274  Offering Advice (Was: Learning Curves for Men and Women)

Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2001 02:36:25 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Offering Advice (Was: Learning Curves for Men and Women)

At milongas, offering advice, comments or pointers about dancing is
considered quite poor form, whether or not it is solicited. But, advice,
comments or pointers are frequently not be all that welcome during
practicas or small practice sessions either--even if they are designed to
help move the listener up the learning curve. Quite frequently, it seems
like the only options are silence and avoiding partners whose shortcomings
on the dance floor are intolerable or speaking up and having the listeners
avoid the speakers. Having tried both extremes myself, and having
discussed the issue who others who have tried either one or both extremes,
neither seems like a very attractive option. ...

Working with instructors to increase dance skills may help resolve some of
the physical issues involved, but sometimes it seems like there probably
should be middle path (or maybe a golden path) between suffering in silence
and making others suffer by hearing unsolicited advice.

Of course, anyone seeking to offer comments should carefully consider how
their dancing may be contributing to the difficulties that they are
experiencing.

With best regards,
Steve

Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
https://www.tejastango.com/