[Tango-L] Connection, how do you teach it?

[tangosmith@cox.net]

Igor,
As with many of the topics that are brought up here, and certainly before
it can be taught, the first problem is to define what connection is.        

To me, connection is related to the quality of the non-verbal conversation
that occurs between partners during a dance (it can and should occur in any
dance).  I’m not sure that connection itself is a skill as much as the
result that comes from mastering certain other skills.  I can think of
three skills that contribute to connection:  (1) frame, (2) lead/follow
techniques, and (3) musicality.  Some of the exercises others have
suggested are techniques to teach these skills.  These skills prepare the
dancer for the conversation.
I think there is one other quality required for good connection, what
actors refer to as being “in the moment.”  It may be interesting to see how
that is taught in acting classes.  I’m certain that proactive "listening"
to your partner is a huge part of it.  Someone said that listening should
be 90 percent of communication.  I’m sure this applies even more so to
non-verbal communications.  The exercise on trying to detect the most
subtle physical cues from partners is probably good for this.
   
Connection should be an important quality of any dance, not just close
embrace tango.  It just happens to be more critical in close embrace or the
partners are much more likely to step on each other or have a terrible
dance at a minimum.  One way to look at it is that to dance close embrace
tango, we are forced to learn connection.  In other dances, the connection
may not be critical for a passable dance, and is therefore often used as
the excuse for dancers not applying themselves to the required skills for
an excellent dance.  

I believe that what does set close embrace tango apart, besides how
critical connection is to even a passable dance, is that the conversation
that results from the connection has a higher level of sensuality.  But of
course, this is a quality of all good tango, not just close embrace.   And
like connection, while it is generally easier to achieve that sensuality
with bodies pressed closely together, it certainly can be achieved with
some degree of separation also.  It just takes a little more .......
    
Since it seems essential to good tango, perhaps we should consider how to
better teach/learn sensuality!

WBSmith

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Igor Polk ipolk at virtuar.com
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 12:31:05 -0700
To: tango-l at mit.edu
Subject: [Tango-L] Connection, how do you teach it?


Connection, how do you teach it?

Since many dancers agree that connection is the most important for open as
well as close embrace, I guess it is a useful topic. Can you give me some
reference to a useful material? It does not have to be an argentine tango
dance.

How do you teach connection, especially in open embrace?

Igor.

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