[Tango-L] Social vs. Stage Classes

[astrid]

> On option I would suggest (which works from another, non-tango
> situation) is to have a performance class and treat it as a performing
> art.

This is what we have in Tokyo, at least at Luna. One class a week is a tango
fantasia class. In the early years, students needed the teacher's
recommendation before they were allowed to enter this class as a couple. Now
people are allowed to enter generally (I was asked once and turned down the
offer), and everyone is taught jumps, sentadas, huge wraps around the waist,
big backward ganchos and the like. In private lessons for couples, the
teacher provides a video camera and lets them watch themselves on film
sometimes.

The rest of the classes consist of learning how to walk, how to keep your
balance, step combinations and such. Milonga is taught in a separate
specialised class.

This will let you lecture people on good vs. bad tango, plus give
> them a way to pull off a real show-stopping demo if they want to wow
> their friends (and yes they do).

Yes, students who have worked on their choreo a lot are given a chance to do
a demo at the milonga occasionally. Or perform a choreo they learned in
fantasia privadas with one of the teachers.

On the other hand, I know one Latin lady (not from Argentina) who has her
own folklore school, and she told me, she only attends the fantasia class
and learns choreo and big flamboyant moves because "it is the only thing
that interests her in tango". And then she wonders why men won't ask her to
dance much when she occasionally shows up at the milonga...