[Tango-L] Discussion Topics

[rtara@maine.rr.com]

No camera or note can tell you as much as your body memory. 
In any class the method  is in the movement, not the steps. 
In any dance the message is in the movement.

Greetings from Buenos Aires,

Robin Tara

Tara Design, Inc
http://www.taratangoshoes.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris, UK" <tl2 at chrisjj.com>
Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:01 pm
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Discussion Topics
To: Tango-L at mit.edu
Cc: tl2 at chrisjj.com

> "Brian Dunn" <brian at danceoftheheart.com> wrote:
> 
> > Gustavo and Giselle do not allow students to video *them* during 
> class
> Do they actually say why?
> 
> > but they do allow students to video *themselves* during practice
> 
> Oh, how generous of them! ;)
> 
> > However, they specifically recommend against this practice, "... 
> the 
> > benefit to their makers is zero."
> 
> I find it somewhat ironic that that 'zero benefit' is sufficient 
> grounds 
> for a tango class teacher (of all people) to specially recommend 
> against.
> > "On the other hand, ... the actual *activity* of making the notes is
> > forcing you to organize your thoughts and mental contexts for the
> > dancing that you saw. This development and imposition of meaning 
> on what
> > you saw is innate in the process of writing notes, 
> 
> Indeed - one of the major hazards of note-taking. The note's 
> "imposition 
> of meaning" is entirely subjective, and can easily lead to a record 
> the 
> later review of which can more easily reinforce than remedy any 
> misunderstandings of the moment.
> 
> > Because of this, writing notes is much much more valuable to your
> > understanding of tango than ... camera."
> 
> What an astonishing assertion. I personally am not a fan of video 
> records, 
> but compared with written notes, at least the camera is relatively 
> objective.
> 
> Chris
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> 
> *Subject:* Re: [Tango-L] Discussion Topics
> *From:* "Brian Dunn" <brian at danceoftheheart.com>
> *To:* <spatz at tangodc.com>, <tango-L at MIT.edu>
> *Date:* Mon, 2 Oct 2006 14:30:01 -0600
> 
> Jake, you wrote:
> >>>...I'm very much in favor of taking notes...A few days ago, one 
> of my
> note-taking students was describing to me the different methods of 
> notationhe's gone through, the trial-n-error experience of putting 
> things into his
> own words, and so forth. The little diagrams, etc. It's not such a 
> struggle;he was speaking with delight...That, to me, is the reason 
> to take a class in
> the first place-- tackling the material as ourselves. As students, 
> we have
> to translate the lesson into our own terms; and we have to take some
> initiative if we're to retain the material...My own note-taking has 
> led to a
> lot of analysis, and has influenced the way I teach and the way I 
> dance. It
> leads to reflection and speculation; it generates exact questions; it
> produces a record. I find it an act both critical and creative. 
> <<<
> 
> Gustavo and Giselle speak eloquently on this topic in their five-day
> advanced/professional seminarios.  
> 
> Gustavo and Giselle do not allow students to video *them* during 
> class, but
> they do allow students to video *themselves* during practice periods.
> However, they specifically recommend against this practice, and they
> specifically recommend taking notes by hand.  Their justification goes
> something like this:
> 
> "When you video someone dancing, what you are actually *doing* is 
> practicingthe use of your camera.  This activity does generate a 
> video record, which
> potentially has instructional value, but we know from long 
> experience that
> you will rarely or never actually watch the video record you 
> created - and
> in the process, all you accomplished was to practice the techniques of
> making videos.  As a result, we know that around the tango world 
> there are
> kilometers of videotape that will never be viewed again, and the 
> benefit to
> their makers is zero."
> 
> "On the other hand, if you make written notes on your lessons, even 
> if you
> rarely or never look at the notes either, the actual *activity* of 
> makingthe notes is forcing you to organize your thoughts and mental 
> contexts for
> the dancing that you saw. This development and imposition of 
> meaning on what
> you saw is innate in the process of writing notes, and does not 
> occur when
> you are making a video.  Because of this, writing notes is much 
> much more
> valuable to your understanding of tango than practicing the use of 
> yourcamera."
> 
> Jake, you further wrote:
> >>>
> I don't blow my nose on those who watch 
> videos or anything, but that's quite a different activity. That's 
> watching TV, unless you take notes on the videos too. 
> <<<
> 
> What Deb and I actually do in Gustavo & Giselle's seminarios (we've 
> takenfive of them, and look forward to more):
> 
> 1: We take notes during the presentation, on small plastic-covered 
> 3x5 card
> spiral-bound notebooks (the spiral holds a short pen) that can be kept
> without harm in a sweaty back pocket.
> 
> 2: We video ourselves doing the material in the class, while 
> explainingverbally to the camera the critical insights gained from 
> the presentation of
> the material while they are still fresh in mind.
> 
> 3: Before *too much* time has passed, we create a second set of 
> notes in a
> computer based on the union of #1 and #2.
> 
> As long as we don't get too frantic or tired for #3, this process 
> works well
> for us.  
> 
> All the best,
> Brian Dunn
> Dance of the Heart
> Boulder, Colorado USA
> www.danceoftheheart.com
> 
> 
> 
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