546 Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 11:08:33 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Four stages of learning have been identified:
1) Unconscious incompetence
2) Conscious incompetence
3) Conscious competence
4) Unconscious competence
Edgar Degas said, "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the
painter do good things." I think the same holds for tango. Only when the
dancer reaches a stage of unconcious competence is the dancer touching the
possibilities in tango...
Many years ago, Eckhart Haerter claimed that those performing tango only
realize about 75 percent of their capabilities. One might associate such a
performance with conscious competence.
But I would like to generalize by proposing that learning tango is a
spiral; one progresses from the first stage of learning to the fourth over
and over again. The unconscious competence at the previous level of
achievement is the unconscious incompetence at the next level of
achievement.
What does that mean for tango students and teachers?
In teaching, an instructor first lifts the student from unconscious
incompetence to conscious incompetence. This process creates a tension
between the level of dancing the student can accomplish and the level the
student can see. Learning is the process of resolving this tension by
improving the level of accomplishment. (Sometimes the student may get the
feeling that their dancing is deteriorating because their consciousness of
dancing is expanding faster than they are learning...) If the student is
unable sustain the tension necessary to promote learning, however, the
student is likely to slip backward into unconscious incompetence (which is
the previous level of unconscious competence).
Some teachers also help their students move from conscious incompetence to
conscious competence, but it is up to the student to make the transition to
the next level of unconscious competence. Practice is often the key to
creating new competencies, by moving from conscious incompetence to
conscious competence and then to the next level of unconscious competence.
Remember it is only when we are no longer know what we are doing that we
are dancing well... This is the point at which we have effortless mastery.
Instructors can also be quite destructive to developing effortless mastery
in their students by acting like a critic that constantly pulls the person
into conscious competence or incompetence...
Students typically quit formal learning whenever the instructor cannot
create a new tension or creates a tension that is greater than the student
wants to sustain. This can happen at any level of accomplishment.
Teachers who emphasize figures in their classes rarely create a high level
of tension in their students because what they teach does not threaten as
greatly what the students have previously learned. In addition, they may
not have to work very hard to get the students to move from conscious
incompetence to conscious competence. As such this form of instruction may
not offer very much to the highly motivated dancers.
Those instructors who emphasize technique, however, are constantly pulling
their students forward by revealing the next level of refinement in
technique... Students must accept a great level of tension, and the
instructor may be called upon to work very hard to help guide the student
from conscious incompetence to conscious competence. (Sometimes technique
instructors get frustrated at their students' progress.)
In the end, however, I think it is up to the individual dancer to find the
unconscious competence that will give them effortless mastery...
With best regards,
Steve (de Tejas)
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 12:37:29 -0500
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Great post, Steve!
It's SO common for an intermediate's appreciation to develop
much faster than their ability, isn't it? It's a crucial
point at which the need for practice becomes paramount, and
spirits tend to fall.
Teachers should prepare intermediates to understand that shift in
the formula to progress. ...somewhat away from focusing on concept
and towards refining skill in execution (and always more patience!).
Best wishes,
Frank - Mpls.
--
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frankw@mail.ahc.umn.edu Dept. of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 321 Church Street SE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home)
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 15:50:58 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Frank Williams wrote:
>It's SO common for an intermediate's appreciation to develop
>much faster than their ability, isn't it? It's a crucial
>point at which the need for practice becomes paramount, and
>spirits tend to fall.
Yes. Students often quit learning when they become discouraged by the fact
that their appreciation develops faster than their ability.
>Teachers should prepare intermediates to understand that shift in
>the formula to progress. ...somewhat away from focusing on concept
>and towards refining skill in execution (and always more patience!).
To some extent teachers can prepare their students for the shift in the
formula of progress, but progressing to effortless mastery is beyond the
typical instruction.
Effortless mastery comes when we reach unconscious competence, when we no
longer know what we are doing. Most instructors provide no guidance toward
reaching effortless mastery. Some are destructive to the development of
effortless mastery--acting like critics that constantly pull the person
into conscious competence or incompetence, and in doing so destroy the
state of mind in which unconscious dancing is possible. A few offer
encouragement to their students to find unconscious competence, recognizing
that in the end it is up to the individual dancers to find the unconscious
competence that will give them effortless mastery.
