[Tango-L] More mIlonga at milongas

[Christopher L. Everett]

What he said.

It is possible for a follower to be essentially useless as a dance
partner.  I've met more than a few.  The worst is when they
think they know what they are doing.  The universal constant
with them is that they hardly ever take instruction, a few classes
a year, and at that, they never took beginner classes.

To summarize, I like how Tom Stermitz defines intermediate:
not taking classes anymore.

The real magic of tango happens with both partners operating
at a high level.  And for followers to operate at that level they
need to work as hard as the leads.

Christopher

Trini y Sean (PATangoS) wrote:

>Hola Igor,
>
>Sean here. It wasn't so long ago that I thought just
>like you do. But I have recently seen (but not yet
>implemented) the wisdom of Tine's observations.
>
>For years I have been one of those guys who always
>tries to make my partners feel like they can do
>nothing wrong. Many, many teachers have taught me to
>do just that. Then last year, a top instructor taught
>workshops in Pittsburgh for the first time. He had a
>very different point of view. He held me personally
>responsible for the burgeoning mediocrity of many
>Pittsburgh followers because I make them feel like
>they can really dance. He was very insistent that I
>stop dancing with intermediate dancers, to encourage
>them to improve. He also pointed out that when I make
>a mediocre dancer look very good, it is very
>discouraging to other advanced leaders who are not so
>skilled at compensating for the women's mistakes.
>Finally, I also discovered that in order to be always
>ready to adjust for the woman's misstep, I hold back
>my own intention.
>
>It is clear to me that this guy is right on all three
>points. By dancing with intermediate followers, I rob
>them of the incentive to improve, I set an impossible
>standard for the other men, and I hold back my own
>development. But for the most part, I have not been
>successful implementing a change. When I have told
>women that I don't want to dance with them because
>they have not improved in a while, their reaction has
>varied in its unpleasantness, but it has never been to
>start taking classes again. I hope Tine will also hug
>the woman who started going to classes again. I wish
>there were more honest women like her.
>
>Sean
>
>P.S.  I particularly like Tine's point about dancing
>verses just following. I am sure any man knows exactly
>what she means, but how do you explain it to the women
>who don't lead? Does anyone have any tips for teaching
>women to dance, instead of just following?
>
>
>--- Igor Polk <ipolk at virtuar.com> wrote:
>In the dance everything depends on a man!
>
>
>PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society 
>Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance. 
>http://www.pitt.edu/~mcph/PATangoWeb.htm
>
>
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