[Tango-L] Pedagogic approaches to teaching/learning to dance tango

[Andrew RYSER SZYMAÑSKI]

--- Jonathan Thornton <obscurebardo at gmail.com> wrote:

 
> Paradoxically these are usually
> > the ones who say they can tango to any music [but
> who,
> > on closer inspection, can't dance to any].
> 
> 
> And then I have to very much wonder what personal
> but obscure axe you are
> grinding here?
> Who are these teachers who can't dance to any music
> whilst claiming to tango
> to any music (not a claim by any teacher I've ever
> heard) and who teach by
> having music playing the whole time? Is this a jab
> at a particular
> individual teacher? perhaps local? But the use of
> the plural "these" and
> "they" seem to indicate you believe this a group?
> But I haven't encountered
> a group that meets all the specifications.

I don't think that insisting on musicality is a
"personal but obscure axe-grinding". The point I was
making was that if your ears have been blocked at an
early stage you obviously can pretend to dance to
anything, reflecting any music equally badly. In the
last 13 years the number of cases I have witnessed are
too numerous to be listed, both here & abroad, whether
of teachers or students. Some even thought they were
extremely good because they could dance to Gardel,
oblivious to the fact that Gardel's treatment of
rhythm made them look amazingly gauche. On average in
any milonga the music is ignored by at least 50% of
the participants. However, to notice this you need the
patience to observe-and not dance!

Cheers,

Andy.

Andrew W. RYSER SZYMAÑSKI,
23b All Saints Road,
London, W11 1HE,
07944 128 739.


		
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