Tango Dimensions by Nicole Nau-Klapwijk is a comprehensive exploration of Argentine Tango, bringing together its history, music, dance culture, philosophy, and technical foundations. Rather than presenting Tango simply as a collection of figures, the book examines it as a complete dance culture shaped by music, movement, partnership, and social history.
The first part traces the roots and birth of Tango, including Buenos Aires, immigration, social conditions, and the historical environment in which the dance developed. A substantial section is devoted to Tango music, exploring its origins, instrumentation, the Bandoneón, musical periods, orchestras, singers, and the Golden Age.
The book then turns to the dance itself, examining different periods of Tango dancing, styles, figures, Tango outside Argentina, and the traditional social environment of the Milonga.
A major section explores the philosophy of Argentine Tango. Topics include the author’s personal fascination with Tango, its essential character, changing traditions, generational differences, closeness and distance, dialogue between partners, masculine and feminine roles, physical expression, duality, and harmony.
The extensive technical section addresses body structure, posture, embrace, contact, leading and following, weight transfer, supporting and free leg, pivoting, gliding, movement structure, improvisation, rhythm, and compás. Diagrams and movement illustrations complement the explanations and help connect theoretical concepts with practical Tango movement.
Contents
The Roots
- Why History?
- Descendants of Columbus
- Buenos Aires and the Development of Tango
- The Language of Tango
- The Birth of Tango
The Music
- Origins of Tango Music
- Musical Culture and Instrumentation
- The Bandoneón
- The Soul of Tango
- History of the Bandoneón
- Periods of Tango Music
- The Golden Age
- Traditionalists and Innovators
- Orchestras and Singers
The Dance
- Periods of Tango Dancing
- Style
- Figures
- Tango Abroad
- The Tango Salon and Milonga
Philosophy
- The Author’s Personal Fascination
- The Essence of Argentine Tango
- Tango Truth
- Change and Tradition
- Generational Conflict
- Tango Idol and Idol Tango
- Life and Tango
- Closeness and Distance
- Dialogue Between Partners
- Masculine and Feminine Roles
- Physical Expression
- Duality and Harmony
- Seductive Closeness
Technique
Body Structure
- The Body as a Structure
- Upper and Lower Body
- Body Expression
- Waist and Rotation
- Pelvis
- Feet, Knees, and Movement
Basic Posture
- Stability
- Basic Position
- Posture
- The Embrace
- Contact
- Shoulders
Leading and Following
- Principles of Leading
- Partner Interaction
Movement Structure
- Rotation
- Axes and Weight Transfer
- Supporting Leg and Free Leg
- Leg Function
- Pivot
- Gliding
- Standing Height
Structure of the Dance
- Improvisation System
- Movement Sequences
- Basic Steps and Combinations
- Articulated Figures
Movement Quality
- Rhythm
- Compás
The Learning Process
- Training and Practice
- The Role of the Teacher
- Copying and Creating
- Learning from Previous Generations
- Practice and Improvisation
- Working with Closeness
- Tango Salon
- Teaching Tango
Reference Sections
- Small Tango Lexicon
- Chronology
- Figure Overview
- Spanish for Tango Enthusiasts
- Index
- Bibliography
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