[Tango-L] learning

[Carol Shepherd]

Al's point below is worth noting.

Beginner-beginners in any kind of dance usually need a "walkthrough" or 
step-through of a pattern or particular movement, slowly and without 
music, to grasp the mechanics of what they are learning to do.  I find 
that if a pattern isn't broken down in this way, many will not be able 
to learn it, they will just do an approximation to avoid embarassment 
for not keeping up with the rest of the class, and they will keep 
struggling.  (Others--but not too many others--have the gift of just 
watching, and then being able to repeat--and too many teachers rely on 
the average student's ability to do this.)

But there's no substitute for practicing to music, even in the middle of 
a class, because "it ain't dancing without music." I have danced with 
way too many leads who could not keep a simple beat.  The fact that they 
knew so many "advanced" patterns but still could not keep a beat makes 
me think that there are a lot of teachers out there who are not making 
their students dance!

I also give a big thumbs up to teachers who ask the students to dance 
for 5 minutes and check them over at the beginning of a class, and who 
leave time to play a couple of songs at the end of the class, so the 
students can do the new material a dozen times or so to reinforce what 
they just learned, in a rhythmic setting.

Al Goldspiel wrote:
> Dear Ilene,
> 
> I think there are different aspects to learning Tango.   Yes,  they all
> "come together"  with
> a partner AND the music.  But....might it be better to learn each part
> without the music...first?
> 
> Some examples might be showing how we hold onto each other,  how the man
> keeps his left arm in a very particular position,  how we hold our frame.,
> how we glide our feet, and how we brush through.   The above are  well
> taught without music.
> 
> So perhaps it is not such a stretch to learn a particular set of steps
> without any music.   It might be easier to memorize the sequence without the
> music.   Then of course,  right away,  the sequence is shown to music.
> But,  memorizing the steps and practicing them  WITH  a foot position
> diagram  hand-out might be a better way - for some at least.   The nice
> thing about the hand-out is the pupil can practice the correct steps at
> home.   Of course he doesn't master the moves without a live partner and the
> music.
> 
> Al
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-- 
Carol Ruth Shepherd
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