563  Goodbye and Teaching

Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 09:38:11 -0700
From: Razor Girl <dilettante666@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Goodbye and Teaching

Tango is a form of communication.
Ask yourself, what is the goal of communication?

On the topic of dancing with people of different skill
levels, we may liken it to talking:
If you possess a larger vocabulary than the person you
are communicating with, would you continue to speak
over his head just to show how many words you know?
On the other hand, would you talk down to him?
If there is something you can illustrate in a
different way, wouldn t you use a metaphor they would
easily understand to get your point across?
And if there is something that can only justifiably be
expressed in a certain way, wouldn t you attempt to
explain it? Or perhaps keep it to yourself until you
found a person who would understand you.
If someone is trying to learn your language would you
refuse to speak to him just because he has trouble
understanding?

I would say that above anything, I dance to share a
moment with another individual.
I like the way our bodies speak. I learn something
about that person by the way he moves.
Just as conversations with some are effortless, with
others I may not form complete sentences, I may not
understand exactly what they are trying to say, I may
have to ask them to repeat themselves or explain it in
a different way. It is the same in dance. But we do
this with our bodies, our movements are our words.

No matter the skill level of my partner I approach the
dance with an open heart.
I am there for that person with my entire being.
I do not appologize or advise. I accept the person.
I listen with my body and attempt to understand what
they are communicating. That is the respect they
deserve, that is the respect I expect in return.

When I do not enjoy a dance it is usually because the
person I am with is not there for me completely.
The conversation can not be one-sided. I expect the
leader to listen to me as much as I listen to him.
That is the difference between executing tango figures
and dancing.

Regards,
Rose
Portland,OR