[Tango-L] snarky comments on Atlanta demo

[Keith Elshaw]

Keith E. from Montreal here ...

It's easy to see comments come from people with fervently held views. As
they will be.

I do think people learn over time, as they get a deeper understanding of
everything, that the views they express in their enthusiasm and early
critical stages are not necessarily views they will stand-by as time goes
by. And when they are not, it's embarrassing.

Well, I'll express a view now (which I know will not come back to haunt me).

The eye is the most critical of faculties in terms of our biases. We
believe what we "see." Most of our prejudices comes from the place sight
holds in our sensorium.

That person it too tall; that one too short. Wrong colour ... etc.

We're so darn sure our eye see things "right." People with a keen eye are
(tend to be) highly opinionated.

When what we see doesn't match what we are looking for, we pooh-pooh easily.

I'm going to tell you something; this is one thing I absolutely LOVE about
Tomas Howlin's way of dancing.

If you are looking for him to dazzle you with something, you're going to
have to be really patient, I believe. He can - he can dance circles aorund
most of us pip-sqeaks all day and all night.

But he is a fine dancer. Capital F. He is showing the finer things of
tango; the subtlety; the communication; the love for his partner and the
music. His skill is evident to someone with a REALLY good eye. It just
seems that he is so mature and so kind and generous that it is not in his
nature to show-off.

I admire his restraint. He knows tango. I can't imagine a lovely woman
dancer not wanting to be in his embrace for either a social dance or a
demonstration/performance.

Just like one picture cannot show you the Universe, watching a couple of
videos or even live shows will not show you a dancer. The ones who want
you to see it all like that aren't worth watching. They haven't grown up
yet.

But, yes, maybe they can impress highly opinionated people who also
haven't grown up yet.

I grant you that watching a video can reveal people who aren't technically
good dancers right away.

But, on video or in person, how you see a really good dancer is largely
determined by your own perception and expectations. The best tango dancers
don't try to show you that they are.

They are caring for their partner; loving the music; expressing how they
feel in the moment; making it as smooth, effortless, kind and gentle as it
can be.

They care not for the eye which can't see that is looking for more than this.

It is the Tomas's of the professional world I admire so much because they
are showing all the sweet and subtely creative things about tango with
commensurate skill, control and sensitivity.

I know tango loves Tomas.

I know tango wishes all the flash-for-show dancers would grow up.

To the other Keith and other newish devotees to tango I respectfully say:
keep dancing and searching and enjoying, because you obviously have the
love and for that you are so lucky.

But, try not to say things you are going to regret when you actually get
it. All us mortals do it; but I'll bet people like Tomas didn't.