Ed Doyle wrote:

"My experience has been that teachers often use some 'step' or even a 'step sequence' as a means to teach some movement such as a gancho or sacada. I suppose some see the point as learning the sequence, but I don't think that is what the teachers are trying to get across. They are trying to show the correct posture, technique, style, musical possibilities of a particular movement and use some step or sequence to demonstrate possibilities for it's use. I don't ever take away from the class that I am suppose to now go to a milonga and dance the sequence or steps as taught in the class, but rather apply the movement properly as the music, floor conditions, my partner, my mood, allow. Just my 2 cents, I am not trying to suggest other points of view are not just as valid."

Thanks Ed; at last a word from someone who understands what group classes are supposed to be about. We're not children being spoonfed information, i.e steps and sequences, by a Tango instructor. It's up to each of us to take from a class what he/she wants. If the instructor teaches a sequence - go away after the class, break the sequence down, keep what you like and discard what you don't like. If you're not interested in the sequence, concentrate, as Ed says, on the posture, technique, style, musical possibilities, etc. - whatever it is you want. Just use some intelligence and you can learn something from every class you attend. My view has always been that it's the students' responsibility to learn. A teacher can teach, but he can't force anyone to learn. Example: Chris, UK.

Keith