Or sometimes spelt as gongfu are what the we normally call Chinese martial arts. You may think that some really bad dancers are doing kungfu on the dance floor. They have martial art poses and kicking everywhere. You could easily leave a London milonga with more injuries than if you had went to a martial arts session.
However, none of this is real kungfu.
The word kungfu and martial ars really only became popular due to Bruce Lee’s films. But the real meaning of kungfu is the perfecting of skill through had work and practise.
For example, when I first started to cook I would’ve chopped vegetables like this: chop … chop … chop … chop.
Five years ago it would’ve been like: chop .. chop .. chop .. chop. And recently its more like chop chop chop chop
My kungfu in cooking has improved.
And a professional chef would probably like it like this: chopchopchopchop
His kungfu is better than mine.
There are no secrets to chopping vegetables – maybe the chef went to one or two classes on handling knives but that would’ve been it. His skill came from repeated practise and hopefully a passion for cooking.
The word kungfu can apply to tango. Tango is a skill that requires practise and dedication. The milongueros have good kungfu – they have danced for so many years and become one with the music when they dance. That is real kungfu.
August 7, 2010 at 4:11 pm |
Ha! This made me smile. A friend of mine actually did a course on chopping recently!
Yes, one needs to practice, but how is the question? I know I am a bit out of practice since I move out of London, but I am still dancing ‘something’, and I am listening to Castillo as I am typing this, so I am still in touch with the music and hopefully when I do get up to London in September, I will be ok (ok, better than ok) to dance with!