466 A Theme Night
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 21:01:03 -0500
From: Keith Elshaw <keith@TOTANGO.NET>
Subject: A Theme Night
Greetings to All;
It's me again, the person who might write on occasion with tongue firmly
in-cheek.
Recently, we've had in our city a "no wearing black" night, and of course,
"No Smoking" nights.
So I thought, why not a "No Bumping" night?
I should think everyone would be allowed, say, 3 bumps - because they happen
to even the most careful dancers, as we all know.
But after the free bumps, you're outta here. Or maybe hit with a stun gun.
And how should that be policed? I've thought that perhaps the worst bumpers,
the ones who always yell at you with bad grace (though they are continual
offenders) should be officially sanctioned to be all-powerful. Well, that
might be going too far ...
Every night the bumping is bad, I first take into account the number of
newer dancers that might be in attendance. Thank gawd for new people ...
give them a break, right?
But it gets a little hard to take when there is lots of bumping but no new
people. Hence, the theme night proposition.
And then I thought, how many teachers really have figured out a way to
tactfully and helpfully address this issue? They want their students to COME
to the Milonga ... it isn't helpful to make them feel even more their
inadequacies.
Idea! Why not MANDATE (in a fun way) in a class that everyone MUST bump at
least 6 times in one song? Nothing would get the message across faster.
Keith
https://ToTANGO.net
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 10:15:22 -0800
From: clayton beach <akumushi@ONEBOX.COM>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
We could go the Galager route:
a) Every one recieves a plastic dart gun upon paying the cover
b) We all get a bunch of darts labelled "stupid"
c) When bumped, simply shoot that lead with the "stupid" dart
d) Finally, anyone exceeding their alloted three bumps, signified by
the darts that they wear, is asked to sit down for a few songs or leave
to altogether.
;)
--
clayton beach
akumushi@onebox.com - email
(866) 248-7670 x7206 - voicemail/fax
---- Keith Elshaw <keith@TOTANGO.NET> wrote:
> Greetings to All;
>
> It's me again, the person who might write on occasion with tongue firmly
> in-cheek.
>
> Recently, we've had in our city a "no wearing black" night, and of
> course,
> "No Smoking" nights.
>
> So I thought, why not a "No Bumping" night?
>
> I should think everyone would be allowed, say, 3 bumps - because they
> happen
> to even the most careful dancers, as we all know.
>
> But after the free bumps, you're outta here. Or maybe hit with a stun
> gun.
>
> And how should that be policed? I've thought that perhaps the worst
> bumpers,
> the ones who always yell at you with bad grace (though they are continual
> offenders) should be officially sanctioned to be all-powerful. Well,
> that
> might be going too far ...
>
>
> Every night the bumping is bad, I first take into account the number
> of
> newer dancers that might be in attendance. Thank gawd for new people
> ...
> give them a break, right?
>
> But it gets a little hard to take when there is lots of bumping but
> no new
> people. Hence, the theme night proposition.
>
> And then I thought, how many teachers really have figured out a way
> to
> tactfully and helpfully address this issue? They want their students
> to COME
> to the Milonga ... it isn't helpful to make them feel even more their
> inadequacies.
>
> Idea! Why not MANDATE (in a fun way) in a class that everyone MUST
> bump at
> least 6 times in one song? Nothing would get the message across faster.
>
>
> Keith
>
> https://ToTANGO.net
>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 15:03:15 -0500
From: Barbara Kountouzi <vk25@DREXEL.EDU>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
As tempted as I may be by the idea of kicking bumpers out (BELIEVE ME!), don't
you think this contradicts our previous thread of discussion? Right when we
finally found some ways to keep men in milongas, do we want to kick them out?
Because I don't think there will be anyone left after such a game!!!
:-)
Barbara
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 16:10:01 -0600
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
Hi Friends,
I once had a student (from a medical school class I was teaching)
approach me to say, essentially, "If you would just work harder in
presenting the curriculum, then I would do better in your class."
He had a preconceived notion about how much time my course should
take and was unwilling to work as hard as his classmates.
It reminds me of this thread: "If you weren't in my way so much
then I'd be able to dance much better."
It is also true that: "If you were a better dancer, then others
wouldn't be in your way so often!"
I know, that's easy to say when floors locally are rarely full...
But if my tango skills include slick evasive counter-moves
and the nerve to occasionally assert a claim for space, then I
shouldn't blame others for not enjoying myself.
My only rule of navigation: Share and share alike.
Give others as much room (= respect) as they are giving you.
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: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:37:42 -0800
From: Ted Crowley <tcrowley@CISCO.COM>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
"Frank G. Williams" wrote:
> I know, that's easy to say when floors locally are rarely full...
> But if my tango skills include slick evasive counter-moves
> and the nerve to occasionally assert a claim for space, then I
> shouldn't blame others for not enjoying myself.
>
> My only rule of navigation: Share and share alike.
