Danceable music and Dance-ability
The second time within a week, I went to Buenos Aires Tango Club to get more cds with a DJ friend of mine who spoke fluent Spanish. My friend told Carlos that I was looking for more collection of Danceable music. Carlos, probably an encyclopedia of tango music, laughed: ” well, what is danceable to you, probably not danceable to me.” (via the translation of my friend).
The next hour or so, we sat with him and listened to different cds he brought out. The experience was so good that we went back the next day and did the same with him for another two hours. I’d bought over 80 cds ranging from 20s to 60s during my three visits in two weeks.
Lately, I have been reading some posts or comments about what is danceable tango music; or more, what is not danceable. The first time I heard of Valera played in the milonga, I thought what the heck that was. That was not danceable. Now every time, I hear Fueron Tres Anos by Valera con Ledesma, I want to dance. (And I am not moved the same way when the same song is sung by Falcon). When I started going to milongas, I always struggled dancing to D’Agostino con Vargas. I didn’t know how to dance to his voice. Now I love Angel Vargas, with D’Agostino or Del Piano and Lacava.
What is with the change? My dance-ability has improved. I am now able to stretch my movement in the span of a few notes. I don’t just dance to every beat in the rhythmic songs. I don’t chase after the music. I could select the phrases that I want to dance (walk) to, suspend on a few or just embrace and breathe through some. I used to dance only, if you will, milongueros, then salon. Now if the woman wants to dance open on separate axis ( not my preference), fine, I could manage one tanda as well. 
The thing is, the more music I listen to, the better I dance, the more high-level of dancer I’ve danced with, the wider range the music I enjoy dancing to. Before, I always danced to golden age. Now I love to dance certain music from the late 20s (Canaro, Lomuto, Di Sarli y sus Sexteto Tipica…), early to mid 50s various orchestras (Di Sarli, D’Arienzo, Angel Vargas, De Angelis, Valera, Sassone, De Caro, Salgan…) and modern orchestras (Fervor de Buenos Aires/ Misteriosa, El Arranque, Esteban Morgado…).
Here is my theory: if you are moved by the music, then it is danceable. After all, it is the music that moves us, not we move to the music. Now whether you have the ability to dance to it or not, that is entirely another matter. 
The following are a couple of brilliant performances, in my opinion, on music that some might think that is not danceable. Yeah, They are performances. If you are open minded and shrewd, however, you might learn a few things that you could use on a crowded milonga .
Fueron Tres Anos:
I love Varela now! I think it was you who made me aware of this rich and lovely music. Not everyone loves it but one tanda is good to introduce it. People like the familiar, so it is your place as a DJ to make it a little more familiar. I also wish more Julio de Caro were played here. This is one reason I am interested in DJ-ing.
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That was the reason the I started DJing too. As you said, get people out of a rut with music. I like to echo what Sebastian has said: “You can not divide music in:
- What is dancable
- What is not dancable
Because music is made with a much greater goal, which is to create emotions in the listener! The ranges of emotions that tango music has is infinite.”
As I realize that if the music moves you, then it is danceable. After all, it is the music that moves us, not we move to the music.
A Beethoven symphony or a Bach fugue moves me but neither is for dancing. There is music for listening and music for dancing in all genres.
The same is true for the milonga. There are many tangos that would never be played for dancing, at least not in BsAs. Piazolla composed his new tangos for listening.
A tanda of Hector varela is programmed in BsAs by DJs who do not understand which orchestras are appropriate for the milonga. Yes, his music is danceable, but milongueros will remain seated and wait for Troilo, Di Sarli, Tanturi, D’Arienzo, etc.
Many milongueros are only respond to Troilo, Di Sarli, etc. due to their limited technique. I’ve seen some of the best dancers dancing to Varela like the video TP posted. They are pure joy to watch. If certain music is not danceable to you, or some crowds at some venues, it doesn’t mean it’s no good for dancers at higher levels.
Many milongueros respond to 40s music, because these are the songs that bring them nostalgic feeling. That doesn’t mean other period of music isn’t danceable. And who said that you can’t dance to Beethoven or Bach? Donato’s La Melodia de Corazon was a derivative of Etude by Chopin. Just because you can’t or not capable, doesn’t mean others can not. Keep an open mind. And please don’t tell me that once the older generation is gone, no one else dances tango.
“What is with the change? My dance-ability has improved. I am now able to stretch my movement in the span of a few notes. I don’t just dance to every beat in the rhythmic songs” – TP
Then, does this answer your observation that no one was walking on the beat, when you were doing the walking warm-ups in BsAs?? thanks
Isn’t it true that when one dances to Bach or Barry Manilov that one is NOT dancing Argentine Tango even if they make A.T. moves and poses?? Isn’t Argentine Tango the music? Are you aware of the many different types and styles of Tango? Do we have to mix it all together and call it A.T. just because it’s all that we’ve ever heard of?
What is tango move or pose? What is not? How people danced in 1920 was quite different than how they danced in the 40s and after? Dance evolves, movement varies, music changes, so does everything else. What is the benefit of saying that this move is tango move, that is not; this is danceable tango music, and that is not? Who say that only Milongueros dance authentic Argentine tango, nobody else does?
For me, as long as I could connect with a woman and with the music in a dance, and have a blissful 3-minute four songs in a row. You could call/label whatever name that I am doing. I really careless.
That’s funny, Carlos sort of talked me out of buying a Salgan album because it wasn’t very danceable (on which we agreed
.
I agree that there is not only black and white, but there is certainly some music that lends itself more to dancing than other music. Often, but not necessarily always, there is correspondence between the musicians’ intent and the result with respect to danceability of the music. To me the question is whether the music makes me want to move (in addition to moving) me.
Salgan!!! I could barely build one tanda that I would experiment one night.
I agree, the music has to make you want to dance as well. As you know how much I love not to hear Canaro, and I don’t like to dance to Poema. I do play him on the regular basis. I skip dancing most of the Vals tandas, but I play vals tandas throughout the night. Strangely, people often come up to me and tell me that they love the Vals tanda I play. I guess that I am so disinterested in Vals that I only play the tandas that really inspire me.
What I don’t like doesn’t mean that others feel the same. Instead of being an authority telling others what is danceable music, maybe these people could say that they don’t dance to this music, it is not for them or they simply can’t dance to this music, there are too many notes or not enough beats. LOL
How is that for a challenge? (Just kidding)
Salgan has some pretty cool stuff, but not really for dancing, at least not what I’ve heard. Which isn’t a lot, really.
[...] I remembered something from a discussion over at tangopilgrim. Great (tango) dance music should make you want to move, but it should also be moving. La musica [...]