2441  teachers dancing with students at milongas

Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 11:30:39 -0600
From: Lynne Butler <lynneoaks@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: teachers dancing with students at milongas

"A related question to the list: can one expect one's teacher (especially if
you are a beginner) to ask his/her students to dance at a milonga? I'd say
yes, it's a courtesy to the student..."

Berhard, for what it's worth I'd say yes, if you have someone studying with
you seriously, as a teacher you should dance with them--at least
occassionally-- at milongas.

NOT as a courtesy to the student, not as a thank you, and not as an
obligation, but rather because you'll gain more information about how to
help your student make progress.

Milongas can bring out both strengths and weakness in a student--and since
milongas are, finally, the point of dancing--it's worth learning how your
student dances in a milonga vs. a lesson.

I've really felt my teachers became better teachers to me after dancing with
me at milongas. In our later lessons, they've pointed out idiosycracies
(sp?) they notice in milongas. And like presumably any student, I'm really
only interested in teachers who have an investment in me.

That said, I certainly don't think teachers are obligated to dance with
every student at every milonga. Milongas are precious and teachers are
there for the same reason students are, to have a great time.

Regards, Lynne (Salt Lake City)

Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 16:05:19 -0500
From: Lois Donnay <donnay@DONNAY.NET>
Subject: Teachers dancing with students

Yes, I think it should be expected. It's so valuable, for both the teacher
and the student!

Sometimes beginners don't want to dance with their teacher much outside of
the studio or practica. It makes them too nervous, or maybe they feel it
changes their dance to an "exam", which is very unfortunate. I respect this,
and don't ask leaders after the first couple of times. But they know (I
hope!) I'm available to be asked. I WILL ask followers, and they ask me.

I know teachers who don't dance with students even during their lessons.
Tango is such an internal "feeling" dance, I don't know how they can do
that. When I'm selecting a teacher to learn from, I've learned I have to
dance with them first. I've occasionally taken a lesson from a person who is
teaching but not a very good dancer. It doesn't make sense to take lessons
from a person who has more bad habits than I do!

Lois

> A related question to the list: can one expect one's teacher
> (especially if you are a beginner) to ask his/her students
> to dance at a milonga? I'd say yes, it's a courtesy to the
> student, and will get him/her on the dance floor. Yet I have
> observed teachers who refuse to do so... Any comments? Bernhard

Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 16:09:37 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: teachers dancing with students at milongas

Lynne Butler said yes in her message:

"I'd say yes, if you have someone studying with you seriously, as a teacher
you should dance with them--at least occassionally-- at milongas... because
you'll gain more information about how to help your student make progress."

This is precisely why I try to dance with my active students. And why I
encourage them to come to milonga as early as possible (after second
lesson). It helps me to find out what skills I need to reinforce in my next
lesson, to customize the lesson to specific group. However I try to dance
with all active students at milonga regardless of their level of seriousness
or commitment to studying - you never know, they might change their
attitude.

Cheers, Oleh K.

https://TangoSpring.com

>From: Lynne Butler <lynneoaks@HOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Lynne Butler <lynneoaks@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: [TANGO-L] teachers dancing with students at milongas
>Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 11:30:39 -0600
>
>"A related question to the list: can one expect one's teacher (especially
>if
>you are a beginner) to ask his/her students to dance at a milonga? I'd say
>yes, it's a courtesy to the student..."
>
>Berhard, for what it's worth I'd say yes, if you have someone studying with
>you seriously, as a teacher you should dance with them--at least
>occassionally-- at milongas.
>
>NOT as a courtesy to the student, not as a thank you, and not as an
>obligation, but rather because you'll gain more information about how to
>help your student make progress.
>
>Milongas can bring out both strengths and weakness in a student--and since
>milongas are, finally, the point of dancing--it's worth learning how your
>student dances in a milonga vs. a lesson.
>
>I've really felt my teachers became better teachers to me after dancing
>with
>me at milongas. In our later lessons, they've pointed out idiosycracies
>(sp?) they notice in milongas. And like presumably any student, I'm really
>only interested in teachers who have an investment in me.
>
>That said, I certainly don't think teachers are obligated to dance with
>every student at every milonga. Milongas are precious and teachers are
>there for the same reason students are, to have a great time.
>
>Regards, Lynne (Salt Lake City)
>

Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 07:31:21 -0700
From: Marisa Holmes <mariholmes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Teachers dancing with students

--- Lois Donnay <donnay@DONNAY.NET> wrote:

> Sometimes beginners don't want to dance with their
> teacher much outside of the studio or practica. It
> makes them too nervous, or maybe they feel it
> changes their dance to an "exam", which is very
> unfortunate.

Although I _have_ danced with a teacher where it
really _was_ an exam - they saw fit to critique and
attempt to adjust my performance on the dance floor.
I'm sure you can imagine how pleased I was with that!

In case it didn't come through loud and clear in the
discussion about how rude it is to teach at the
milonga, that goes for everybody, even teachers
dancing with students who pay them for instruction at
other times and in other places. Humiliation is too
high a price to pay for "free" instruction.

Marisa