[Tango-L] Tango is mystery, not work

[Igor Polk]

Jeff: "War is work, not mystery"  -- old Spartan saying

Yes.
I am not against practicing at all, but..

Tango is mystery, not work. 

Igor Polk

PS. Practicing what makes a mistery mistery might be much more productive
for tango not to speak much more pleasant. Unless you are a sportsman.

The problem is and it is much more difficult. Effective practice is possible
only for advanced dancers - they know what to practice and how. But
beginners need it most. So someone should make a set of excersizes to help
them, but not suppress creativity, inventiveness, sensitivity, reaction,
keeping the eyes open, freshness of the mind, and so on. Practicing the same
move especially with a partner may block all these things especially for
talented beginners and intermediates. Or may not. It all depends how it is
put.

I do not see this issue was addressed before. I do not have an answer, but I
know about the problem, so I'd like you to see it too.

Practicing often, if not always in the current state of affairs, especially
group practice, is about subdiction people to a certain style more than
about anything else.

So effective tango practice may be conducted only by a teacher who knows
variety of tango styles, who is a great dancer himself, who is very
sensitive, creative. Other wise I'd advise students to come to many teachers
with the variety of tango practices.

Igor Polk
PS
One more comparison between war and art of dance. In war one seeks the final
result. When enemy is destroyed, then it comes time for pleasure. In the art
- it is evey millisecond of acting that we seek pleasure in.

Regarding marial arts, the notion is spreading that martial arts teachers do
not actually teach students the art of war. They are carried away with
something else.

What else could it be? A pleasure in the duel, in every millisecond of it -
enjoying spirit and movement. "Look what a great kick I did!". What they are
doing is nothing but DANCING.