How then, do we develop an effortless mastery of tango? We put aside the
small voices of criticism, both external and internal. Doing so, often
requires us to practice until we have the confidence in our physical
skills. We also put aside our judgements about what is good and bad
dancing. We center ourselves and taste the delicious experience of the
four connections in Argentine tango: the music, our partner, the floor, and
the others on the dance floor. Those connections center us and guide us
toward an effortless mastery.
--Steve de Tejas
aka Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
https://www.tejastango.com/
An online resource with information about Argentine tango including reviews
of instructional videos, guides to tango music, articles about learning and
dancing tango, extensive links and a listing of tango events in Dallas,
Texas.
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 22:35:00 -0400
From: Maria Lemus <mlemus@THE-BEACH.NET>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Hello all,
Stephen Brown wrote:<<Remember it is only when we are no longer know what we
are doing that we are dancing well... This is the point at which we have
effortless mastery.>>
It may be a question of words, but I would substitute the word "know" with
"when we no longer have to think about what we are doing." This is true in
any endeavor, not just tango dancing, ofcourse. We live in such a
competitive, results-oriented, right brain-driven, immediate gratification
society that often the process of growth from incompetence to competence,
which is really a never-ending process, is often overlooked, much less
savored and enjoyed. There is no fast-food approach to learning and even
raw talent doesn't develop overnight. But many people seem to forget this.
You've probably seen it before, some student taking offense at well-meant,
constructive criticism because their egos get in the way and they want to
look good fast. Or teachers who push way too hard because there's some kind
of mold they want their student to fit into. Is it any wonder tango can be
so humbling to some?
So learning to dance (regardless of the type of dance) involves a process of
"unlearning." My ballet teacher has mentioned the damage done by being
taught to dance with the frontal cortex instead of feeling the movement
first, trusting intuition and accepting where you are in the dance and just
enjoying it. Those people who get easily frustrated are frontal cortex
people, dancing with their foreheads crimpled in deep thought and their
necks stiff. Even some professionals dance like this. Look at them
closely, they really don't have much mobility even if they appear to be
limber.
When teachers apply gentle, constructive criticism and reward their students
for their continued effort, I think they strike a good balance. But
sometimes people need to be told to enjoy the moment and the process of
learning. There's that point of unconsciousness that Stephen is talking
about, which I think is more of a physical intelligence. It takes a long
time to switch to this mode of living and feeling because we are told from
birth to not listen to our bodies or to trust movement that is done purely
for the pleasure of it. Everything has to be a sport, competitive. But if
you just let go of that and enjoy the dance for what it is, you can start
enjoying tango (or anything else) even from the beginning, no matter how
many mistakes you make.
So getting back to the point, it's not that you no longer *know* something
in mastery, it has simply become part of your physical intelligence. Not
only do you know it, you are living and breathing it. This knowledge is
running through your bloodstream and permeating every cell. You are no
longer just going through the motions, you ARE the motion.
Best,
Maria
"If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads."
-Anatole France
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 16:19:50 -0700
From: david hodgson <tangoman7@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Fwd: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Hmmmmmmmmmmm
I like the string and the topic of what is being said
(so do not take this in the wrong way) Some very good
thoughts have been presented.
"Effortless Mastery". Sounds like an oxymoron,
similar to a porcupine petting zoo (get the point HA,
HA!)
Mastery in my thinking is much like the process of
simplifying something. In my experience it is not
effortless.
I believe when you get to the point of experience that
is being talked about. Past the beginning classes,
learing how ones own body functions, hitting on the
opposite or same sex, getting past the initial
WOW ness or what ever reason someone chooses to enter
the dance floor. They begin to start questioning why
am I bloody doing this dance.
And now the fun starts. One has the opportunity to
find out what works and does not work, find out about
the use of the space the dancer is in, ect.
Some times to get there, the dancer needs to be on a
regular schedule, some times the dancer needs to not
dance for a month or two, some times the dancer needs
to shut up, get out there and dance.
There is no right or wrong way around this, by trial
and error it happens. And above all, this is
organic!!!!!!!
Potential hair loss can occur once someone has gotten
to this point.
You should see my head.
