[Tango-L] Effective Dancing [Was: Effective Practice]

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

Hi Everyone:

The goal of practice is to become more effective at dancing.  Practice may 
be helpful, but only if it is done in a manner that is consistent with 
effective tango dancing itself. 

What are the elements of effective social dancing?  Such dancing cannot be 
reduced down to a set of mechancial skills.  The embrace, the relationship 
with one's partner, the relationship with others on the dance floor, and 
the relationship with music are the context within which we dance tango. 
Practicing by oneself may help develop some mechanical skills, such as 
balance, musicality, knowledge of step patterns, etc., but they also 
remove the entire context of tango.

Practicing with a partner improves matters considerably because it is 
closer to dancing.  Practicing in a room full of others improves matters 
even more but it is even closer to dancing.  Some might go even farther 
and claim that practicing at a milonga is even better, but it is 
reasonable to recognize that social norms separate practice and social 
dance.

Tango is a dance in which is it easy to become obsessed with perfection. 
The taste of heaven that is found within tango may encourage some to seek 
perfection.  Others may bring their own perfectionism to tango.  But we 
should never confuse heaven and perfection.  They are very different.  The 
path of perfectionism often leads away from heaven--as we find ourselves 
accompanied and driven forward by demons (aka a monkey mind) that become 
quite familiar.  If we pursue perfection in our practice, we are likely 
developing the demons that seek to keep us from effective dancing. 

In tango, heaven is found through the simple gift of grace.  That comes 
from getting out on the dance floor with the person that happens to be 
right for the moment, opening one's heart and falling in love again.  The 
times that this happens, one is just happy to be in the arms of another at 
the end of the tanda.

Many blissful tangos,
Steve