[Tango-L] Lesson vs not

[Chris, UK]

Deby wrote:

> I think what Janis poorly conveyed is that you can go to something like 
> CITA, but what kind of value will you get from it?

Poorly conveyed??? "A waste of time and money" seemed pretty clear to me.

> Lessons v not

The point is not about lessons, Deby. It is about specifically /classes/.

Big big difference.

--
Chris





-------- Original Message --------

*Subject:* [Tango-L] Lesson vs not
*From:* Deby Novitz <dnovitz at lavidacondeby.com>
*To:* tango-l at mit.edu
*Date:* Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:04:05 -0300

People often ask me who I studied with.  I sort of get tongue tied when 
that happens and I am not sure what to answer.  At least twice a week 
someone sends me an email with their CV of dancing and a video.  I am 
not sure why, but they do.  I think when they do not agree with my blog 
or what  I write here, they want to prove to me how much they know by 
how many classes they have taken and then the final proof for them is 
the video.

With some of these people you would think they were trying out for a 
Broadway production with the language they use - "I first studied..."  
"I continued my training..." "I attended an advanced seminar...."  My 
God!  Are they doing this for fun or what?  The videos?  I won't go 
there.  I am just amazed they get sent to me at all.

Here in Buenos Aires the proof is not how many classes you have taken, 
who you have taken them with, or where you learned, the proof is when 
you get on the floor and dance.  Watch the locals, they look at your 
feet.  They want to see what you do with them.  When you pass by the 
reviewing stand, they look at your feet and look away. If you pass you 
will most likely hear a muted "Ella baila" or "El sabe"  acknowledging 
your dance, or you will hear nothing, or hopefully you will not hear 
"horrible". 

I started learning tango in the U.S. in San Francisco.  I took classes 
with visiting Argentines.  Where did I really learn to dance?  Here on 
the floor in Buenos Aires from the milongueros.  I was lucky to have had 
several mentors here.  My 83 old Pocho who truly dances Villa Urquiza 
style was a very strong influence on my dance.  He spent countless hours 
with me explaining and showing me how to make the giros.  I was mentored 
by others as well.  I know that I was lucky to have this.

I know Janis.  She followed a similar path in her dance here in Buenos 
Aires.  I have never heard or seen her write that people should not take 
lessons.  Quite the contrary.  Like me she believes lessons are very 
important.  What is unfortunate here is how many people take lessons 
with people just because they have heard of them.  Name brand 
recognition does not always guarantee a good product, and that is just 
as true when it comes to taking classes in tango as it is in buying a 
box of laundry powder.

When you live here and you are part of the tango community you see a 
different side to this dance.  I never really saw it the 18 times I came 
here before.  I see it now and I hear things that are amazing at times.  
Those name brands you love and revere so much?  Many of them just see 
you as a profit center.  They sit around and talk about ways to get 
"their money."  They make fun of their students. Many of them cannot 
stand foreigners. Tango is a business my dear friends, don't believe for 
a moment the majority of the teachers/milongas/tango-related stores are 
anything else but. 

I think what Janis poorly conveyed is that you can go to something like 
CITA, but what kind of value will you get from it?  On top of the cost 
of the classes, most women need to hire a taxi dancer in order to 
participate in the classes.  There is no gender balancing like at some 
festivals.  How much can you learn in a class with 40 - 50 other 
people?  You are pretty much insulated from the culture here by 
programed events.

If you came here, spent the same amount of money, had several private 
lessons in a week with good teachers, and danced at 2 milongas a day, 
you would probably gain a lot more than you would at CITA:  My opinion 
of course.  If you are the kind of person that actually likes being in a 
class of 40 or more people, you like learning patterns, and you like 
meeting people from all over, and see this as more of a social event, 
then by all means, give your money to CITA. One of the most common 
phrases the Argentines use is "hay por todo" there is something for 
everyone.


No virus found in this outgoing message
Checked by PC Tools AntiVirus (3.1.0.10 - 9.066.007).
http://www.pctools.com/anti-virus/
_______________________________________________
Tango-L mailing list
Tango-L at mit.edu
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l