[Tango-L] The subject that never dies.

[Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org]

Floyd (Buffalo) wrote:
>>imho the lady has no moves at all to learn.

Chris (UK) responded:
>True in real dancing, but a class with guys that haven't learned the 
>moves, she does have to 'learn' them, else in practice they won't get 
>done. Unfortunately the prevalent class model greatly favours instructors 

>that tell the girls to copy a move rather than teach the guys to lead it.

Taken to an extreme, this seems to suggest a model in which the 
instruction for the men and women is conducted in separate groups--with 
the women learning to follow and the men learning the moves and how to 
lead the moves.  For mixed group classes, generalized leading and 
following skills might be taught.  Anything else runs the risk of women 
learning the follower's part (which is not the same as learning to follow) 
men learning the leader's part (which is not the same as the men learning 
the moves and how to lead them).  Group classes conducted this way often 
rely heavily on memorized patterns with followers and leaders being taught 
their respective moves.  In my opinion, it would be better for the leaders 
to learn the follower's moves.  Then at least they would know what they 
were expected to lead.

With best regards,
Steve (de Tejas)