2540 mediocre teachers
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 17:12:04 -0700
From: H Dickinson <hyladlmp@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: mediocre teachers
Roberto asks why are there teachers teaching beginners
to walk in certain ways that he finds difficult and
unhelpful? And why teach the dreaded 8 count basic?
Well, one reason is that an excellent teacher will
have formed a coherent philosophy of teaching dance,
and will use various teaching tools and elements that
suit that philosophy, and then make them work. A
mediocre teacher can do ok with someone else's
coherent philosophy and make many parts of it work,
and will drop the bits that they can't make work. A
bad teacher will often take someone else's coherent
philosophy, make it utterly incoherent, keep the worst
parts of it, and mangle them. I have seen excellent
teachers teach ideas and methods that sound and feel
terribly wrong to me, yet they make it work and their
students somehow end up very good. However, if one of
those students goes on to become a bad or mediocre
teacher, their students (ie., the second
generation)will suffer dreadfully.
I have taken classes in which the 8-count-step-thingy
(which we all so dread) was used as a valuable and
helpful teaching tool. In such cases it is usually
referred to as a "salida" and explained that it is
valuable because it sort of encapsulates the basic
"irregular grammar" of tango--cross foot system,
entering and leaving the cross, shifting weight both
with and without your partner; it can be used as a
very nice intro to ochos, as well. I have taken
classes (and followed victims of such classes) where
it was taught as the "basic", almost the be-all and
end-all of tango. The difference is not so much what
was taught, as how it was taught, what thought went
into the teaching and philosophy behind the teaching,
and so on.
The bad and mediocre are always with us. The sad
truth of the matter is that most people in the world
are, by definition, average. This alas is true for
teachers as well. And, there are many wonderful
professional dancers who are amazingly talented as
performers and social dancers, who have no talent
whatsover for teaching. In order to follow their
vocation, their love, which is to dance, they must
make money by teaching. So they teach--badly. All
that we can really do is to gently reach out to
beginners and let them know that there are
alternatives, and that the learning process is
eventually worth following through. If/when they
don't listen, we hope they survive, and let it go.
I have seen "crusades" against bad teaching, bad
dancing, poor floor craft etc come and go. They
create lots of anger and self-righteousness, maybe
enlighten some people, maybe alienate some others, and
don't have much overall effect. What does have an
effect is quiet leading by example, being open about
what works, the sort of ongoing non-glamorous daily
prescence that creates slow steady changes. AT least,
I think it does, maybe I am being optimistic.
Hyla
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2004 07:40:40 +0100
From: Hector <hector.ariza@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: mediocre teachers
Amen, Hyla.
I would just add being observant and rely on instinct.
Hector
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 1:12 AM
Subject: [TANGO-L] mediocre teachers
> What does have an
> effect is quiet leading by example, being open about
> what works, the sort of ongoing non-glamorous daily
> prescence that creates slow steady changes. AT least,
> I think it does, maybe I am being optimistic.
>
> Hyla
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2004 10:20:00 -0400
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: mediocre teachers
Hyla,
Thank you for a clear and balanced post. I agree with your observations.
There are literally dozens of teachers spawned from the first teacher that
appears in a community. Within a few years you can see the former student's
students teaching tango and even another generation or two after that.
Add to this the fact that many of these "teachers" are heavily or even
exclusively influenced by one or two phylosophies of dance and you'll soon
have a whole generation of bad dancers out there. To make matters worse,
they'll even set themselves up as the final authorities or arbiters of what
constitutes "real" tango or "real" tango dancing, etc.
The most interesting thing about these things is how the 3rd and 4th gen
teachers suddenly become so confident that they then proceed to criticize
and correct the true master teachers themselves. Among others, Gustavo
Naveira & Giselle Anne, Fabian Salas & Carolina, Julio & Corina, Chicho &
Natalia, are very good teachers as well as accomplished dancers. These
people have actually developed and refine coherent systems of teaching
tango. I've also enjoyed and profited from lessons by Susana Miller, Eduardo
& Gloria, Nito & Elba and many more (I mean no disrespect at all by not
mentioning each and everyone, they were all very, very good. Just too many
to mention)
Naturally, they are all different but still they are tango teachers and
dancers and their methodology will produce excellent results. I don't want
to short change anybody else's favorite teachers, it's just that these
people come to mind because I recently took classes with them and I reminded
of their skilled and clear teaching.
The fact is that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear ;). I've
had great breakthroughs in my dancing and teaching ability from receiving
the very same lesson from the same teacher the 3rd of 4th time perhaps
several years after the first time! Also, I've had wonderful and revealing
lessons from teachers that I seldom have a chance to take from. Some of the
teachers that I've taken lessons from, have taught me diametrically opposite
things, or at least it seemed so at the time. However, after actually
learning what they taught, it becomes clear that it's not necessarily
opposite or incongruent, but rather specific to each of the teachers
personal style of dance and musical preference.
Make no mistake however. The true master teachers such as Gustavo Naveira,
can and will teach or dance superbly well in all the styles. Not only that,
but their teaching will be applicable and appropriate to all the styles they
teach and dance. There will not be conflicts and exceptions. My opinion and
advise to all who are confused or distressed by these apparent
contradictions is to travel and take lessons from various diverse master
teachers and keep and open mind. It's amazing how much I have learned in
this manner. Otherwise, just find a teacher you like or a style that suits
your level of dance and knowledge, and stick with it. Most of all, if you
suspect that your teacher is shortchanging you, by all means try other
teachers. Even those 3rd and 4th generation teachers might shed light on the
subject and perhaps can even teach you a thing or two.
Good teachers to all,
Manuel
visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com
----Original Message Follows----
