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Tango as a science to be studied, not only to be danced

Alla luce di migliaia di studi e ricerche fatte in campo della danza, tra i quali la ricerca sull'utilizzo del Tango come terapia per l'autismo, la depressione e il morbo di Parkinson, possiamo dire che mai come in questo caso una danza ha suscitato così vasto e profondo interesse. In questo posto vogliamo evidenziare un passo del lavoro di ricerca svolto dal Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica dell'Università di Palermo (Sicilia, Italia), nella quale è stato studiato il movimento dei ballerini da un punti di vista geometrico. 

Torneremo spesso su questo argomento, assieme alla ricerca della Columbia University sulla valutazione di usare il Tango in talune affezioni psico-motorie.

Questo ballo esprime amore e passione ed è caratterizzato dalla “vicinanza dei ballerini”, dal “controllo dell’uomo” e dalla “seduzione della donna”. I ballerini eseguono le figure dalla vita in giù cercando un’interessante interazione tra di loro.

Questa interazione tra i partner è dettata dalla musica. I ballerini dovrebbero interpretarla mostrando la melodia attraverso il loro movimento. La bellezza del Tango nasce dall’osservare una coppia che balla, con una buona posizione, una buona estensione delle gambe, con i piedi che quasi sempre si accarezzano e accarezzano il pavimento, che si muove o si ferma all’interno delle note musicali, con un senso del ritmo che dovrebbe essere chiaro a coloro che guardano.

L’armonia della coppia deve essere percepita, dagli osservatori, come frutto di spontaneità e non come risultato di elaborazioni artificiose. Perché ciò avvenga la musica deve essere sentita e vissuta dai due partners come il ritmo di una passionalità interiore, autenticamente esplosiva ma pur sempre interpretata secondo i canoni della danza sportiva.

La musica e la passionalità del tango oltre che l’emozione legata alla presenza dell’uomo e della donna sono gli elementi primari utili al coinvolgimento dello spettatore attraverso un viaggio sensibile che lo induce ad “apprendere per imitazione”. L’evoluzione ha permesso che nel nostro cervello fosse presente un meccanismo imitativo in grado di reagire ai movimenti eseguiti da altri esseri umani e di copiarli, incamerandone lo schema motorio. In alcune aree cerebrali deputate al movimento alcuni neuroni (neuroni specchio) si attivano quando noi osserviamo gli altri compiere un movimento, anche quando non abbiamo nessuna intenzione di muoverci. Essi permettono di ripercorrere i movimenti appena visti, anche se non sono mai stati fatti, all’interno di sequenze motorie ben definite.

In the light of thousands of studies and researches done in the field of dance, such as research in the use of the Tango as a therapy for autism, depression and Parkinson's disease, we can say that never as in this case has a dance aroused so vast and deep interest. In this place we want to highlight a passage from the research work carried out by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Palermo (Sicily, Italy), in which has been investigated movement of the dancers from a geometrical point of view.

We will come back often on this topic, together with the research at Columbia University on the evaluation of the use Tango in certain psycho-motor disorders.

This dance expresses love and passion and is characterized by the "proximity of dancers ", the" human control "and the" seduction of women. " The dancers running the figures from the waist down looking for interesting interaction between them. 

This interaction between partners is dictated by the music. The dancers should show interprets the melody through their movement. The beauty of the Tango comes from observing a couple dancing, with a good location, good extension of the legs, feet which almost always fondle and caress the floor, moving or stops within musical notes, with a sense of rhythm that should be clear to those who look.

The harmony of the couple must be perceived by observers as the result of spontaneity and not as a result of artificial processing. For this to happen the Music has to be felt and lived by the two partners as the pace of an inner passion, truly explosive but still interpreted according to the canons of the dance sport. 

The music and the passion of the tango as well as the emotion related to the presence men and women are the primary elements useful to the involvement of sensitive viewer through a journey that leads him to "learn to imitate ". The evolution has allowed that in our brain, there was an imitative mechanism capable of reacting to the movements executed by other human beings and copying, copying the motor schema. In some brain areas to move some neurons (mirror neurons) are activated when we observe the others make a move, even when we have no intention of move. They allow to trace the movements just seen, though not They have never been made, within well-defined motor sequences.

(Continued) Tango Dictionary - Today letter D and E

D – tango, dictionary of terms

Dedo finger 

The finger of the tango dancer.

Derecha right 

The right side of the body or the dance.

Derecho upright 

To stand upright.

Despacio slowly 

A slowing of music or dance.

Desplazamiento displacement 

Same as sacada 

Dibujo sketch 

Same as Rulo 

Doble Tiempo double time 

Tango danced at twice the musical beat.

E – tango, dictionary of terms

Eight Count Basic

The basic step sequence - also known as the 8CB - is taught to beginner-level students:
1. lead backward R during follower forward L
2. lead side L during follower side R
3. lead forward R (outside R) during follower backward L
4. lead forward L during follower backward R
5. lead feet together (1/2 step) during follower cross L over R
6. lead forward L during follower backward R
7. lead side R during follower side L
8. lead closes his L to his R while follower closes her R to her L
Steps 1 through 3 (sometimes 1 through 5) are known as the salida. Steps 3 through 5 are known as 'walking the follower to the cross'. Steps 6 through 8 are known as resolución.

Eje axis 

The physical axis of the dancer, along which the posture and balance are formed. Both lead and follower have their own axis, though in certain styles of tango the axes may align into the one.

Elevada elevated 

Dancing without keeping the feet close to the floor. This was the style in the early 1900s when tango was danced on dirt surfaces and on cobble stone. When tango went to smooth surfaces, such as polished wood, dancers began to 'caress the floor'.

Embutido inlaid work 

A foot swinging behind other foot.

Enganche hook 

Same as gancho .

Enroscar corkscrew 

The man pivots on his supporting leg whilst his free leg is either held behind him, or is hooked onto his working leg. Generally performed as the follower executes a molinete.

Entrada entrance 

The man puts his leg between the woman's legs, without moving her or causing her to shift weight.

Entregar surrender 

Denotes that the follower has surrendered herself to the lead.

Espalda back 

The back of the dancer.

Espejo mirror 

Executed when the lead and follower do mirror image steps of each other.

Maurizio El Tano e Carla Tango canyengue

Tango on street Emiliano arriba en todo el mundo!