815 you only have 90 minutes
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 16:26:28 EDT
From: Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango@AOL.COM>
Subject: you only have 90 minutes
I know we have been discussing "What is tango." Can we please look and
discuss it in a different text?
You have been asked to demonstrate and teach tango to a group of people who
never seen or danced the Argentine tango. There might be 40, 50 people in the
room.
What do you say, or what do you teach these people, and in what order, to get
and keep these people interested in continuing taking tango lessons? Please
remember you only have 90 minutes. You must first teach them posture and how
to walk. That alone will take you 20 minutes. That leaves you with 70
minutes. Can you remember your first introduction to tango. What got you
hooked?
I would really be interested in reading your thoughts, either by posting them
on the L list, or writhing me back directly.
Thanks
Timmy
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 13:53:31 -0700
From: Trini or Sean - PATangoS <patangos@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Some suggestions.
Rhythm. Teach rhythm in conjunction with walking(ala Susanna
Miller). Novices seem to enjoy doing a small cadencia (rock step
with a "beat & beat" rhythm). From there you can just show the
matching side step (let them figure that one out on their own).
If you have time, you can try a parada off of the side step. She
ornaments and forward ochos to lead's left (lead does 1/4 turn).
That usually gets oohs and aahs. Ochos are what got me hooked. So
what if it's not perfect.
Make them laugh - don't be afraid to look goofy. One thing some new
students enjoyed last night - the follows tried to push the leads
while the leads refused to budge. It corrected how they walked and
brought out a lot of smiles & laughter from both leads & follows.
Good luck!
Trina
--- Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango@AOL.COM> wrote:
> I know we have been discussing "What is tango." Can we please look
> and
> discuss it in a different text?
>
> You have been asked to demonstrate and teach tango to a group of
> people who
> never seen or danced the Argentine tango. There might be 40, 50
> people in the
> room.
>
> What do you say, or what do you teach these people, and in what
> order, to get
> and keep these people interested in continuing taking tango
> lessons? Please
> remember you only have 90 minutes. You must first teach them
> posture and how
> to walk. That alone will take you 20 minutes. That leaves you with
> 70
> minutes. Can you remember your first introduction to tango. What
> got you
> hooked?
>
> I would really be interested in reading your thoughts, either by
> posting them
> on the L list, or writhing me back directly.
>
> Thanks
> Timmy
=====
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Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance.
https://www.patangos.org/
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Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 13:33:11 -0400
From: Michael B Ditkoff <tangomaniac@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Timmy:
First dance a slow tango so they can see what AT is.
Technique
1) How to walk. Bring knees together so the feet come together.
2) Stand up straight and bend knees, meaning no slouching
3) Emphasize chest
Figures
1) Walking
2) Walk to the cross
3)Front and back ochos
That should be enough for 90 minutes.
Michael
On Fri, 18 Oct 2002 16:26:28 EDT Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango@AOL.COM>
writes:
>
> What do you say, or what do you teach these people, and in what >
order, to get> and keep these people interested in continuing taking
tango lessons?
>
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 13:24:58 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Demonstrate the tango walk the way a "compadrito" would walk, then walk with
the woman in this manner. Ask students to walk in this manner with and
without music.
Use same tango music interpreted by two different orchestras -- "Milonguero
Viejo" by Di Sarli (the slow interpretation not the fast one from the BMG
label) and the other by Juan Maglio Pacho.
Mention that at the beginning in learning the tango walk students should
exaggerate the movements so that at least some of the characteristics of the
tango walk will stay with them longer. Demonstrate what the tango walk with
exaggerated movements.
Dance Di Sarli's with a compadrito walk and dance Pacho's a compadrito walk
with exaggarated movements.
Mention that are no specific steps or figures to dance Tango, but rather we
use steps or figures we feel are most appropriate to a Tango in a given
dance occasion.
If you choose to teach figures emphasize "the charm" of each figure by
pointing out what is special about this figure. Is it the way I resolve the
figure with a pivot and moving away from partner? Is it the lift I provide
to my partner when dancing a pause at the end of a figure that leads her to
use her free leg to do a back boleo?
Bruno
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 13:04:50 -0700
From: Marisa Holmes <mariholmes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Bruno -
Were you going to tell the women in the 90 minute
introductory class anything? Or were you just going
to give them a taste of the tango instruction they are
likely to receive later when they will most likely be
ignored by the instructor, to find out if they will
tolerate it?
Marisa
--- Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET> wrote:
> Demonstrate the tango walk the way a "compadrito"
> would walk, then walk with the woman in this
manner...
> Mention that at the beginning in learning the tango
> walk students should exaggerate the movements...