Take care all
David Hodgson
Ever thus to the Spirit of the Dance
=====
"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."
-Groucho Marx-
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 14:50:02 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Frank Williams wrote:
>It's SO common for an intermediate's appreciation to develop
>much faster than their ability, isn't it? It's a crucial
>point at which the need for practice becomes paramount, and
>spirits tend to fall.
Yes. Students often quit learning when they become discouraged by the fact
that their appreciation develops faster than their ability.
>Teachers should prepare intermediates to understand that shift in
>the formula to progress. ...somewhat away from focusing on concept
>and towards refining skill in execution (and always more patience!).
To some extent teachers can prepare their students for the shift in the
formula of progress, but progressing to effortless mastery is beyond the
typical instruction.
Effortless mastery comes when we reach unconscious competence, when we no
longer know what we are doing. Most instructors provide no guidance toward
reaching effortless mastery. Some are destructive to the development of
effortless mastery--acting like critics that constantly pull the person
into conscious competence or incompetence, and in doing so destroy the
state of mind in which unconscious dancing is possible. A few offer
encouragement to their students to find unconscious competence, recognizing
that in the end it is up to the individual dancers to find the unconscious
competence that will give them effortless mastery.
How then, do we develop an effortless mastery of tango? We put aside the
small voices of criticism, both external and internal. Doing so, often
requires us to practice until we have the confidence in our physical
skills. We also put aside our judgements about what is good and bad
dancing. We center ourselves and taste the delicious experience of the
four connections in Argentine tango: the music, our partner, the floor, and
the others on the dance floor. Those connections center us and guide us
toward an effortless mastery.
--Steve de Tejas
aka Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
https://www.tejastango.com/
An online resource with information about Argentine tango including reviews
of instructional videos, guides to tango music, articles about learning and
dancing tango, extensive links and a listing of tango events in Dallas,
Texas.
Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 01:50:12 +0900
From: astrid <astrid@RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Maria Lemus wrote:
I would substitute the word "know" with
> "when we no longer have to think about what we are doing." This is true
in
> any endeavor, not just tango dancing, ofcourse. We live in such a
> competitive, results-oriented, right brain-driven, immediate gratification
> society that often the process of growth from incompetence to competence,
> which is really a never-ending process, is often overlooked, much less
> savored and enjoyed. There is no fast-food approach to learning and even
> raw talent doesn't develop overnight.
Gavito once said, it takes a man 10 years to learn tango, but a woman can do
it in four months or so. While I tend to disagree, both ways, I still think,
with a good teacher, a woman is trained from early on to not think about
what she is doing, to "follow blindly", and once she has developped enough
technique that her body becomes easy to handle and to move for the man, with
a good dancer she can reach this state of effortlessness and
self-abandonement. While for the man, to keep dancing to and interpreting
the music, leading the woman, and navigating around the dance floor while
avoiding collisions, to reach an unconscious, effortless state of doing all
this, I am sure, takes much longer. And frankly, I am quite happy to be a
woman in this case, even if all I get to do is follow and adorn...
Happy Oblivion
Astrid
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 17:37:11 +0200
From: CLIMENTI Dominique <cli@UBP.CH>
Subject: Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango
Hello tango teacher/student/friends/lovers/dancer and much more!
I will add some words to this topic. I really appreciated what Stephen
wrote and I strongly agree with him but I think something is missing in
his explanations.
I will go deeper in what I think he will say when he says "when we no
longer have to think about what we are doing." But it's my
interpretation. (Stephen say me if a miss something)
In dancing (not only tango) and all body performing art, like martial
arts too. There is two ways of learning things. You can let your brain
learn or you can let your body learn. The first one will give likely
immediate result but it will be difficult to acquire a high level of
"mastery" of the movements, the second way will take much longer before
seeing the first result but it's, for me, the only one to master the
technique.
Think of a baby who is learning to take things and how to interact with
his environment, he don't try to intellectualize the process he try if
that don't work, he try again an other way... So I think it's a good and
natural way to learn about our body and the movements he can make, all
we need is time...
For me the difference between "Conscious competence" and "Unconscious
competence" is the difference between something learned the intellectual
way and something learned by the body...
Best regards,
Dominique from Geneva
