[Tango-L] Interview with Gustavo Naveira, Part 1

Wed Jun 27 11:06:12 EDT 2007

Talking about Gustavo's teachings and his teaching stryle ability, etc. 
Based on some discussion of some unseen notes is not a fair way to criticize 
him. Also, as Christopher narrates below, neither is it a good gauge in 
judging G&G's teachings to use the experience of some students who were 
clearly way over their heads in one of Gustavo's classes.

I have personally taken many classes with G&G. It is true that if you are 
taking a class way over your level, it will likely frustrate and perhaps 
make you somehow worse. But this will happen with practically any teacher 
worth his or her salt. Sure there are teachers out there who are great at 
making their students feel good. The problem is that they don't teach their 
students to dance tango very well at all.

Gustavo & Giselle are very professional. Their attention to the students is 
genuine and polite. G&G are also very nice, polite and dignified. I want 
people to know that they are not haughty or that they will blow people out 
of the water in their classes without paying any mind. The best way to judge 
their teaching, their subject matter and everything else is by taking some 
of their classes.  It is the student's reponsability to take the classes at 
their proper level, but once that's done the classes will be most helpful.

It's interesting to see that the criticism of Gustavo Naveira comes from 
people who've not taken lessons from him. I'd respectfully suggest that 
first one should take at least a few workshops or classes with a teacher 
before passing judgement on them.

Cheers,

Manuel

visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com

>From: ceverett at ceverett.com
>To: "Tango-L" <tango-l at mit.edu>
>Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Interview with Gustavo Naveira, Part 1
>Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 04:20:48 -0500
>
>I have to agree that Gustavo & Giselle-Anne aren't one the best couples
>working together right now, if not one of the all time best couples.
>
>I have only indirect experiences with their teaching:
>
>1. A couple of intermediate students I know took one of their workshops
>in BA, and got worse, not better.
>2. Many that I've talked to (including Argentines that were in his
>circle during the time he, Fabian Salas and Chicho were working
>together), tell me that he often (or maybe even usually) teaches to the
>most advanced people in the classes, which means the material can be far
>outside the performance envelope of many attendees.  Certainly what the
>couple above showed of the material they were working on in those
>classes, looked like it was way over their heads.
>
>It seems to me that item 1 above was a direct consequence of item 2.
>Modern educational theory stresses that learning at the edge of one's
>capabilities produces the greatest growth.  If you can't do back ochos
>without falling over, think about what adding boleos to the mix will do
>to your dance.
>
>That being said, dancers with a certain degree of talent, technical
>ability and body control might have an excellent experience with
>Gustavo, if only to to put their fundamentals on the forge.  In other
>words, it will make you really confident in your dance, if it doesn't
>break you.  I personally believe that's a valuable service.
>
>Also, if people want to put themselves in a meat grinder, it's not
>Gustavo's job to tell them, "No".  After all, he's just a tango teacher,
>not a surgeon.
>
>In any case, it seems that Minneapolis may be graced with their presence
>in the next year, and I'm just as enthused as the next lemming, even if
>my eyes are a bit more open as I walk over the cliff.
>
>Christopher
>
>On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:55:12 -0400, "Jake Spatz (TangoDC.com)"
><spatz at tangoDC.com> said:
> > List,
> >
> > Looks like Dani and I still won't get to fight (yet again), as I second
> > his opinion of Chris's posts here. And I believe I can help unpack the
> > critical perspective from which Chris writes-- and he can certainly
> > correct me if I'm mistaken about anything.
> >
> > What Chris (appears to have) criticized isn't Gustavo's dancing, but
> > rather his analytical approach-- or rather, others' ubiquitous reliance
> > on it. That's certainly open to criticism, and should be. I've
> > criticized the particular content of his analysis myself (insofar as I
> > know what that content is: perhaps the Diet version in circulation is
> > what I have a problem with). But others criticize it for the simple
> > reason that it isn't everything or even the key thing about the dance,
> > since it maps movement and therefore moves-- and doing moves, of course,
> > is not the same thing as dancing.
> >
> > Now, one would hardly expect an analysis of movement to tell you
> > everything about good dancing. I think it's only the plethora of (bad)
> > move-centric performers, and those who emulate them, who are responsible
> > for promoting this stuff above its proper station in some people's eyes.
> > But nonetheless it does get elevated; and so criticism of it can be not
> > only deserved, but quite healthy, to keep things in perspective.
> >
> > In any case, I don't believe Chris is guilty of judging Gustavo by his
> > fans, which is the only real crime possible by now, for a critic. He's
> > in fact criticizing the fans, if you bother to read with pre-Info Age
> > care. For my part, I value Chris's noncompliance-with-herd-opinion very
> > highly. And I also think Gustavo & Giselle are brilliant dancers-- and
> > that their "moves" are the least interesting part of it.
> >
> > Jake
> > DC
> >
> >
> >
> > Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~ wrote:
> > > Club ~Tango*La Dolce Vita~
> > > ~ Dani Iannarelli ~
> > >
> > > Hi Manuel / Tangueros,
> > >
> > > No, I don't class you as one of the tango 'nerds' ('anoraks' in 
>equivalent UK parlance). In fact, I see you as my southern hemisphere "El 
>Zorro de Tango" counterpart...!   :-)))))
> > >
> > >
> > >> The deal is this, I don't believe in deifying anyone in tango or in 
>any other facet of life
> > >>
> > >
> > > Although I entirely agree with you, I have to say the Gustavo is, *for 
>me*, one of the few exceptions, and it takes a great 'icon' for me to make 
>any sort of exception!
> > >
> > > Having thus deified him (tango-wise), I still think "The Tango Lesson" 
>was an utterly crap 'film'...!  >:-)))))
> > >
> > > Very best wishes
> > > Dani ~
> > > `El Zorro de Tango' >:-)))))
> > >
> > > ~Tango*La Dolce Vita~
> > >
> > > Email: dani at tango-la-dolce-vita.eu
> > > Website: http://www.tango-la-dolce-vita.eu
> > > Yahoo Group: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/clubtango-ladolcevita
> > > Online photogalleries: 
>http://www.flickr.com/photos/club_tango-la-dolce-vita/
> > > http://www.flickr.com/people/club_tango-la-dolce-vita/
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message ----
> > > From: WHITE 95 R <white95r at hotmail.com>
> > > To: dani at tango-la-dolce-vita.eu; keith at tangohk.com; Tango-L at mit.edu
> > > Sent: Tuesday, 26 June, 2007 9:56:42 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Interview with Gustavo Naveira, Part 1
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Danni,
> > >
> > > I understand your point of view. I hope you don't lump me in the 
>tango-nerd
> > > category as I'm fairly iconoclastic myself ;-))) The deal is this, I 
>don't
> > > belive in deifying anyone in tango or in any oither facet of life. 
>Actually,
> > > I rather skeptical abput all the waxing lirycal about the innefabilty 
>of the
> > > tango moment, etc. I actually consider many of the current icons of 
>tango
> > > (in the US, Argentina and the world) to be fairly overrated and IMHO, 
>some
> > > are outright frauds. However, I'm not disposed to attack, denean or
> > > otherwise defame any of these folks or their teachings and doctrines.
> > > Perhaps Chris is merely stirring up controversy or trying to inject 
>humor in
> > > the discussion. The problem is that things  written in these forums 
>can
> > > sometimes become de facto "truths". I just wanted to set the record
> > > straight.
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > >
> > > Manuel
> > >
> > > visit our webpage
> > > www.tango-rio.com
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Tango-L mailing list
> > > Tango-L at mit.edu
> > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
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