musicallity - what is it?

[elisedance]

well I don't think so - surely a large part is interpreting the music you are dancing to!

[Rugby]

I think of myself as the physical portrayal of the song.  Each waltz, foxtrot or what have you is danced according to the song.  If it is a operatic waltz you must dance the emotion of the singer.  You may pull the two and steal from the three etc. to express the feelings of the singer.  If it is a bubbly waltz then you would dance it more in this manner and so forth.  The music tells me the general timing but the singer or musicians give me the feel.

[TangoDancer]

Musicality isnt just visual?  Now I am really confused.

No. You are enlightened.

I think of myself as the physical portrayal of the song.  Each waltz, foxtrot or what have you is danced according to the song.  If it is a operatic waltz you must dance the emotion of the singer.  You may pull the two and steal from the three etc. to express the feelings of the singer.  If it is a bubbly waltz then you would dance it more in this manner and so forth.  The music tells me the general timing but the singer or musicians give me the feel.

Another perfect example of why catsmeow believes to be confused, and why musicality can not be taught. Shown yes; taught no.

[ZPomeroy]

well I don't think so - surely a large part is interpreting the music you are dancing to!

What if rather than just interpreting the whole music so that you can dance, you interpreted what was not there from a musicians point of view? Generally dance music is missing the elements of a musicians ability to make musicality such as changes in tempo/accents/lounds and softs, so then could it be that the dancers musicality is to interpret these things which are not present? Its just an idea that came to me, so not sure what others think.

Zac

[elisedance]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form.  the real question in my mind is if ballroom really is an art form (shades of alba... )

[TangoDancer]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form. 

Have been trying to sell this concept for years!

[elisedance]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form. 

Have been trying to sell this concept for years!

..nice to be on the same page...

The weird thing about ballroom - at least competition international ballroom - is that it frowns on creativity in all but a few areas (rules for the masses at least, not the elite).  These areas are limted to expression, not in steps.  We talk about 'open' but if we (DP and I) make a novel step connection the reaction from coaches is that 'they won't know what you are doing' - meaning that you can do open but only the open that the judges expect to see   However, all art forms have constraints - if you are painting in oils you can not just add watercolour without stepping out of the medium (er, litterally).  Its just that ballroom is very constrained - I hope not to the point where it looses its status as an art - which has to have some element of creativity.

[Bordertangoman]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form.  the real question in my mind is if ballroom really is an art form (shades of alba... )

surely if it can be measured then it cant be an art form?

...heads for cover....

[elisedance]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form.  the real question in my mind is if ballroom really is an art form (shades of alba... )

surely if it can be measured then it cant be an art form?

...heads for cover....

ultrapurists would say no I think - but defeat themselves since they have to measure something as art to say it can't be measured

but art is measured all the time - piano dance photography competitions, price on painting and sculpture.  And surely the reach of a piece of art is its own measure....

[Bordertangoman]

love it - use the music as just the start and then create ontop of it - find things the composer and not even the players would have dreamt of...

actually, I think that is the essence of dance as an art form.  the real question in my mind is if ballroom really is an art form (shades of alba... )

surely if it can be measured then it cant be an art form?

...heads for cover....

ultrapurists would say no I think - but defeat themselves since they have to measure something as art to say it can't be measured

but art is measured all the time - piano dance photography competitions, price on painting and sculpture.  And surely the reach of a piece of art is its own measure....

"The cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." Oscar Wilde

[ZPomeroy]

Have been trying to sell this concept for years!

YAY! so i'm on the right track

Zac

[catsmeow]

I remain confused about musicality as it is described in these posts. As yet the enlightenment eludes me but I am willing to listen further. How much of all this is merely "pretend"?

[catsmeow]

...I forgot to add that my gracious partner thinks I have no musicality.

[TangoDancer]

..nice to be on the same page...

The weird thing about ballroom - at least competition international ballroom - is that it frowns on creativity in all but a few areas (rules for the masses at least, not the elite). 

And, this is what vexes the living s*** out of me about BR!!!        It is why my main coach told me early in my career to quit competing and become a coach. It is also partially what got me asked out of a major dance council meeting once.  I was insisting that BR judges focus on tech, but be more about dance, and less about manuals. 

[TangoDancer]

I remain confused about musicality as it is described in these posts. How much of all this is merely "pretend"?

In short, musicality is how ones interprets the various aspects of the music. There are so many disagreements about whether one's musicality is good/bad, however, unless one is in the skin of another, such an assessment can not be made. Of course, one can say whether or not another's musicality is liked/disliked, but right/wrong... no. Someone else's musicality might be different than yours simply because their interpretation of/meaning given to a piece is different from yours.