Folks --
Some of my best tango moves started as "evasive counter-moves"
to avoid collision. I have a pet theory that virtually all tango steps
(other than created-for-teaching patterns, of course) had collision
avoidance as their origin, sometime in history
Last August's Denver weekend was so crowded (like many BsAs
milongas, some say) that Friday night's milonga had a lot of traffic
problems. So all the Saturday workshops changed their content
to focus entirely on dancing in that environment (staying in lane,
never ever passing, specific patterns) and the Saturday and Sunday
milongas were a distinct pleasure. In fact I found after returning home
that I now enjoy things much less on a more open floor, where people
around you expect you to move around the room faster. Just puttering
along at one mile per hour for whole songs was SO nice...
-- Ted
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 19:34:34 -0300
From: SMC Administracion <adm@SMCAR.COM.AR>
Subject: a theme night
There are here in Buenos Aires some attitudes that make me feel angry about
floor behaviour
a) crossing the dancing area while the music is playing, to take the lady
(instead of waiting the music to stop )
b) entering into the dancing area all in a sudden , just from the table the
man asked the lady to dance (instead of
going to the nearest corner , waiting for a space in the line of dance to
enter )
c) a detention of the dancing to chat or exchange greetings with a sitting
person at the nearby tables of the dancing floor, when the music is playing
( instead of waiting for the end of the music to do that)
But it is very difficult to rever this attitudes , they are part of the
everyday attitude . It would be the same if the music were not playing, I
wonder how these people could establish a body communication with their
dancing partners , if any .
Warm regards
Alberto Gesualdi
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 12:03:24 -0800
From: Tango B i t c h <latangobitch@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
I suspect that a polite suggestion from the follower to "please be careful with
me" will provide more benefit that other solutions.
Assuming, of course, that the man actually wants to please the woman.....
latb
--- Barbara Kountouzi <vk25@DREXEL.EDU> wrote:
> As tempted as I may be by the idea of kicking bumpers out (BELIEVE ME!),
> don't
> you think this contradicts our previous thread of discussion? Right when we
> finally found some ways to keep men in milongas, do we want to kick them out?
> Because I don't think there will be anyone left after such a game!!!
> :-)
>
> Barbara
>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 12:39:21 -0500
From: Natarajan Balasundara <rajan@EMC.COM>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
"Frank G. Williams" wrote:
> I once had a student (from a medical school class I was teaching)
> approach me to say, essentially, "If you would just work harder in
> presenting the curriculum, then I would do better in your class."
> He had a preconceived notion about how much time my course should
> take and was unwilling to work as hard as his classmates.
Obviously stressing the student seems to be the method.
But, it may be that the opposite could be also true, as in the
following exchange...
=== from https://members.tripod.com/~dogschool/shawquote.html) ==
From "Caesar and Cleopatra" by George Bernard Shaw
CLEOPATRA: [to the old musician] I want to learn to play the harp with my own
hands. Caesar loves music. Can you teach me?
MUSICIAN: Assuredly I and no one else can teach the queen. Have I not
discovered the lost method of the ancient Egyptians, who could make a pyramid
tremble by touching a bass string? All the other teachers are quacks: I have
exposed them repeatedly.
CLEOPATRA: Good: you shall teach me. How long will it take?
MUSICIAN: Not very long: only four years. Your Majesty must first become
proficient in the philosophy of Pythagoras.
CLEOPATRA: Has she [indicating the slave] become proficient in the philosophy
of Pythagoras?
MUSICIAN: Oh, she is but a slave. She learns as a dog learns.
CLEOPATRA: Well, then, I will learn as a dog learns; for she plays better than
you. You shall give me a lesson every day for a fortnight. [The musician
hastily scrambles to his feet and bows profoundly]. After that, whenever I
strike a false note you shall be flogged; and if I strike so many that there
is not time to flog you, you shall be thrown into the Nile to feed the
crocodiles. Give the girl a piece of gold; and send them away.
--Caesar and Cleopatra Act IV, Scene 1
====
rajan.
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 08:57:51 EST
From: Robert Madrigal <LekkerP@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: A Theme Night
Ted and other listers,
I was in Denver, as well and got my ankles whacked every other dance on that
Friday night. I stayed Saturday to participate in the workshops given by the
visiting faculty and was equally amazed at the results later that evening.
Using one step less in your standard patterns actually shortened the required
space needed to execute. In addition, we worked on other suggestions and
practiced those throughout the afternoon. Add to that, dancing behind known
good dancers or your friends diminishes the need for evasive actions. Much
like driving in Paris, you only look to the front.
Tango instructors may want to cut the use of their studios to simulate a
packed salon and review their movements and how they can be adjusted in tight
spaces. I danced in Amsterdam during the past Tangomagia III with around a
thousand dancers present. No problems encountered and I was still able to do
an occasional molinette or a tightly placed gancho or low boleo. It was slow
going, about twenty meters per song, but that was the challenge.
Not being taught close navigation skills may be another reason why the men
are leaving.
Robert
