151  self-taught? why not!

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 10:48:52 -0400
From: Eugenia Spitkovsky <euginas@EROLS.COM>
Subject: self-taught? why not!

Dear tango list,

Can you learn how to dance from video tapes? Yes and No.

I must agree that to start learning tango one needs to be a part of a
tango environment. For that reason alone it is worth taking classes. We
have a wonderful teacher and a person in Washington DC, Leon Harris.
Leon has opened his home to many of us to come and to socialize while
learning tango weekly. To learn from each other and to compare our
progress to the progress of others we must socialize. Leon taught many
steps we use, and some steps we do not use in our dancing, but know
about.

But can you just completely rely on a teacher? Or even several
teachers? No. If you do, you become that teachers image, rather than a
product of teacher's pride and satisfaction for his/her student's
progress. Video tapes help to broaden our understanding of movement,
styles used by others in order to create our own dancing style. Plus,
when you rewind and observe the movement 20 times or more, you really
begin to understand and remember what you see. In addition you can
practice in the privacy of your own home without the time limitations of
a class.

We highly recommend to do both: be a part of a tango scene: regularly
come out to dance to practice what you've learned, and watch videotapes
to practice. Over and over again. Internalize it. Tango Zen is real...

Eugenia and Chan