3610  Ann Arbor, and insperation to all cities, let alone communities

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 09:59:55 EDT
From: TimmyTango@AOL.COM
Subject: Ann Arbor, and insperation to all cities, let alone communities

Everyone should at one time visit Ann Arbor, Mich.
This community is what every community should be to succeed.
This is the only community where all the teachers get along, and all aim for
one goal.
Everyone teaching the same style.
Not one teacher doing this for the $$$.
Not one teacher stealing the spotlight.
Everyone helping the other to better them self's
Everyone dedicated to the advancement of tango and not themselves

Yelena: A nurse by day and dancer at night. I danced with her when she was
only 3 months dancing tango, and she exceeded anyone I had known at that time.
Her teaching ability is so easy and clear. Their students dance so well with
only 3 months lessons.

Avik: What an incredibly likable guy. He has a smile bigger than his face. I
feel a genius in many aspects. I wonder when he has time to work. He bought a
bandoneon 3 months ago and he's now playing in small groups. Plus he DJs
fantastically. His tango lessons equal Yelenas both his and Yelena's hearts are as
big as the all out doors.

Ramu: Probably one of the best DJ in the country and equal in his teaching.

There are many, many more people there I'm leaving out do to space, but
everyone at Ann Arbor are now getting back what they put into tango.

It no wonder to me that Ann Arbor is the fastest growing community in the US
Timmy

Date: Thu, 04 May 2006 21:12:40 -0300
From: Deby Novitz <dnovitz@lavidacondeby.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] ET Al
To: tango-l@mit.edu

The resident bocarona from Buenos Aires returns...

Michael F: When some guy taps my back with those damn fingers I want to
break them off. You have no idea how annoying it is. The last time this
happened, I moved my back to suggest that it bothered me. When the man
asked what was wrong I told him what bothered me. He told me that this
was the "Argentine" way to lead. (not true) that I needed to learn to
dance like the "Argentines." (Always a convenient excuse for an
Argentine who doesn't know me or my dance) I told him, I wasn't a
bandoneon. When I told people who I was seated with - all Argentines
along with Mimi Santapa, they found it pretty funny. Leading with the
fingers or the hands is not a way to lead, it is not another style.
There is no such thing as a hand arm lead. At least not here, and not
with the good teachers. (I do not know any one here who teaches this,
but I am sure there is someone since we have a million teachers here as
well.)

Tonight when Roberto gave a private lesson to a couple, he made the man
dance without using his hands or arms. They stayed straight down by his
side. This was to help him understand that the lead comes from the
chest. Yes, they stumbled and had some problems, but that was due to
lack of posture, axis, and balance - not because the man did not use his
arms or hands. We demonstrated for this couple that when you have these
3 things the arms and hands are not part of the lead. You should be
able to dance without them.

Michael D: Both dancers are always centered. Centered does not
necessarily mean that you are smack dab in front of the person 100% of
the time. It means that you have your axis - and all dancers should
have their axis 100% of the time regardless of the movement. I agree
with Chris and his analysis of the forward ocho. It is done here in
Buenos Aires on the dance floor. There is no need for the man to be all
over the place. His movement is very simple and allows the woman to go
forward. At least here, the forward ocho is not a whirling dervish all
of the floor step. It used when there is little movement on the floor
due to the crowd. It gives the woman an opportunity to continue to
move. It is danced in your own space. In my opinon traveling with the
forward ocho is not very elegant. f you want to do it differently then
so be it. If you ever come here to Buenos Aires, I will be happy to
show you this movement...Free..and I know what you think of people who
offer things for free as per your post..so consider it a gift.

Lastly, it isn't necessary to malign another person or write a nasty
comment because you don't agree with them. Everyone is entitled to
their opinion whether you agree with it or not. It isn't necessary to
put someone else down to make yourself seem better or more expert. When
you are an "expert" in anything, it is funny, but people seem to know.

The point of this forum is to exchange ideas not egos...but then what do
I know? I'm blond.