[Tango-L] How to Tango

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

Hello Floyd,

Whether you realize it or not, you are in a relatively rare
position – that of a tango community leader.  You will be
shaping a community and affecting future generations of
tangueros.  You are not simply sharing your ideas, but you
are also establishing the norms for your community.  This
is a responsibility that some teachers/organizers do not
realize until they end up with a community that may not be
what they originally envisioned.  When it happens, they are
apt to blame the community and be blind to how their
actions built that community.

As you present your ideas via internet or classroom, I hope
you think about the type of community that you want that
goes beyond the dance skills.  How do you want them to
interact?  How do you want them to learn?  What is the
essence of community?

Igor made reference to how opinionated your writings
appeared.  I would add “close-minded” and slightly
militant.  I saw a lot of negativity.  (That is based on
your webpage, not on your recent postings to Tango-L.)  But
is that how you want people in your community to be?  Do
you want them to be opinionated or open to new ideas?  Do
you want them to be judgemental before they know anything
themselves?  Do you want them to be stuck in the past or do
you want them to be in the present?  Take a look at your
webpage and try to see what it tells a novice about your
community (not about tango but about the community).

We just celebrated the 5th anniversary of our tango group
and what I am most proud of is the positive culture our
community now has.  The love of learning, the consideration
for beginners, the tolerance of different ideas, and the
gentle way people have of discouraging bad dancing and
encouraging good dancing.  I would rather have this than a
community of super-talented dancers with no heart and no
sense of community.  It’s okay to be vocal about what you
think (ask any Pittsburgher what I think and they can
probably tell you!).  But I’d suggest doing so in a way
that is positive, not negative.

May your 5th anniversary be celebrating the type of
community that you want.

Trini de Pittsburgh

--- Floyd Baker <febaker at buffalotango.com> wrote:

> 
> Hello all...
> 
> I'd appreciate opinions on our 'How To' Tango lessons
> that are growing
> on the Buffalo Tango website. 
> 
> A lot of original thought has been put into them.   At
> least in the
> effort to go a different way in the presentation of all
> that we've
> come to understand..., from this listserv and many other
> sources.
> There is a lot more to be covered.   Along with small
> illustration
> pictures and perhaps short video demo clips being added
> too.   
> 
> But there's more than enough to understand what we're
> trying to do...
> I'm hoping everything is self explanatory, correct, and
> most of all
> that it's seen as an effective way for people to learn
> true
> improvisational Tango.   Please let us know what you
> think.     
> 
> http://www.buffalotango.com/html/l_-_introduction.html
> 
> Many thanks...  
> 
> Floyd  
> 
> 
>      Argentine Tango - Buffalo Tango - Sun Tango 
>       * * * * * www.buffalotango.com  * * * * *
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Tango-L mailing list
> Tango-L at mit.edu
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
> 


PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society 
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance. 
http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ 



 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Bored stiff? Loosen up... 
Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games.
http://games.yahoo.com/games/front