[Tango-L] Learning tango: Not just for engineers

[Michael]

I've read quite a lot about how engineers learn tango, in particular their analytical skills. It made me think how I learned (or perhaps how I'm still learning) tango.  But it really comes from work. Without going into excruciating detail, I had to learn how time and attendance sheets are transmitted into the payroll system and recorded into my federal agency's financial system. I was inundated with information. It reminded me of a jig saw puzzle.

The best way to build the puzzle is to build the border first, then deal with the interior. However, sometimes we're stuck with interior pieces and can't figure out how they are connected to other interior or border pieces. My teacher (still with him after 8 years because I haven't learned everything yet!!) has given me loads of information.  But I couldn't process all of it. Some of the information was border pieces and others were interior pieces. Sometimes, I can connect an interior piece to another piece.

I use to get upset when I went "backwards" to study a figure I understood. Well, it turns out I didn't understand it as well as I thought or I didn't have enough skill to execute it well. For example, I've gone back to sacadas while the woman does a molinete. If I don't pivot, game over. She has to step first and get her weight on her front foot before I go for her trailing foot. There also has to be space for me to step, another good reason she has to step FIRST. I can't rush or I arrive too soon and there's no space for me. If I whip her around the molinete, I'm not giving myself time to find the space. As my teacher, Joe, says "If you have a wonderful woman in your arms, why are you rushing?" Easy, right???

Michael Ditkoff
Washington, DC
Figuring out the tango jigsaw puzzle before I go to NY's all night milonga tonight
I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango