[Tango-L] (no subject)

[Lois Donnay]

My thoughts on this:

First, some teachers tell followers that tango is easy for followers - tango
is hard for leaders, but followers have little to do but accept the lead. Of
course, this is not true. Following well is hard.

Second, many teachers ignore the followers, except to teach them ochos, the
cross, and other footwork. The teacher demonstrates this with his partner or
assistant. Part of the problem is that many teachers don't know how to
follow. Followers get used to doing nothing in class.

There are many followers who stop taking lessons, but another problem is
followers who stop listening at lessons. I see followers who come to lessons
religiously, yet never fix the very basic problem that the teacher requests.
(I've been telling one follower the same one thing for three years - just
one thing. She still doesn't correct it)  Also, at lessons with too many
women, many just sit when there isn't a man instead of working on their
stuff.
 
Occasionally my lessons have a majority of women, so I concentrate on
following. The women hate it. It's too hard!
 
Many followers blame the leader for poor dances. They expect the guy to give
them balance and poise, instead of finding it themselves. That's why they go
to BA, or to festivals, or to milongas and bug the best dancers until they
get a dance. Or they go to advanced lessons hoping to get a dance with the
teacher. Or they grouse about men who only will dance with young women, or
thin women. Well, guess what- young women and thin women are easier to hold
up. That's why it's great for followers to dance with beginning leaders.
They have to do their own work.

One other thing - tango is hard for followers who don't have core strength.
You have to get this first. Hmmm - exercise. No fun. 

There's a guy in town that beginning and poor dancers love to dance with -
he throws them into place and they feel like their dancing. At some point
they don't want to dance with him anymore. That's when I know they're
getting it!

My breakthrough moment? The first time I took a lesson from a woman. I
thought I was doing OK - wow, did she set me straight!

Lois Donnay
Minneapolis, MN

> 
> ENDEMIC PROBLEM
> 
> I've recently noticed in several different venues, that the women  
> have not been living up to the skill level of the men. There may be  
> many explanations, but I think fundamentally, women learn quickly at  
> first, but have a much more difficult path going from 
> Intermediate to  
> Advanced. Men learn slowly and steadily from the very beginning.
>