5008  Time in Classes, Practices and Milongas

Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:18:44 -0500
From: Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org
Subject: [Tango-L] Time in Classes, Practices and Milongas

A number of recent posts have discussed the amount of time tango dancers
spend in classes, practices and milongas--suggesting that tango dancers
are getting the ratios wrong.

As I see it, classes, practices and just dancing are not very good
substitutes for each other--either when it comes to developing skills for
or enjoying tango dancing. From what I have seen in a number of tango
communities, many people could greatly increase their skills by spending
more time practicing rather than in class. Many people could increase
their skills and have more fun by spending their time at milongas.

Why then do so many tango dancers spend their time in classes?

1) Classes are a good way to meet and pre-screen people for milongas,
particularly at festivals. Festivals can also be a place to meet people
who have a greater committment to tango.

2) Practicing requires a partner and a committment to the time. Classes,
workshops and festivals often supply supply partners and create a
committment to the time.

3) Practicing with another person creates the possibility of considerable
conflict and confusion when movements are unsuccessful. When practicing
with a musical instrument, variations that don't work may create an
unpleasant sound, but the instrument will never complain and it won't try
to guess and compensate for what the musician is attempting. Imagine
trying a variation while practing tango dancing that doesn't work. Neither
of partner has a good idea about whether the problem is that the variation
just doesn't work, mistakes in the leader's mechanics, mistakes in the
follower's mechanics, or simply a mismatch in body geometry. After a few
attempts a variation that doesn't work may be dropped altogether. The
presence of an instructor teaching a variation greatly reduces the
likelihood of conflict. The instructor offers instruction in movements
that are known to work. It is simply a matter of each partner mastering
the mechanics of the respective roles.

Why might tango dancers spend more hours in class relative to the time
social dancing in comparison to salsa and swing dancers. It's likely that
the tango embrace restricts the options for movement and greatly
complicates the mechanics of good movement.

With best regards,
Steve

Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:09:02 -0500
From: "Tango Society of Central Illinois" <tango.society@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Time in Classes, Practices and Milongas
<cff24c340706271609j3d1010e5u3a9ded1954eff182@mail.gmail.com>

In my opinion, there is some balance between taking classes and
dancing at milongas. The purpose of taking classes should be to
prepare you for dancing at milongas. At some point you need to go. On
the other hand, people who have had little instruction in tango
shouldn't be at milongas. They are navigational hazards and in lacking
proper technique they can make dancing with them uncomfortable and
possibly even painful. Its hard to separate facts from rumors and
urban myths, but I've heard that in Buenos Aires (in the past?) men
would not consider going to milongas unless they've had at least one
year experience at practicas. In the US we have people dancing at the
milongas after a 1 hour intro to tango lesson. My guess is that Buenos
Aires has something to tell us about tango here.

When people are ready for milongas will vary from person to person.
Most likely it is their own comfort zone that decides their
participation in each, rather than their ability. I've had some
students that cringe at the slightest suggestion for improvement
(e.g., "Straighten your spine") yet ping-pong around the dance floor
with utmost confidence at the milongas, and others for whom repeated
encouragement in class will not have them even make a milonga
appearance.

The key to transition is likely to be the 'practica'. Implict
(actually explicit) in the term is 'practice', which implies you can
make mistakes with being ostracized. But what form should this
practice take? Practicas come in many flavors in the US, from group
led exercises, to people meandering in one-by-one over a 3 hour period
and getting private instruction for $10 or less, to tango music
lacking tandas with no instructional input. In my own experience I
have found group led exercises to be most effective in improving dance
skills. Set up a class structure (pay a fee, arrive at beginning, stay
to the end) set up a line of dance, get people dancing, change
partners, provide group and individual feedback (mostly about
technique), but be sure to provide ample opportunity for dancing. If
people sit, you've failed in your mission.

There is also room in a student's development for the 'tango party', a
more informal environment with food and beverages, with a smaller
group of people who know each other, socializing and dancing without a
formal instructional structure, although the instructors could provide
feedback on a one-to-one basis.

