108 beginners at the milonga
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 11:58:34 EDT
From: Sarah La Rocca <Danzisima@AOL.COM>
Subject: beginners at the milonga
I am in agreement with Mark Sussex who hit the milongas from day one of
dancing tango. You are not ready to navigate the traffic at this point, but
nothing can teach you to dance like actually dancing. Plus, in the milonga
you have a variety of role models of what to do and what not to do. Beginners
aren't idiots-they can see the difference. The studio is a very static
theoretical environment. You need the miles on the pista to become a dancer.
Old jaded folks like myself find beginners charming. Last week I danced with
a man who started 10 days ago. It made me smile to remember how excited I was
when I began, 400 years ago. If we are not welcoming to the beginners, we
won't have a community left in 3 years. We need a constant supply of fresh
blood to keep the species alive.
So beginners march forth as brave tango soldiers!
Sarah la Rocca
NYC
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 23:25:43 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: Beginners
>Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 22:54:28 -0500
>From: Ilene Marder <imhmedia@ULSTER.NET>
>You've been dancing a few months- can make your way around the floor
>without tripping or looking too ridiculous, sometimes you even look like
>you know what you're doing. You've experienced "the zone" and look for
>good dancers to partner with because you know one of the best ways to
>learn is to dance "up", with someone more experienced. But the moves
>you've been learning- all those seemingly necessary steps and figures
>that make tango, tango, are not second nature yet.
I met a woman a few days ago who came to BsAs after only a month of classes
in her home town. I accompanied her to afternoon milongas where I pointed
out the best dancers. She came here to dance and to improve. The only way
she could improve was by dancing with good dancers. And she did. She had
so few classes that she wasn't programmed with lots of steps and figures
which are unnecessary for dancing in BsAs. She eventually asked for a
private lesson with a milonguero who helped her work on movement.
Afterwards, he danced with her in a milonga. She accomplished what she
needed in an hour lesson. He said that all she lacks is confidence and
familiarity with the music. She has to know the music in order to dance
well.
>Now you're at a milonga and a really good dancer is looking your way
>wanting to dance.
I told her that if she was patient, she would dance. I helped her
understand how to use the cabeceo when she wanted to dance. It worked. If
a man wants to dance with a particular woman, he's not going to ask her
about
her dance experience. It's his job to have her enjoy dancing with him.
>Do you tell the prospective partner that you're a beginner -or just leap
>into it and hope he/she doesn't get too frustrated when you get caught
>up in a step or don't respond to certain leads?
This woman had one month of tango before going to a milonga in BsAs. She
doesn't speak the language; even if she did, it wasn't necessary to inform
her partners that she is a beginner. She just danced and gained more
confidence.
>The general experience seems to be that if you say you are a beginner,
>the experienced dancer will often keep it_ too_ simple, rather than
>leading into basic figures which you may already know and are looking
>forward to dance.
A dancer needs to be attuned to what his partner understands. It's his job
to lead it well. If she doesn't get it, he has to make it clearer in his
lead. A dancer can follow any lead that is done properly.
>I suppose the beginner can recite the moves that they can do..but does
>that put a damper on the dance?
Talking to one's partner on the dance floor is called a "lesson."
Women everywhere dislike it.
>What would the more experienced dancer prefer in this case?
He always needs to dance for his partner to be comfortable.
>Also, can a tango ever be too simple?
No, I don't think so. Walking and turning are all you need after a good
knowledge of the music. Steps come once you know the music. They don't
have to be taught. They will come out of you when you are listening to the
music.
Pichi de Buenos Aires
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:47:08 EDT
From: Crrtango@AOL.COM
Subject: Beginners
"At the beginning" is a relative term but it is generally helpful for people
to dance apart until they begin to have some sense of leading and following.
How long that may be is up to the individual. No, it is not impossible to dance
close at first but the mechanics of steps are often clearer when done apart.
I started dancing close very early but even today as I learn new figures, at
first I will execute and practice them apart before attempting to dance closer.
The main point I was making was that too much distinction was made to a style
of dancing when it is all tango and generally it is danced close and always
has been. Stage shows are just that - shows. Leave those steps for the stage
but work on them for your own overall improvement.
And the fault does lie with the instructors. Not the visiting ones because a
workshop is often meant to convey a particular aspect, but with the regular
instructors who should be already dealing with close social-style dancing. The
problem is not about taking a workshop dealing with close-embrace dancing. The
problem is that you have to learn it by taking a workshop in the first place
instead of it already being a part of your tango curriculum.
Cheers,
Charles
