3686 beginning tango
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 23:58:00 -0500
From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: beginning tango
Thank you, Michael Ditkoff.....<<<<< I think it's better to begin with
close. When you emphasize close, you're emphasizing the physical
connection. I found it very helpful to tell beginning men to lead with
their hands at their sides>>>>>
I'm a milonguero, so yes I think its best to start with close embrace.
But I think it's best anyway, even if you want to dance open, or
fantasia. Please learn the basics first; learn the close communication;
just my opinion. No arms, no hands.
Very much of my fist education was chest only with no hands;
I'll let the women tell you how it went!
Regards,
Michael
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:35:59 -0700
From: "Alex" <alex@tangofuego.us>
Subject: [Tango-L] Tango Mentors and Retaining Beginning Tango Dancers
<200712181737.lBIHarDn020391@omr8.networksolutionsemail.com>
Hola List!
I'm not a member of TC [Tango Colorado], so I can't post to their message
board on Yahoo Groups- so I am posting this to Tango-L - because it concerns
all tango communities around the world.
Tango Colorado is an umbrella organization in Denver and they are holding
their officer/board elections soon. This is from Jeff Brenman's Candidate
[for President] Statement on Yahoo's TCDiscuss Group.
Jeff wrote (in part): "I would also like to see an affirmative commitment
>from our more experienced dancers to better mentor the newcomers. This will
take a concerted effort, but it is something I believe would pay handsome
dividends for all of us if it were to succeed."
Jeff's words are important to all of us. In my former tango community, Aspen
and Glenwood Springs (Colorado, U.S.) - retention of beginning dancers has
not been good. It's a very small community - and retention is key for
continued growth. In a very small community, three or four people can quit
tango or move away and you have lost 25%-50% of your community - that is,
the dedicated people who are showing up every week. One or two experienced
followers can quit or move and you have lost 50% of your experienced
(dedicated) followers.
We all know the reasons/causes people don't stay with tango - there is the
cyclical/random nature of tango (like all things in life); people quit for
their own reasons - just giving up (too hard to learn), not "getting" (or
not liking) the music, pregnancy, ski season, injury, not enough milongas,
not enough good leaders, not enough good followers, kids & family, takes too
much time and effort to learn or "get good", close embrace issues, too many
work responsibilities (not enough time) - these are all actual reasons
beginners in Aspen have told me they chose not to return to tango. People
have their reasons and there is probably not much that anyone can do to make
them stick with it.
But, the real question is this: are we all doing everything we can for
beginner "retention"? It is my belief that simply sending out emails
announcing classes and events, or posting classes, workshops and events on
our websites or on Tango-A is not enough. When I was (much) younger, I was
involved in the Sierra Club - the environmental organization. Our local
group had a phone list - wherein all of the members (and newcomers) of the
organization were divi'ed up amongst a few of us - and we would call people
about meetings and activities. This was in the days before personal
computers and email and even cell phones!
I like Jeff's idea of "Tango Mentors". Teachers, organizers, organizations
(like Tango Colorado) and communities should consider the concept of "Tango
Mentors" or some other name. It could be modeled similar to university
sororities and fraternities - the big sister and big brother concept. Each
"experienced" dancer could have two or three or four beginners "assigned" to
or "adopted" by them. It would be that dancer's responsibility to call and
email them about classes/practicas/milongas; give encouragement and advice;
impart knowledge of codigos, the history of tango and tango music; help with
technique and practice - you get the picture.
Just a thought...just an idea. This concept would be a lot of hard work and
commitment for those undertaking it...but I wonder how the world tango
community would look after one year of these types of efforts.
But then again, it is "just" tango, "just" a dance...and I suppose I have
too much time on my hands right now...
We have all probably thought of some version of this concept at some time in
our tango evolution - but my thanks go out to Jeff Brenman of Tango Colorado
for the originating idea for my post. Thanks Jeff.
Happy Holidays to all!
Alex
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:31:42 -0700
From: "Alex" <alex@tangofuego.us>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Tango Mentors and Retaining Beginning Tango
Dancers
To: <buffmilonguera@aol.com>
Cc: 'Tango-L' <tango-l@mit.edu>
<200712182032.lBIKWb0j005369@omr1.networksolutionsemail.com>
Hi buffmilonguera!
Thanks for writing...good point... Aspen has had influences from Denver
(teachers and dancers)...and visiting teachers from Argentina and NYC (Robin
Thomas) and Seattle (Jaimes Freidgen). The local teacher/organizer, Heather
Morrow, has been great about bringing in outside teachers. And, the Aspen
community has in turn influenced the Glenwood Springs community - 45 minutes
away.
Very good point though - community level mentoring - I think this goes on to
some degree already - but could be utilized more efficiently.
