[Tango-L] speak up if you are...

[Crrtango@aol.com]

Trini wrote:   

- Does someone's repeated actions create an unhealthy
learning environment for beginners?
- Does it show disrespect for beginners or my invited
guests?

Disruptive behavior should not be encouraged in any form so I agree with you 
about this.   Maybe we need milongas based on attitude and ego also. Social 
dancing is just that...social dancing. The same goes for so-called advanced 
dancers who manhandle beginners or teach them on the floor, and are usually pretty 
bad themselves.   I ran a practica years ago at Sandra Cameron Dance Center 
here.   One night a student was dancing with a new person who had perhaps two 
or three lessons and he was constantly trying steps that were totally confusing 
to the beginner who looked very uncomfortable...she almost fell down.   He 
even had the nerve to get impatient with her, correcting her constantly. 
Needless to say he wasn't very good, he just knew more steps. I interrupted him and 
told him to leave if he couldn't dance in consideration of her level. He became 
very indignant saying he payed money to learn there, yadda, yadda and went to 
Sandra to complain.   After I explained to her, she told him the same...be 
respectful of your partner and don't disrupt the dance floor or leave.
Sometimes etiquette and customs need to be taught and gently enforced.   They 
don't come naturally to some people, nor does the concept of social 
dancing...too many people know tango only from the stage and videos. This seems to be 
mostly a leader problem so if a leader makes you feel uncomfortable, politely 
decline to continue.   You don't have to finish the tanda with him.

Cheers,
Charles 


**************
Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. 
used car listings at AOL Autos.
      
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)