4183  [TANGO-L] Desperate to learn, no teachers here.

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:49:39 -0600
From: Barbara Garvey <barbara@TANGOBAR-PRODUCTIONS.COM>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] [TANGO-L] Desperate to learn, no teachers here.
Please help -
To: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Cc: tango-l@mitvma.mit.edu

I have yet to find a video or DVD that could be really useful to
beginning dancers; a good 2-hour video could address walking,
lead/follow, the embrace (with variations), a salida, cadencias,
forward and back ochos. None of the ones I've seen (and I've seen most
of those easily available) try to emphasize technique which is what
beginning tango is all about, or rather what all tango is about. Maybe
there is a good beginners tape or DVD for close embrace but not that
I've seen.

Please note, we haven't seen Christy Cote's DVDs; hope to remedy that soon.

Also, although there are several good Followers' tapes, especially that
by Rebecca Shulman, the only one I know of for Leaders is superficial
and does not discuss leading, for Pete's sake.

Have I missed something?

Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 22:14:00 +0900
From: "astrid" <astrid@ruby.plala.or.jp>
Subject: [Tango-L] Fw: [TANGO-L] Desperate to learn, no teachers
here. Please help -
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>

Hi, Barbara,
I tried to answer you in private, but my mail got rejected by your spam
blocker. So I guess, the only thing I can do is send this to the list, and
would you please unblock my address? Thanks. Original mail below.
Sorry for having to ask about this in public.
Astrid

(you asked for videos for beginners)

> (You probably know these alrady): I quite liked Florencia Taccetti's video
> of women's technique (bridge to the tango). She kind of gives you an idea
> what tango could be like if you were elegant and had a perfect sense of
> rhythm. Though very helpful for beginners? Don't know... Anyway, I enjoyed
> watching it when I was a beginner. I also liked Elina Roldan (also for
> women). She even introduces her shoes on the video...; )
> But I think, basically, it is hard to learn tango from a video. Noone

there

> to correct your mistakes.
>
> Astrid
>
>

Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 12:24:21 -0700
From: "Igor Polk" <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] [TANGO-L] Desperate to learn, no teachers here.
Please help -
To: <tango-l@mitvma.mit.edu>

It is sad, Barbara, but I do not know any good tape for beginning leaders.
( and I agree 100% with Astrid that Florencia Taccetti's video and Elina
Roldan are the best for followers up-to-date )

Sorry, Maestros!

The tape which is really progressed me forward in close embrace was Tete
tape from Bridge to the
Tango. Of course it does not have any good theory: only dance examples are
useful.

Thinking about which, ( surprise !) I would say that there is a lot of very
important material on Daniel Trenner's tapes which I was not able to find
anywhere else. At least he is the one which intelligently is talking about
many important issues you've mentioned looking at them with our eyes. Though
these tapes are very far from the imaginable best ( and expensive ).

I like Orlando Paiva's tape very much ( I guess it is yours ! ). It has an
excellent collection of figures teaching from simple to complex.
Unintrusively, it teaches many important aspects of tango: just learn
figures one by one. But I started appreciate it only now when I essentially
know what it is all about. He does not give much explanations. I remember it
was very boring to watch when I did not know that. And as always his
performance looks simple, but it is a top of the art - too difficult for
beginners to repeat and recognize underlying basis of what he is doing
without pointing to details. ( Well, that what a teacher in the class should
do, isn't it? A Maestro on the tape is not able to give personal attendance
in the limited 2 hours. I am sure that each of his figures can be discussed
for hours. He with his partner are just perfect in everything! )

I haven't seen Cristy's DVDs also as well as many new videos. So I am very
interested what others say about it too. So, what is the really good
beginner video tape for leaders?

Igor.

>>

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