[Tango-L] How to Tango

[Floyd Baker]

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:32:04 -0500, you wrote:

>Hi Floyd,
>
>I went to your website and started to read your "how to tango" section. I've 
>learned over the years to keep my opinions to myself, but since you asked 
>for feedback, I'll give you mine about some parts of your treatise.
>
>The first thing I noticed is that you said that most tango teachers don't 
>know what they are doing. While it's possible that you might be right, it's 
>an unnecessarily insulting comment about all the other teachers out there. 
>Secondly, I read a lot of criticism and disparaging remarks about ballroom 
>dancing teachers and their methods.   Again, I find that gratuitously 
>offensive. I don't know about other communities, but here in Atlanta there 
>are no ballroom teachers teaching Argentine tango. At times some teachers 
>might have tried, but there are so many Argentine Tango teachers around that 
>it would be a huge waste of time for the ballroomers to get involved.   In 
>other words, at least in Atlanta the threat to the purity of Argentine Tango 
>by ballroom teachers is a non issue.   Besides, I've gotten to know many 
>ballroom dancers and teachers over the years, and I found many of them to be 
>nice people, gracious, generous and respectful of the Argentine Tango.

I have no negative feelings about ballroom dancing.  I have never done
any of it myself and have no interest.    So I've not said a word
about it, either way, per se...   Nor of the people who enjoy it. Only
those who teach AT using ballroom methods.   Teaching patterns,
memorizing, and the like.   This obviously does not include all
instructors.., but are you saying it is an ok way to teach Argentine
Tango?      I'll read on to see.....

>While your comments about tango are mostly true and accurate, they come 
>accross as judgemental and presumptuous. 

The particular words you chose are nasty sounding but in fact.., why
would anyone promote something that is true and accepted,  but think
they must leave it open to the possibility that it is not true and
maybe totally false?    

And if you agree with what I write, aren't you then too?   How can one
not be confident...   Why should being 'definite' about something not
be allowed?   Using these nicer words, to me it seems to be not such a
bad way to think...

>Also, there is no need to put down Salsa either. 

I have not 'put down' Salsa.   Where do you get that idea?    Salsa is
street dance too, but everyone seems to be learning it from ballroom
teachers...  It seems to be a dance that can be taught that way.  

So I suggest  to people who don't want to learn improvisation, or how
to lead and follow step by step.., to switch to another dance. Salsa
is actually a very positive alternative.    

>I don't understand why you find it necessary to slam Salsa. I 
>personally love to dance Salsa and I find it to be as challenging and 
>rewarding as tango when done to the right music with the right partner.

Many people miss points.  There are those out there who want to change
Tango to suit themselves in particular.  Something more akin to
ballroom...   It is they to whom I am talking when I might sound
disapproving.   Not Salsa dancers themselves.    

>As you say, tango is all about the lead and follow. However, there are many 
>ways to impart this knowledge to people. Teaching them certain movements and 
>techniques is perfectly fine and should not be criticized. 

Why not?  

>We've been teaching and dancing for over 13 years and have had great success 
>turning out very good dancers by using many different teaching tools, including the 
>D8CB.   Also, your analogy of tango and tennis might be a good one, but tango 
>could also be compared to downhill skiing, basketball, racketball or any 
>other number of sport activities. 

Exactly...  And in none of them do you watch your feet or memorize
where to put them...   

>Sure they are done without much thinking and rather fluidly and naturally. 
>However, these activities are like tango in that they must be learned and 
>require a lot of skill and practice before they can be done effortlessly. 

What is needed to be learned is that one follows the true lead only...
The ball, the hand that's reaching out to tag,  the slope and the
moguls,   And I agree one needs practice 'how' to move...  Just not
'where' to move....   

>Anyway, leading and following are skills that must be learned and 
>developed.  The natural born tango dancer is a rare thing. There is 
>no miracle "one lesson" system to teach it and it's a rare follower 
>who can actually follow even the simplest lead if they are totally 
>inexperienced.

Many of my students can Tango suprizingly well in one lesson.   They
do need to practice fluidity and finesse to various degrees, but they
understand the concepts and the basics, including how to follow
correctly, and they do them rather rather nicely.., all things
considered.    

>I appreciate the effort you've put into this page and the obvious love you 
>have for tango.   I can also simpathize with your desire to break through and 
>find a sure fire, simple way to teach people to really dance tango. Still, 
>you might want to go back and look over your writings. Perhaps it would help 
>if you try to put yourself into the place of your reader. Please consider 
>who this reader might be...   Perhaps another teacher, maybe a ballroom dancer 
>or teacher... How about a Salsa dancer or swing dancer who's heard about 
>Argentineinte tango.  Maybe just some person who knows nothing about tango 
>and precious little about dance in any form. To some of these people your 
>words might be off-putting if not downright offensive. Maybe it's good to 
>remember the old adage about attracting more flies with honey than with 
>vinegar......

I never try to attract quantity...     Tango isn't for everyone and I
don't want those 'others'...    I always try to tell starting students
that some will become hooked and others will not like Tango at all.   

The pages were written for those just starting, and also very much for
those who need to overcome their tendency to think about their feet. I
don't teach anyone to do 8cb's at all.., but rather to go by
themselves and go crazy walking all kinds of erratic directions.    To
free the minds away from everything except complete and total
randomness.     

But.., that every step needs to retain Tango style...  Stay on balls
of feet...   Brush ankles during any amount of pivoting,  or not, and
then to step in any of the three directions, from whatever direction
they end up facing.   

My favorite example of the errors of their ways, is to have a follower
do a gancho on my left side and then immediately lead her to walk
straight at me so that I might give her a gancho to her extended left
foot.  Nine out of ten times the follower will try to step in front of
me.    They ignore the leads as given because they have not learned to
pay full attention to them *only*.., and to never try to second guess
the leader.   When the follower finally listens and tries things my
way, she walks into me,  I do the gancho, and her eyes light up....   

All in all my pages are for people with this kind of thinking to work
on...  They need to become better.   Whoever or 'whatever' they are.
   
>Cheers,
>
>Manuel
>
>visit our webpage
>www.tango-rio.com

I appreciate there are many out there who teach and will continue to
teach their way...  Mine is just different.     It seems to work well
for me and the people I teach.

Floyd


     Argentine Tango - Buffalo Tango - Sun Tango 
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