927 Beginners and all that Jazz
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 09:05:18 +1300
From: Bob Ramsey-Turner <bob.ramsey-turner@QUICKSILVER.NET.NZ>
Subject: Beginners and all that Jazz
Following on from Erika Hilliard (PS. The attitude of dancing partners also
profoundly influences whether a person comes back or not. I loved what Jai
said in his email: " Men who "tough it out" remember those who toughed it
out with them." Bravo.
I take the liberty of repeating my posting of about a year ago regarding
beginners.
Fall in love with a beginner. PLEASE
Having tango'd in Tokyo recently, and loved it at Art City, on their first
anniversary, I am delighted that Astrid (also in Tokyo) has something good
to say about beginners. (I danced with, who was a beginner stepwise, but
had a fine sense of rhythm and never ran us into another couple on the
crowded chaotic floor)
How did she find this quality in a beginner? when there has been so many
postings regarding not dancing with someone with less ability than one's
self.
I've been struggling in New Zealand with this Tango thing for a couple of
years now, I started with the belief that I would knock this off in three
months and get it out of my system. Sad thing is the more I learnt, the more
I realised how little I knew. To improve I need to dance with persons better
than I, I'm also happy to dance with absolute beginners, I'm repaying the
debt I owe to those that did the same for me
I have been reading this page for about five months without setting forth
into print myself. The bit that has got to me is the apparent dismissal of
beginners or of persons with less dancing skills than ones self.
The beginners of today are the stars of tomorrow!!!!!
Those of you today with great ability, will be the "has beens" of tomorrow,
when your timing has slipped a little, your balance isn't quite there, when
the pain in the joints over powers the song in your heart, when you will be
grateful that anyone has asked you to dance. So look kindly on the beginner.
There is a saying in corporate circles, "Be kind to people on the way up,
you may need them on the way down"
So the next time a beginner has the audacity to ask you to dance, maybe you
will think for a moment, before you turn them down, think just how much
value the person that asked, has placed on this request! The request is an
acknowledgement of your esteemed skills, and an acknowledgement that the
person that asked desires to excel, just as you do.
With kind regards
Bob Ramsey-Turner
bob.ramsey-turner@quicksilver.net.nz
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 15:49:30 -0600
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Beginners and all that Jazz
Greetings Bob and Friends,
Bob Ramsey-Turner wrote:
> Fall in love with a beginner. PLEASE
;-)
But I take issue with this!
> Those of you today with great ability, will be the "has beens" of tomorrow,
> when your timing has slipped a little, your balance isn't quite there, when
> the pain in the joints over powers the song in your heart, when you will be
> grateful that anyone has asked you to dance.
Question: If a leader or follower is enjoying dancing now and they
don't stop, how exactly is everything going to crumble? Answer: It
won't. For those who have the skills, it is no more difficult than
walking.
Nothing teaches like experience. Many of the finest salon tangueros in
BA are 'older'. They have the benefit of years of experience in
addition to their innate talent. [Example: Tete', who's danced all his
life. Formerly one of BA's finest swing dancers, he shocked one of my
acquaintances a few years back when, during the 'rock-n'-roll' tanda at
a milonga, he dropped into the splits and popped back up! ...what a
guy! ;-) I'm pretty sure that he can't do that now, but how's his
tango? ...none the worse for wear, I'd suggest.] Tangueras with equal
amounts of experience (when they will accept an invitation) are such a
delight! Tango doesn't stay difficult for ever. What is once easy
stays easy.
I've even seen a few cases where people took a break from tango, then
got back to it many months later, and they were noticably BETTER than
when they stopped. It's being comfortable. It's how you feel and what
you know. It's a relationship between you and the music.
Of course, time DOES affect our appearances. Should somebody not wish
to dance with us because of the way we look, then it's probably THEIR
loss - it certainly isn't ours.
Cheers,
Frank in Minneapolis
--
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
612-625-6441
Department of Neuroscience
6-145 Jackson Hall
321 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology
205 Veterinary Science
1971 Commonwealth Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 13:52:10 -0800
From: Rick FromPdx <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Beginners and all that Jazz
I'm certain this dance can be done well into old age. There's less stress on
the body, than say ballet, jazz, swing & others. w.r.t. degree of difficult
learning, Tango seems non-trivial to lead. I had years of dancing & learning
behind me when I took up AT, 3.75 years ago. I danced 3x/week for 5 months &
then 2/week for the rest of the 1st year & thereafter. It took a long time
to gel. All the rest of the partner dances I know, you get a repeating
rhyyhmn & steps the fit like a glove ontop of the basic rhtyhmn. Tango is a
different beast altogether.
Someone was going to take up the fiddle & asked an experienced player about
what they were in for. The reply came, you might reconsider this idea. It
takes years, you very slowly get better when you're not looking, not too
much reward for a long time. Sounds kinda familiar...
Rick
PS: I love Larry's posting on teaching & the word/concept of "professor". I
just looked up the word in the dictionary.
