[Tango-L] Tango is mystery, not work

[Nina Pesochinsky]

I'd like to step away from the abstract terms and suggest a notion  
that we can discuss the principles of "tango" all we want, but in  
reality those are not the principles that guide how we choose our  
dance experiences.

People make ALL decisions emotionally, and then they justify them with reason.

In all dance, I am a technique freak.  I love technique. But I  
certainly do not want anyone wishing to dance with me because of my  
tango. And I certainly will never wish to dance socially with any man  
for technique, musicality, etc.  I am interested in the person.  
Technique is only the means by which a person emerges in dance.  That  
is all.  If there is technique and no person emerges, that is a  
problem.  If the person busts through the lack of technique, fabulous!  
  I'll dance with him if he is interesting.

It is the same for the women.  If a woman is interesting, who cares  
what technical abilities she has?!  There are lots of really boring  
people with excellent technical dance abilities and there are lots of  
really interesting people with lousy technique.  As long as the boring  
and lausy technique do not mix in one person, things are fine.

Maybe people just need to practice not being boring, developing the  
art of conversation and social graces, learning metaphores and poetry  
(preferably in Spanish) and definitely learn to sing some tangos.  And  
then their dancing will be fabulous!

Tango is very, very simple.  I guess we have to get through all the  
complexities and engineering challenges first before we can see this  
simplicity.

Best regards to all,

Nina

Quoting Igor Polk <ipolk at virtuar.com>:

> 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.
>
>
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