>
> Dance Di Sarli's with a compadrito walk ...
>
> Mention that are no specific steps or figures ...
>
> If you choose to teach figures emphasize "the charm"
> of each figure.... Is it the way I resolve the
> figure with a pivot and moving away from partner?...
.
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Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 16:25:18 -0400
From: Manuel Patino <manuel@TANGO-RIO.COM>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
At Tuesday, 22 October 2002, Marisa Holmes <mariholmes@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>were you just going
>to give them a taste of the tango instruction they are
>likely to receive later when they will most likely be
>ignored by the instructor, to find out if they will
>tolerate it?
Marissa, I promise you that if you took classes with us you would
not be ignored. There is a lot of learning that women can do. It
is not only the men who receive attention and instruction.
>> Demonstrate the tango walk the way a "compadrito"
>> would walk, then walk with the woman in this
>manner...
>> exaggerate the movements...
>>
>> Dance Di Sarli's with a compadrito walk ...
Good grief! does a man need to ape a gangster in order to dance tango?
I think not, I think it's sad that so many people think the tango
is a dance of the underworld and that one must act like a criminal
to fit in the tango scene. From my trips to Argentina and other parts
of the world I would conclude that the vast majority of tango dancers
fall in the category of nice, law abiding type of folks. With a few
notable exceptions, there are neither "compadritos" nor their women.
Respectfully,
Manuel
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 15:10:28 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Hi Marisa,
<Were you going to tell the women in the 90 minute
introductory class anything? Or were you just going
to give them a taste of the tango instruction they are
likely to receive later when they will most likely be
ignored by the instructor, to find out if they will
tolerate it?>
Undoubtedly, when co-teaching my partner and I take turns to address men and
women. In an scenario as suggested in this discussion I will be not be able
to do it alone. From what I have observed the best results in teaching a
tango class occurred when there are lead and follow role models present. In
teaching the lead/follow roles my partner and I prefer to accentuate the
visual -- working with images, making analogies, etc.
Hope this answer your question.
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 16:29:25 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
<Good grief! does a man need to ape a gangster in order to dance tango?
I think not, I think it's sad that so many people think the tango
is a dance of the underworld and that one must act like a criminal
to fit in the tango scene. From my trips to Argentina and other parts
of the world I would conclude that the vast majority of tango dancers
fall in the category of nice, law abiding type of folks. With a few
notable exceptions, there are neither "compadritos" nor their women.>
FYI, a quick reference to the lunfardo and spanish dictionary I was unable
to find the word ganster or criminal in the words "compadrito(s)" or related
words -- compadre and gaucho.
Compadrito: Young man from the suburbs who acted out the attitudes of the
"Compadres"
Compadres: Gauchos absorbed by the city mainstream whose dress and behavior
reflected their independence, braggards, cantankerous, brawlers, toughs,
quarrelsomes.
Gaucho: Guapo (braggart), resuelto (bold) , ducho (well versed), diligente
(diligent) y activo en una pretensisn (perseverant), empeqo (determination),
trabajo u ocupacisn (work or ocupation) / hombre de campo de a caballo y
entendido en las maniobras del lazo (man of the prairie and well versed in
the art of the rope, hombre servicial (do a favor to), generoso (generous);
individuo capaz de hacer un favor (a person capable to do favors).
Bruno
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:34:13 -0700
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: you only have 90 minutes
Nothing wrong with the compadrito walk if you have not seen it then you do
not know what you are missing.
One example of a compadrito walk is mentioned in the article by Nelida
Rouccheto in:
Nota del 1 del 7 de 1996. NELIDA ROUCCHETO
taken from the following url:
https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=cache:dX7sQc9s20oC:www.lamaga.com.ar/www/a">=cache:dX7sQc9s20oC:www.lamaga.com.ar/www/a">https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=cache:dX7sQc9s20oC:www.lamaga.com.ar/www/a
rea2/pg_nota.asp%3Fid_nota%3D986+Roberto+Chanel+y+estilo+compadrito&hl=es&ie
=UTF-8
Towards the last paragraph of the article:
...."Osvaldo Pugliese con su figura menuda, de poco peso fmsico, de
ondulante caminar y taconear de compadrito de barrio, con tenacidad de
laburante, de martillantes obsesiones rmtmicamente sostenidas, posee la
autoridad del director".
[Osvaldo Pugliese with his small figure, light weight, wavy walk and heel
stamping like a "compadrito" de barrio, with toughness to hard work,
............possesses the authority of director.]
Then, there other examples the most recent one that comes to mind is Osvaldo
Zotto, and from my childhood a TV character called Pepe Biondi.
Bruno
