[Tango-L] Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope...

[Lois Donnay]

That's a beautiful saying from my stalwart Minnesota family. We 
Minnesotans are
all very good at suffering, and very proud of our ability to withstand the
worst without complaint. Just look at our weather!

Well, I guess that was before some of us started dancing tango. I keep getting
asked by some of my students - leaders - how they can get out of dances
gracefully. It seems that once they get good - and I am proud to say I to turn
out great leaders - women are hounding them for dances. So much so, that they
have to hide or spend unusual amounts of time in the bathrooms in order to
avoid being rude.

Of course, my inclination is to tell them that before they started tango they
would have given their eye teeth to have such a problem, and they should just
be grateful to be in such demand, but they tell me this issue is ruining their
enjoyment of the dance. They would like me to ask followers to wait to be
asked.

I understand that some women can't afford as many lessons as it may 
take to get
good at this dance. It is possible some feel that lessons are not so necessary
for followers. (I find that whole idea that a woman can be a good 
follower in 3
months while it takes a leader a year to be total hogwash-it requires at least
as much work for followers, if not more). I definitely understand that a poor
follower can wreck a leader's bakc (I lead a lot, too) But leaving women who
are still working on their skills on the sidelines is not a good idea either.
If they stop coming to milongas because no one will dance with them, 
what's the
point?

Of course, we also have a little problem of women only wanting to dance 
with the
best leaders - whether or not they are at their level.

Any solutions?


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