneaking" character, are unlike the walks of other ballroom dancers. Movements are sometimes slow and slithery, and other times sharp and stacatto, such as a quick foot flick or a sharp head snap to promenade position. Tango has the same counter clockwise flow of movement around the dance floor, but with a lesser sense of urgency in comparison to the smoother and more continuous ballroom dancers. American Style Tango, especially at highly-developed skill levels, makes great use of open and alternate dance positions to further showcase Tango's dramatic nature.

Tango History

Tango (the dance with the stop "Baille Con Carte") is one of the most fascinating of all dances. Originating in Spain or Morocco, the Tango was introduced to the New World by the Spanish settlers, eventually coming back to Spain with Black and Creole influences.

In the early 19th Century, the Tango was a solo dance performed by the woman. The Andalusian Tango was later done by one or two couples walking together using castanets. The dance was soon considered immoral with its flirting music!

Ballroom Tango originated in the lower class of Buenos Aires, especially in the "Bario de las Ranas". Clothing was dictated by full skirts for the woman and gauchos with high boots and spurs for the man.

The story of Tango as told is that it started with the gauchos of Argentina. They wore chaps that had hardened from the foam and sweat of the horses body. Hence to gauchos walked with knees flexed. They would go to the crowded night clubs and ask the local girls to dance. Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook of the man's right arm, holding her head back. Her right hand was held low on his left hip, close to his pocket, looking for a payment for dancing with him. The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, so he danced around and between them.

The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's. Originally popularized in New York in the winter of 1910 - 1911, Rudolph Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921.

As time elapsed and the music became more subdued, the dance was finally considered respectable even in Argentina.

Styles vary in Tango: Argentine, French, Gaucho and International. Still, Tango has become one of our American 'Standards' regardless of its origin. The Americanized version is a combination of the best parts of each. The principals involved are the same for any good dancing. First, the dance must fit the music. Second, it must contain the basic characteristic that sets it apart from other dances. Third, it must be comfortable and pleasing to do.

Phrasing is an important part of Tango. Most Tango music phrased to 16 or 32 beats of music. Tango music is like a story. It contains paragraphs (Major phrases); sentences (Minor phrases); and the period at the end of the sentence is the Tango close.

For exhibition dancing, a Tango dancer must develop a strong connection with the music, the dance and the audience. The audience can only feel this connection if the performer feels and projects this feeling. So it is when dancing for your own pleasure -- and your partner's!

"The Tango is the easiest dance. If you make a mistake and get tangled up, you just Tango on." (Al Pacino in "The Scent of a Woman.") Movies that featured Tango dancing include "The Scent of a Woman", Madonna's "Evita" and "True Lies" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis.

There is sexy, and there is not sexy.
Charlize Theron is sexy.
Josh Hartnett, who has had his 15 minutes of fame, is not.
The little black dress is sexy.
Harem pants, are not.
The lindy, the waltz, the electric slide, the watusi, the hokey pokey, the hustle and macarena are not sexy.
Tango, is sexy.
It is fitting that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, one of the sexiest couples in the world (before Brad Pitt started to look like Edward Norton), danced the tango (of sorts) in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Seething with raw sensuality, one feels almost voyeuristic observing the interworkings of their relationship as it totters playfully and dangerously between unbridled passion and contempt.
Tango is certainly passionate, to say the least. In just over 3 minutes, one can observe several years (or months if particularly volatile) of a relationship that often exists between a man and a woman. He pursues her, she feigns interest. He does not give up, and she relents. He treats her poorly, she tries to leave but is no match for the physical and emotional control he has over her. It’s all there: desire, passion, jealousy, anger, betrayal, suspicion. All you need is a mother-in-law and it’s a marriage.
While Camp Brangelina are certainly pleasant to the eyes, for more tango dancing and less foreplay, Antonio Banderas’ performance of tango in Take the Lead is captivating. If anybody could make the hokey pokey sexy, it would be Antonio Banderas.
As far back as 1921, one of Hollywood’s first and most famous sex-symbols, Rudolph Valentino danced the tango in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Since that time, Hollywood has considered tango to be the epitome of sexuality set to dance, and over the years notables such as Robert Duvall, Sean Connery, Kim Basinger, Madonna, Salma Hayek, Ashley Judd, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and even Arnold Schwarzeneggar took to the dance floor to perform tango.
In his 50s, Al Pacino demonstrated that you don’t have to have the youth and beauty of Banderas or Pitt to be sexy when he danced the tango in Scent of a Woman, his only role to earn him an Oscar.

Buenos Aires, City of Tango

Certain cities are synonymous with certain things. While people travel to Paris for the Eiffel Tower, New York for the Statue of Liberty, Venice for the gondolas or Las Vegas for all three, there is only one destination where people go to experience tango: Buenos Aires, Argentina.
While you can see tango performed in locations throughout the world (it is insanely popular in Finland), you must come to Buenos Aires for the tango experience. Observing tango performed out of doors in the warm summer months in Plaza Dorrego of San Telmo, the crumbling facades that line the square is a perfect backdrop for showcasing tango.
The emotions displayed in tango are inherently part of the Argentine culture. Decades of despair, deprivation and despotic governments have produced an Argentine that displays sensuality and passion with an undercurrent of melancholy.
As foreigners in this exotic land, we can discuss great restaurants and comment on our observances of cultural aspects of life here, but understanding tango is more involved than learning the dance itself.

The distinction between sensual and sexual

  

Many people I speak to don't seem to be aware of this, and I was wondering how that was "wired" into your being...? I presume your partner is not threatened by your tango exploits, precisely because of this distinction? Whether I have been in a relationship or single, the experience of this distinction is ever present. Your observation of your own experience in this matter would be most appreciated.

This will be my fourth draft on this topic. It's such a difficult thing to write about and feel like I'm conveying what I mean to convey. I've tried twice before, here and here. And I still don't think I've done the topic justice.

I have told people this frequently, but until they experience it for themselves, it won't make any sense. Tango, the music and the dance, is both intimate and universal. Tango asks us our secrets, but not our name. We can reveal so much, certainly at times more than we intend to, that there is almost an understanding that crossing lines without invitation puts the freedom to express ourselves at risk.

Ninety-nine percent of the time the overtly sexual aspect is simply not relevant whereas the sensual aspect is absolutely everything. Does that make sense? I suspect that the fact that I'm married makes my situation different than if I were single. (And you are correct in assuming my non-tango dancing husband is very supportive of my dancing, and thankfully not threatened by it.) There is nothing to prove to me - I'm not looking for more than the dance. I've been told that takes some of the pressure off. Maybe that's the case and it changes things. It's really hard for me to know from my side of the embrace.

To me, in this dance we are constantly communicating with one another. There is a line that, once it's crossed - when the feeling goes from sensual to sexual, creates a very different conversation.

And this is only my experience, which is limited of course to where I dance, how long I've been dancing, and with whom I dance. My tango world is quite small, and maybe naive.

MOVIE TIME!!!

That's all

Thank You ^^

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Foxtrot and Quickstep, Flowing Like a River

Foxtrot

The foxtrot is a smooth progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music, and the feeling is one of elegance and sophistication. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is 4/4 instead of ¾ time. Developed in the 1920's, the foxtrot reached its height of popularity in the 1930's, and remains practiced today.

History

The exact origin of the name of the dance is unclear, although one theory is that took its name from its popularizer, the vaudeville actor Harry Fox.^[1]
Two sources credit African American dancers as the source of the Fox Trot: Vernon Castle himself, and then dance teacher Betty Lee. Castle saw the dance, which "had been danced by negroes, to his personal knowledge, for fifteen years," at "a certain exclusive colored club".^[2]

The dance was premiered in 1914, quickly catching the eye of the husband and wife duo Vernon and Irene Castle, who lent the dance its signature grace and style.