Maybe a transition from:
classes -> practica -> tango party -> milonga
would get the reticent out of the classroom when they should be and
maybe coral the over-estimators of their own ability away from too
early immersion in the milongas. For the latter group, this could work
because for many of these the social aspects of milongas are the
primary reason they are there.

Ron

Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:26:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Time in Classes, Practices and Milongas
To: Tango Society of Central Illinois <tango.society@gmail.com>,

Too early immersion at the milongas, Ron? To me, there's
no such thing. In Buenos Aires, some milongas also have a
beginner's lesson beforehand. One reason, as Susana Miller
explained to me, is so that people are there when the
milonga starts. Deejays can start right away with the good
music, instead of having to build the energy up. Well, it
works. We've recently started a weekly milonga with a
beginner's lesson, and it's been quite a success and has
encouraged people to take regular classes.

If someone is a navigational hazard, controlling the floor
size will help (ours is about 18'x35'). And an early
lesson will help fill the floor. Most beginners leave
before more experienced dancers arrive, so it never gets
too crowded. And there's always teaching the women not to
put up with the guys dancing like gas molecules.

You're right about how some people at milongas really
needing to take more classes. But those types are always
going to be there. I think all one can do is work with
those who do take classes, grow your community and let
social pressure take it's course.

Trini de Pittsburgh

--- Tango Society of Central Illinois
<tango.society@gmail.com> wrote:

> In my opinion, there is some balance between taking
> classes and
> dancing at milongas. The purpose of taking classes should
> be to
> prepare you for dancing at milongas. At some point you
> need to go. On
> the other hand, people who have had little instruction in
> tango
> shouldn't be at milongas. They are navigational hazards
> and in lacking
> proper technique they can make dancing with them
> uncomfortable and
> possibly even painful. Its hard to separate facts from
> rumors and
> urban myths, but I've heard that in Buenos Aires (in the
> past?) men
> would not consider going to milongas unless they've had
> at least one
> year experience at practicas. In the US we have people
> dancing at the
> milongas after a 1 hour intro to tango lesson. My guess
> is that Buenos
> Aires has something to tell us about tango here.
>
> When people are ready for milongas will vary from person
> to person.
> Most likely it is their own comfort zone that decides
> their
> participation in each, rather than their ability. I've
> had some
> students that cringe at the slightest suggestion for
> improvement
> (e.g., "Straighten your spine") yet ping-pong around the
> dance floor
> with utmost confidence at the milongas, and others for
> whom repeated
> encouragement in class will not have them even make a
> milonga
> appearance.
>
> The key to transition is likely to be the 'practica'.
> Implict
> (actually explicit) in the term is 'practice', which
> implies you can
> make mistakes with being ostracized. But what form should
> this
> practice take? Practicas come in many flavors in the US,
> from group
> led exercises, to people meandering in one-by-one over a
> 3 hour period
> and getting private instruction for $10 or less, to tango
> music
> lacking tandas with no instructional input. In my own
> experience I
> have found group led exercises to be most effective in
> improving dance
> skills. Set up a class structure (pay a fee, arrive at
> beginning, stay
> to the end) set up a line of dance, get people dancing,
> change
> partners, provide group and individual feedback (mostly
> about
> technique), but be sure to provide ample opportunity for
> dancing. If
> people sit, you've failed in your mission.
>
> There is also room in a student's development for the
> 'tango party', a
> more informal environment with food and beverages, with a
> smaller
> group of people who know each other, socializing and
> dancing without a
> formal instructional structure, although the instructors
> could provide
> feedback on a one-to-one basis.
>
> Maybe a transition from:
> classes -> practica -> tango party -> milonga
> would get the reticent out of the classroom when they
> should be and
> maybe coral the over-estimators of their own ability away
> from too
> early immersion in the milongas. For the latter group,
> this could work
> because for many of these the social aspects of milongas
> are the
> primary reason they are there.
>
> Ron
>

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