[Tango-L] same sex couple dancing in a milonga

[Lois Donnay]

If I stopped leading in milongas, the women would be furious with me! Women
often whisper 
to me after a dance "you're one of the best leaders in town - don't tell the
guys I said 
that!"

What is wrong with us?!?! This is out-and-out prejudice. Why is so hard to
believe 
that a woman can lead well? We're allowed to drive cars, motorcycles, and
even carry our 
own groceries these days. Of course I am one of the best leaders in town -
I've been 
teaching for 10 years! How could I expect people to come to me for lessons
if I can't 
lead well? For some reason women go to male teachers who can't follow, but
no female 
teacher could get away with that!

Do I lead differently from men? Maybe. Every woman comes into my embrace
with a certain 
prejudice, some more than others, that I have to overcome. I have to be a
little more 
technically proficient - I cannot force a woman through sheer strength (even
if I wanted 
to!) Have I had some great dances lead by women? Absolutely!

I was once asked to lead at a milonga in BsAs, when there were too few guys.
By a portena 
(otherwise I would have declined).  One old drunk guy yelled at us, saying
"I don't like 
that!" My portena partner had a few choice words for him!

My next class venture will be "Gender Neutral Dancing". I'm working on the
marketing 
concept - if anyone has any ideas, let me know!

Lois Donnay
Minneapolis, MN
www.mndance.com

Quoting Igor Polk <ipolk at virtuar.com
<http://www.donnay.net:2082/horde/imp/message.php?index=202> >:

Besides, any advanced dancers should know both parts, so they should
practiced it somewhere, shouldn't they?