[Tango-L] 6 months

[Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org]

Manuel and all:

I have to say that Tete's own skills as an instructor nothing to do with 
the validity of his comments.  I didn't find his instructional videos to 
be much different than the classes Manuel describes.  It's his power of 
observation that is worth considering.

Previously I wrote:
>>beginning students can assemble these small movements to dance.

Manuel responded:
>Not necessarily. Actually it's highly unlikely that the beginning
>student can do any such thing.

Maybe it's a question of teaching how to assemble those elements.

It might also be a case of my defining passably differently than you 
define mastery.  I'm not suggesting that such dancers have reached the top 
level in 6-8 weeks.  I am saying that they would show some competence in 
basic movement, rhythm and navigation, and have fun without getting in 
anyone else's way.

I'm still struck by a comment that Tom Stermitz made a few years ago that 
people show up at their first tango lesson with navigational skills and 
maybe some basic knowledge of rhythm,.  (They are able to walk down a 
crowded street or through a crowded mall without colliding with anyone.) 
After their first tango lesson--which typically consists of learning a 
memorized step pattern--many would be tango dancers have no connection to 
the music and have no ability to navigate.  That description doesn't 
recommend instruction very much does it?

With best regards,
Steve