2431  Beginners on the Dance floor and "teaching"

Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 16:24:18 -0500
From: Gibson Batch <gibsonbatch@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Beginners on the Dance floor and "teaching"

mariholmes@YAHOO.COM write:
"The follower has enjoyed herself without spending more
than the briefest moments thinking of the things she
cannot yet do, and

No one else on the floor even noticed you were dancing
with a beginner."


YES, indeed. That is exactly the point! Magic. I am pleased to see the
discussion going exactly the way I anticipated....sort of.

I agree with what everyone has spoken, and I hope that Frank wasn't
referring to anyone departing from the Tango norm as a 'clown'. Tango
should be fun, but not a nuisance to other dancers - I think that is what he
means.

But I did misuse the phrase 'teach on the dance floor' for beginners. What
I forgot to mention is that when I give a 'lesson', it is without words -
just motion and weight shifting. I don't speak, I don't sing. Sometimes I
do count out the beat to a beginner (OK, sue me, I think sound effects help
when done softly). More often than not, I feel the newby looks nearly as
good as anyone after 3 months of lessons, and we have a great time for 2.5
minutes. No one knows she is new except those in the club (to the chagrin
of women wondering why I am dancing outside the group).

So men (leaders), if you were to take someone out for a tango for the first
time, and you had only 10 seconds to say something before launch, what
instructions would YOU give? I won't tell you my instructions just yet, I
want to hear from others first. Remember, 10 seconds, then total silence.

I recall once I danced a 'first dance' with a young woman from Argentina. I
gave her 5 words of instructions. She never danced tango before (which I
understand is quite common). But boy could she dance tango. I didn't stop
once thinking that she was anything but a seasoned dancer. 24 years of
Argentine TV and pop culture must have left their mark as she later moved to
the states.

As an aside, I haven't danced Tango much lately, but I am enjoying Tango-L
nearly as much! Hope you don't mind a little thinking outside the box every
now and then.

Gibson
Minneapolis

Date: Thu, 6 May 2004 10:44:59 -0500
From: Leonard Kunkel <image10@SWBELL.NET>
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [TANGO-L] Beginners on the Dance floor and "teaching"]

Gibson asks what we would say in a 10 second window before starting with
a beginner at a milonga.

Usually they are falling all over themselves to apologize and inform me
that they are beginners.

All I quietly say is "ssssh don't apologize. Just relax and trust me ...
we are going to have fun and I promise you will enjoy the dance." I tell
them I have never ever failed to make a first dance memorable. Sometimes
I tell them we are just going for a walk. (You know they are thinking
well I can walk).

It shifts the pressure they are feeling off their shoulders. In fact I
can feel when the tension drains away and gos from their arms, shoulders
and body. And if they are still tense I will shift weight back and forth
and again say just relax, this is going to be fun. I patiently wait and
usually will not take a step forward until I feel they are ready and
relaxed.

I treasure the first dance with a lady who has either never danced at
all or danced argentine tango. A woman will always remember the first,
especially if it is a good experience. I have had ladies years later
tell me how much they appreciated their first dance with me. And some
have said that it was the reason that they stayed with tango. Nothing
pleases me more.

Blessings,
leonardo k