I know what you mean about the "less gracious". Some teachers and
communities don't realize that it's all good - no competition is necessary
between teachers nor between communities. As an example, if the Aspen
community grows - then that is good for Glenwood Springs tango. If a new
tango teacher crops up in Glenwood Springs, and their community grows - then
that is ultimately good for the Aspen tango community as well. And the same
is true for the different teachers within a community. It's like a symbiotic
relationship.
On a technical note...
RE: tango-L...you have to go to www.tango-l.com and register...
sure the email is sent from the same account you registered with. Be sure to
read the rules about posting and the subject line requirements on Tango-L -
especially when posting to Tango-A.
I'm sending this message to this list...both your message and my
response...for your convenience...
Take care...happy holidays!
-----Original Message-----
From: buffmilonguera@aol.com [mailto:buffmilonguera@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:12 PM
To: alex@tangofuego.us
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Tango Mentors and Retaining Beginning Tango Dancers
Hi
for some reason I still can't figure out how to respond on line - but I
thought your e-mail was important and wanted to respond. another
variation is having larger tango groups mentor beginning communities.
I am from Buffalo - where we have a really enthusiastic and growing
community. Not all, but a lot of that was helped by folks in more
established communities within a few hours ride who came came to our
milongas, gave workshops (which could NOT have been profitable) and
danced with us "beginners" at their own milongas - some other
communities were somewhat less gracious.....
Have you joined the Buffalo Argentine Tango Society Yahoo! group yet?
It's easy, and the best way to make sure you know what we're doing and
what's going on with the Argentine tango in and around Buffalo......go
Society > follow the directions to join BATS_tango. Thanks!
-----Original Message-----
From: Alex <alex@tangofuego.us>
Sent: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:35 pm
Subject: [Tango-L] Tango Mentors and Retaining Beginning Tango Dancers
Hola List!
I'm not a member of TC [Tango Colorado], so I can't post to their
message
board on Yahoo Groups- so I am posting this to Tango-L - because it
concerns
all tango communities around the world.
Tango Colorado is an umbrella organization in Denver and they are
holding
their officer/board elections soon. This is from Jeff Brenman's
Candidate
[for President] Statement on Yahoo's TCDiscuss Group.
Jeff wrote (in part): "I would also like to see an affirmative
commitment
from our more experienced dancers to better mentor the newcomers. This
will
take a concerted effort, but it is something I believe would pay
handsome
dividends for all of us if it were to succeed."
Jeff's words are important to all of us. In my former tango community,
Aspen
and Glenwood Springs (Colorado, U.S.) - retention of beginning dancers
has
not been good. It's a very small community - and retention is key for
continued growth. In a very small community, three or four people can
quit
tango or move away and you have lost 25%-50% of your community - that
is,
the dedicated people who are showing up every week. One or two
experienced
followers can quit or move and you have lost 50% of your experienced
(dedicated) followers.
We all know the reasons/causes people don't stay with tango - there is
the
cyclical/random nature of tango (like all things in life); people quit
for
their own reasons - just giving up (too hard to learn), not "getting"
(or
not liking) the music, pregnancy, ski season, injury, not enough
milongas,
not enough good leaders, not enough good followers, kids & family,
takes too
much time and effort to learn or "get good", close embrace issues, too
many
work responsibilities (not enough time) - these are all actual reasons
beginners in Aspen have told me they chose not to return to tango.
People
have their reasons and there is probably not much that anyone can do to
make
them stick with it.
But, the real question is this: are we all doing everything we can for
beginner "retention"? It is my belief that simply sending out emails
announcing classes and events, or posting classes, workshops and events
on
our websites or on Tango-A is not enough. When I was (much) younger, I
was
involved in the Sierra Club - the environmental organization. Our local
group had a phone list - wherein all of the members (and newcomers) of
the
organization were divi'ed up amongst a few of us - and we would call
people
about meetings and activities. This was in the days before personal
computers and email and even cell phones!
I like Jeff's idea of "Tango Mentors". Teachers, organizers,
organizations
(like Tango Colorado) and communities should consider the concept of
"Tango
Mentors" or some other name. It could be modeled similar to university
sororities and fraternities - the big sister and big brother concept.
Each
"experienced" dancer could have two or three or four beginners
"assigned" to
or "adopted" by them. It would be that dancer's responsibility to call
and
email them about classes/practicas/milongas; give encouragement and
advice;
impart knowledge of codigos, the history of tango and tango music; help
with
technique and practice - you get the picture.
Just a thought...just an idea. This concept would be a lot of hard work
and
commitment for those undertaking it...but I wonder how the world tango
community would look after one year of these types of efforts.
But then again, it is "just" tango, "just" a dance...and I suppose I
have
too much time on my hands right now...
We have all probably thought of some version of this concept at some
time in
our tango evolution - but my thanks go out to Jeff Brenman of Tango
Colorado
for the originating idea for my post. Thanks Jeff.
Happy Holidays to all!
Alex
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