W.C. Handy ("Father of the Blues") notes in his autobiography that Noble Sissle told a story that Handy's “The Memphis Blues” was the inspiration for the Foxtrot. James Reese Europe, the Castles' music director, would play slowly the Memphis Blues during breaks from the fast paced Castle Walk and One-step. The Castles were intrigued by the rhythm and Jim asked why they didn't create a slow dance to go with it. The Castles introduced the "Bunny Hug" in a magazine article. They went abroad and in mid-ocean sent a wireless to the magazine to change the "Bunny Hug" to the "Foxtrot."^[3] It was later standardized by Arthur Murray, in whose version it began to imitate the positions of Tango.

At its inception, the foxtrot was originally danced to ragtime. Today, the dance is customarily accompanied by the same big band music to which swing is also danced.

From the late teens through the 1940s, the foxtrot was certainly the most popular fast dance and the vast majority of records issued during these years were foxtrots. The waltz and tango, while popular, never overtook the foxtrot. Even the popularity of the lindy hop in the 1940s did not affect the foxtrot's popularity, since it could be danced to the same records used to accompany the lindy hop.

When rock and roll first emerged in the early 1950s, record companies were uncertain as to what style of dance would be most applicable to the music. Notably, Decca Records initially labeled its rock and roll releases as "foxtrots", most notably "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets. Since that recording, by some estimates,^{[says who?]} went on to sell more than 25 million copies, "Rock Around the Clock" could be considered the biggest-selling "foxtrot" of all time.

Over time, the foxtrot split into slow and quick versions, referred to as "foxtrot" and "quickstep" respectively. In the slow category, further distinctions exist between the International or English style of the foxtrot and the continuity American style, both built around a slow-quick-quick rhythm at the slowest tempo, and the social American style using a slow-slow-quick-quick rhythm at a somewhat faster pace. In the context of International Standard category of ballroom dances, for some time the foxtrot was called "Slow Foxtrot", or "Slowfox". These names are still in use, to distinguish from other types of foxtrots.

Quickstep

Much like a fast version of the Foxtrot, the Quickstep is a ballroom dance style composed of extremely quick stepping and syncopated feet rhythms in time to fast-paced music. Although difficult to master and perform, the Quickstep is lots of fun to watch.

Characteristics of Quickstep

Elegant, smooth and glamorous, Quickstep dancers are energetic while appearing extremely light on their feet. It should appear that the feet of the dancers barely touch the ground. Much like the Foxtrot, dancers should strive for elegance. Upper body posture must be straight and strong throughout each movement.

Quickstep Action

The Quickstep usually follows a 4/4 time pattern. The basic feel of the Quickstep is slow-quick-quick, slow-quick-quick, with "slow" taking beats one and two, and "quick-quick" taking beats three and four. Most of the "slow" steps are taken on the heel, while most "quick" steps are taken on the balls of the feet.

History of the Quickstep

The Quickstep was developed in the 1920s in England. During this time, many bands began playing the Foxtrot at a faster pace, earning the name Quick Foxtrot. The Charleston appeared after this, but lacked long-term potential. However, in 1927 the Charleston was combined with the Qucik Foxtrot resulting in a name that was much too long: the Quick Time Fox Trot and Charleston, so it became known simply as the Quickstep.

Distinctive Quickstep Steps

Distinctive to the Quickstep is an up-and-down, rise-and-fall swinging motion performed at a fast pace. Distinctive Quickstep steps include the following:

• Rise and Fall
• Lock Step
• Natural Hairpin
• Running Finish
• Outside Change
• Chasse'
• Hover Corte'
• V-6 Combination

Once dancers have mastered the basic Quickstep steps, turns, and runs are added to add variety to the dance.

Music and Rhythm

Music used for the Quickstep is usually jazz or swing with a brisk tempo of about 50 beats per minute. The tempo is a little faster than a brisk walking pace, although it seems much faster to beginners.

