It's
often said that one of the problems of learning from dancers,
especially the older generation, is that although they dance
wonderfully they haven't learned how to teach. & it's true. I
still think you're better off with them: somewhere
along the way what they're doing gets through, and what you've worked to master is yours.
That's
what came to mind after I'd watched the video of Eduardo a number of
times. He's fast. He simply can't slow down to show what he's doing
because he'd lose the impulse, the momentum, which is what feels
right to him. You might feel more comfortable with a trained teacher
who would make sure that everything was cut up in bite-sized pieces for you, but you
might well be missing the vitality in the food, the vitality that's
going to nourish you and your partners long-term. The impetus, the energy. The reason you dance in the first place.
There's one simple solution, slo-mo video. It seemed like a good idea to take a short piece of Patricia Muller's
video and slow it down.
&
it works: the basic but effective use of the feet is clear, as is the
movement of the torso. But what really
came
through to me was something I hadn't clearly seen at full speed, the
delay on the side step Yvonne takes before her back cross, and the long step after it. Eduardo
holds her there a moment so he can match a beat in the music with the emphasis
of the back cross, then the energy of the turn carries her across a long side step. & to do this, of course, his feet need to move.
There's no music playing in this piece, although
it feels as if he's singing audibly as he dances. (I'm told he used
to, and I've noticed his generation of dancers often sing if they are asked to demonstrate without music.) That pause, a breath, gives both of them the chance to prepare
for the back cross, and makes the actual turning much more emphatic
without
looking rushed.
Even
if it is fast.
