Dancers do violence to a proper musical interpretation of the difference between common time (4/4) and duple or march time (2/4).

Tango has two slow counts to each bar. Each bar has two crochet beats, but dance technique books say (wrongly) that they have equal stress: they don't. March time is counted STRONG, weak, STRONG, weak. For comparison, common time is counted STONGEST, weak, STRONG, weak, but dancers (foxtrot & quickstep) count not one, but two beats as a slow, so that in those dances quicks are crochet beats, whereas in tango, quicks are quaver beats. In both cases, one bar of music has either SS or QQQQ (or any combination), but the distinctive stress pattern of 2/4 is ignored on the dance floor.

It is intersting to ask non-musically trained dance teachers to explain what is different about the pattern of a compound system like 6/8 (ie why it is different from slow waltz's 3/4, if played at double speed). Usually their explanation would make a novice musician wince.

Clive -- todays dancers do violence to ALL tango music !!

"In both cases, one bar of music has either SS or QQQQ (or any combination), but the distinctive stress pattern of 2/4 is ignored on the dance floor"

Wrong.

The distinction doesn't make the technique book, but it is by no means ignored in practice.

Your explanation that "March time is counted STRONG, weak, STRONG, weak. For comparison, common time is counted STONGEST, weak, STRONG, weak" is equally wrong, in that it makes the highly flawed assumption that each measure is equal.

In fact, in most music, especially in the shorter meters, successive measures are NOT equal, but instead come in stronger and weaker pairs.

So for example you might have common time:

Strongest, weak, Strong, weak (1 measure)

Vs. 2/4 time

Strong, weak (strong measure), Strong Weak (weak measure).

Different notation, but very similar pattern...

And the best part is that we don't have to write it down in the technique book, because the instruction for what to do is already in the music you are listening to.

Is it possible to do two Walks and a Progresive Side Step. One Walk and a Link to a 4/4 Tango and be in rhythm if it is to be followd by a Basic Closed Promenade. You would be closing your Right foot to your Left on the count of 1 2. What now with the Reverse Turn.
I think the fall from grace with the 2/4 Tango is it doesn't suit a vocalist, and the public like a vocal.
There is one 2/4 vocal that goes well and that's Doris Day singing Hernandoes Hideaway. Another is Elton John The Pinball Wizard from the show Tommy. Can't think of any others.

I'm wrong, am I?

Guy Howard in "Technique of Ballroom Dancing" (the standard text on which IDTA student teachers are examined) says of 4/4 (in Quickstep section): "Time signature: 4/4 Four beats to one bar. Accented Beats: One and Three (One stronger). A slow count equals 2 beats. A quick count equals 1 beat."

On Tango, he says "Time signature 2/4 Two beats to one bar. Accented beats Equal on each beat. A slow count equals 1 beat. A quick count equals 1/2 beat."

Now, of course, each measure IS absolutely equal. If you doubt this, take out your metronome, set it to Tango tempo and listen to it tick. You will find that it ticks with complete regularity. The underlying pulse never varies. But the natural musical stress to the two metres (4/4 and 2/4) are not the same. The two crochet beats in duple or march time (which is what 2/4 is) are NOT counted with equal stress, but counted STRONG, weak. Ask any marching soldier, if you don't believe me. Hum "Liberty Bell" to yourself, or any Paso Doble music, and tell me that march time DOESN'T go STRONG, weak.

Anymouse suggests that two bars (measures) in 2/4 can yield the pattern "Strong, weak (strong measure), strong, weak (weak measure)", and this is plainly quite incorrect: the two measures are the same. If you counted four tango "slows" over two bars of music, the technique suggests that the stress pattern is Strong, Strong, Strong, Strong, whereas the musical pattern is Strong, Weak, Strong, Weak. The pattern of a second pair of beats having a secondary (less strong) accent is, of course, exactly what 4/4 is. In 2/4 they will be the same: new bar, same stress.

There is a tangible difference between the two metres: they are not the same, and there is no easy way to reconcile the musical stress, with Howard's view that EVERY "Slow" is a "Strong".

Would tend to agree with Guys description -- with a caveat-- the " stress " or accent( which term I prefer ) , may change as for given circumstance .

The descriptive terms in use, would, for my money, delineate the music clearly for a beginner.

I frequently use the term for a progressive movement as -- Power, --power, soft-- soft.
Interpretation, at best, is very subjective, particularly at the higher end of competitive levels .

Clive Harrison. As you have so rightly said Guy Howard says the time signal for a Tango is 2/4. So does Alex Moore and also Victor Silvester. But if the leading orchestra leaders are going to record in 4/4 time, and let us remember no dance society has the power to insist that all Tangos will be recored in 2/4 Tempo. Where does that leave us.
For one thing we cant do a Four Step any more. It has to be a five Step. Just for the more informed. If we just finished something that left us with our next step on 3 4 we would used a Four Step, four quicks to bring us back into rhythm.
Once this is understood we can now turn out attention to the Foxtrot and the Quickstep.
Social teachers and dancers pay no attention to any of the above. Just carry on as usuall. No disrespect intended, just stating a fact.
One for the record. There are countries where Social Teachers do not teach competition dancers. They are seperate. They, the socials do not have adjudicators to answer to.

Just a final mischievous thought in relation to the technique books' suggestion that the two beats in 2/4 tango music are BOTH stressed: that has to be the same as there being NO stress.

OR IS IT ONE OF THOSE CASES WHERE THE DANCE IS PERFORMED AS THOUGH WE WERE SHOUTING ALL THE TIME?

Do you see what I mean?

That thought had crossed my mind !--

I guess in the final analysis , the top pros take much " licence " in their execution.

We have them in the UK ( wont teach comp types )