The Magnificent Paso Doble

Let's take a trip to Spanyol. I'm going to show you about the Spanish culture, like this dance. I hope you enjoy it and see the magnificent of this dace

Paso Doble

Pasodoble (literal meaning in Spanish: double-step) is a typical dance from Spain march-like musical style as well as the corresponding dance style danced by a couple. It is the type of music typically played in bullfights during the bullfighters' entrance to the ring (paseo) or during the passes (faena) just before the kill. It corresponds to the Pasodoble dance (traditional and ballroom).

Paso Doble or pasodoble is a lively style of dance to the duple meter march-like pasodoble music. It is modeled after the sound, drama, and movement of the Spanish and Portuguese bullfight.

Famous bullfighters have been honored with pasodoble tunes named after them. Other tunes have been inspired by patriotic motifs or local characters

Paso Doble Characteristics

The Paso Doble is a theatrical Spanish dance. Traditionally, the man is characterized as the matador (bullfighter) and the lady as his cape in the drama of a Spanish bullfight. The dancers may choose to enact the role of the torero, picador, banderillero, bull, or Spanish dancer, and may change roles throughout the dance. Based on Flamenco dancing, the Paso Doble is both arrogant and passionate. The Paso Doble is performed more as a competition dance than as a social dance.

Paso Doble History

The Paso Doble originated in southern France and began gaining popularity in the United States in the 1930s. Because the dance developed in France, the steps of the Spanish Paso Doble actually have French names.

Paso Doble Action

One of the most dramatic of all the Latin dances, the Paso Doble is a progressive dance. In the Paso Doble, dancers take strong steps forward with the heels, and incorporate artistic hand movements. The forward steps, or walks, should be strong and proud. The man should also incorporate apel, a move in which he strongly stamps his foot, much like a matador strikes the ground in order to capture the attention of the bull. All moves of the Paso Doble should be sharp and quick, with the chest and head held high to represent arogance and dignity.

Distinctive Paso Doble Steps

In Spanish, "Paso Doble" means "two step" and refers to the marching nature of the steps. The dance consists of several dramatic poses that are coordianted with highlights in the music. The body is held upright with the feet always directly underneath the body. The following steps are distictive to the Paso Doble:

• Sur Place (on the spot)
• Separation
• Attack
• Huit
• Open Promenade to Open Counter Promenade
• Spanish Line
• Promenade Close
• Flamenco Taps

Paso Doble Rhythm and Music

Paso Doble music has strong Flamenco influences. The bold, inspiring music has a simple 1-2-1-2 march rhythm, with very few rhythm changes. The tempo of Paso Doble music is usually a brisk 60 beats per minute. The Spanish Gypsy Dance has become the universal anthem of the Paso Doble.



Ballroom

Paso Doble, like Samba, is a progressive International Latin dance. The Paso Doble is the Latin dance most resembling the International Standard style, in that forward steps are taken with the heel lead, the frame is wider and more strictly kept up, and there is significantly different and less hip movement.

A significant number of Paso Doble songs are variants of España Cañi. The song has breaks in fixed positions in the song (two breaks at syllabus levels,^{[clarification needed]} three breaks and a longer song at Open levels). Traditionally Paso Doble routines are choreographed to match these breaks, as well as the musical phrases. Accordingly, most other ballroom Paso Doble tunes are written with similar breaks (those without are simply avoided in most competitions).

Because of its inherently choreographed tradition, ballroom Paso Doble for the most part is danced only competitively, almost never socially — or at least not without sticking to some sort of previously learned routine. This said, in Spain, France, Vietnam, Colombia, Costa Rica and some parts of Germany to the west of the river Rhine, it is danced socially as a lead (not choreographed) dance. In Venezuela, Paso Doble is a must in almost every wedding or big party, being especially famous the song Guitarra Española by Los Melódicos.

WATCH THIS !!!!