[Tango-L] Effective Practice

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

--- Jeff Gaynor wrote:

... The limiting factor in tango, much like music, is
neurological. You must repeat patterns a great deal to
cause growth in the neural pathways until you can
internalize the movement...

One of the most effective things you can do it think
thoroughly about whatever movement you are doing because we
know that this will prep the pathways and make the motion
easier.

--- Sean here:

Thanks Jeff. This is a key element that I neglected to
address. To practice effectively, you have to be mentally
focused on the skill you are practicing. So it is less
effective to practice two or more skills at once. This is
why I believe that dancing cannot be considered practicing.
For me, dancing requires awareness of everything. (Being in
the moment, in the zone, or however you wish to describe
that state.) If you are focused on improving one thing,
then you are not giving enough attention to everything
else. (A perfectionist's ideal may be to maintain total
awareness even while focused on improving a specific skill,
but that is a different discussion. Besides, I am more a
pragmatic than a perfectionist.)

--- Jeff also wrote:

For activities that have a large conditioning component -
which tango thankfully does not - it can be a great deal
more frustrating since you have to grow new muscle before
you can train it.

--- Sean again:

How large is large? With your background, the strength
required for tango may seem insignificant, but that is not
true for someone with a sedentary lifestyle. The average
person does not initially have the strength to balance on
one foot, to maintain their axis, or to create the torque
necessary to lead certain movements. Most of our students
have to train both strength and control.

~Sean





       
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