2430 Rant: Clown is a is a noun and a verb
Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 10:24:37 -0500
From: Frank Williams <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Rant: Clown is a is a noun and a verb
Friends,
Huck writes: "To inject into this some clown ... presuming to
break the mood and/or block the flow by giving a tango lesson..."
Huck, you touched a nerve that has been rubbed raw by too many
friggin' CLOWNS!
<rant ON>
OK, you know - when I write for you guys I try to be balanced
and respectful and semi-modest. I'm not a great dancer. I
don't practice enough - I've danced better in the past but I
don't get out as much as I used to. Reason? For my friends
who inquire I list the house remodeling that I'm doing and
teaching and lab work and such...
What I don't say is, "I hate dancing amongst CLOWNS!!!!"
EXPLETIVES!!!! Half of the places I go to dance - I can't
stand to watch the floor! I literally avert my eyes so
that the moods of the music are not replaced by images of rubber
noses and floppy red and yellow shoes. True!!!
I have all the respect in the world for beginners. I have
all the respect in the world for people who want to learn.
But learning how to dance is *different* from learning how
to *teach* dance.
Clown is a perfect analogy, Huck! In my experience with
people who do actual clowning for entertainment, they do
it not only for their audience. They do it because of their
own (often self-deprecating) personalities. They pursue
their art because at heart they are clowns - in the *best*
sense of the word. Thus, the art of clowning is at least
as much 'about the clown' as about the audience! Clowns
clown because they ARE clowns. So too with dance floor
clowns. It's not (usually) about the beginner - it's USUALLY
about the great teacher who graduated with honors after
three complete tango classes.
Clowning is characterized by unique artistic exaggerations
- caricatures of action and emotion. Is THAT what a raw
beginner should be exposed to in their first encounter with
Argentine tango??? Caricatures?!?! That's all they get!
Take a hint, amigos - you take a raw beginner out on a
floor that is more than half full and it's the same as
putting on a big red rubber nose. ...and when you start
talking out there - you're honking your freakin' squeaky
nose! Squeak-squeeeeek!!! It really sounds funny along
with the bandoneon! Ha ha!
Expletives.
<rant OFF>
Top of the mornin' to you,
Frank - Mpls.
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
frankw@umn.edu
612-625-6441
Department of Neuroscience
6-145 Jackson Hall
321 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
1971 Commonwealth Ave.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 16:11:18 -0400
From: Simona G <simona_tango@YAHOO.CA>
Subject: Re: Rant: Clown is a is a noun and a verb
Hi all,
--- Frank Williams <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU> wrote: >
> I don't get out as much as I used to. Reason?
> For my friends who inquire I list the house
> remodeling that I'm doing and
> teaching and lab work and such...
>
> What I don't say is, "I hate dancing amongst
> CLOWNS!!!!"
This topic deals with beginners on the dance floor
(actually, more with teaching beginners on the dance
floor). Now here's a beginner's perspective:
I myself got hooked to dancing tango during an evening
out with friends. I watched a very good dancer tango
and he invited me for a first dance. I wasn't a raw
beginner - I hadn't "begun" anything, I hadn't danced
this dance ever before. Of course there were awkward
moments during the dance, when I wasn't sure that I
was doing what he expected me to, but overall, the
dance was smooth. My body responds naturally to music
and to a good lead. His lead was very clear without
being forceful and he kept the dance VERY simple - no
talking. We didn't hinder anybody on the dancefloor
and eventhough we might have looked a bit like
"clowns", the place WAS almost empty and the
atmosphere relaxed.
During this dance I got a glimpse of what it could
feel like to really tango and I new I wanted to learn.
I also knew that I wouldn't return on the dance floor
until I would have taken lessons and gotten a grip on
fundmental technique. So, I'm very greatful
to this dancer for having taken the chance of being
ridiculed by his peers for inviting a "complete a
raw" beginner on a dance floor.
As far as teaching during a more formal milonga is
concerned: being a beginner I do get some. Most often
in the form of very discrete hints that help to make
the dance more smooth (such as a light touch on my
shoulder to make me aware that I was tense, a short
and ONE TIME whisper on how to repond to a certain
lead). I really appreciate these hints and don't take
any offense in them. I also think they don't disturb
anybody around.
But I did occasionally get a full "LECTURE" - with all
the names of all the figures given to me and attempts
to VERBALLY take me through unknown territory. THAT
was annoying! Typically, when that happened, the
"lecturer" himself had a very good opinion about his
dancing skills, but I certainly didn't! Eventhough I'm
a beginner, I can use my judgment and filter out
complete none-sense from usefule advice. And I'm very
aware that not everybody who has an opinion is an
expert.
So, the danger of having "clowns" on the dance-floor
might not necessarily be that of exposing beginners to
the wrong kind of experience and risk letting them
learn the wrong lessons, but to get good dancers
annoyed to the point that they decide to retrieve to
the background, as you seem to do, Frank. That would
be a pity: beginner or not, I would much rather watch
you on the dance floor than a "clown".
Can't we try to ignore this kind of disturbances
(and/or just limit the exposure to them) and focus an
the positives instead of letting them spoil our
pleasure?
Best,
Simona
attention to my partner and to collision prevention.
Cheers, Oleh K.
https://TangoSpring.com
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] Rant: Clown is a is a noun and a verb
