778  advise on learning tango

Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:33:38 EDT
From: Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango@AOL.COM>
Subject: advise on learning tango

Quotes from Janis Kenyon's last post.
The following was excerpted from "Teaching Argentine Tango in New York,
1914" by Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Castle. Chapter V of their book Modern Dancing
can be found in The Dance at www.todotango.com

What he wrote then can certainly be said today about the tango:
1. All teachers teach it differently.
2. It's difficult so people don't like it.
3. American teachers take a few lessons. . . and start teaching.
4. Before you dance, understand and appreciate the music by learning to
walk in time to it.
5. It should be simple and not full of jerky or complicated steps.

My opinions on the subject are:
First whenever you want to learn to dance, weather it's tango or Ballroom,
First look on the dance floor and see which couples dancing impresses you the
most. Then ask this couple who taught them to dance. Keep doing this and
sooner or later you will start hearing the same teachers name repeatedly. Now
you know teacher you should start talking to.

Said about tango #1. All teacher teach differently.
While learning the basics of any dance, I feel you should stay with one
instructor. You know the saying,"To many cooks spoil the broth." How true
this is. Each time a follower walks on the dance floor she gets another dance
lesson from each man she dances with. Soon she has 1000 ways to do the same
move. Who should she listen too?

Said about tango #2 It's difficult so people don't like it.
Simplify your thinking process. Learn to react to what the music and
available space on the dance floor tells your body where you can go and what
you can do. Leaders, Learn how to drive your car before you go on the road.
Before choreography, learn to lead and follow. Learn to move without thinking.

Said about tango #3 American teachers take a few lessons. . . and start
teaching.
This is probably universal. Anyone can probably teach you to dance, but the
tango is also a feeling. Feelings can't be taught, so people have inner
feelings they want to convey, so the urge to teach. Feel what I can't tell
you in words. But what I also see, is followers with little or no confidence.
Poor leaders giving good followers lessons, and the good followers taking
their advise. Followers, start realizing when your dancing needs no help from
another amateur. You might be able to help the leader, if he will except it.

Said about tango #4, understand and appreciate the music by learning to walk
in time to it.
This is the most important thing to learn about the tango. Walking and Tempo
are the two most important things to learn in any dance, but especially
Tango. By what I see in my area, To many leaders are thinking about what
choreographed dance step to use, instead of listening to the music and
reacting to what he hears. Pausing when the music slows down, walking or
speeding up when the music speeds up. I feel to many beginners feel walking
is beneath them, boring. I must learn Gaunchos first! I also feel the use of
the terms Beginner, Intermediate, or Advance dancer holds people back. So
many people cannot except being called a beginner. So many people calling
them self's Advanced, when you know their not. When do you cross over into
the next category? Changing from beginner to Intermediate is a state of mind.
Not what some book or rules calls for. Although I've been dancing tango for 6
years, I still go to a basic beginner class once in a while. There is always
something new, or something I forgot, to learn or relearn.

Said about tango #5. It should be simple and not full of jerky or
complicated steps.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Less is more." The best dancers use only 4 -
6 steps over and over moving effortlessly down the dance floor, Two people
moving as one. Dance at your partners level, not yours. A leader dancing to
impress everyone with his hardest steps, is dancing only with himself. Dance
for your partner. Out performing your partner only makes her look bad, thus
you'll look worse.