[Tango-L] Breaking the "paso basico."

[Tom Stermitz]

Milonga steps come along so quickly that you don't have time to think.  
I notice that people become intuitive-impvorisational dancers more  
quickly in milonga. Then the challenge is to translate that over to  
tango.

A rhythmic dance in crowded conditions is one way to force that  
intuitive-improvisation. When you have longer sequences on an empty  
floor, you have every opportunity to complete the same-old, practiced  
sequence. When you are forced to rock-step out of trouble, and change  
your idea on the fly, then you are forced out of the routine.

Yes, it is more challenging. Use simpler steps. Only by challenging  
your well-laid plans will you learn adaptability.


On Feb 12, 2008, at 9:43 AM, 'Mash wrote:

> On Tue, Feb 12, 2008 at 08:20:55AM -0700, Tom Stermitz wrote:
>> Also, I've found that beginners confidence improves tremendously when
>> they "feel" that the movements make sense. This increases retention.
>>
>> Longer sequences force the dancers into more intellectual or merely
>> rote relationship with dance. When the leader doesn't feel like he is
>> DANCING, he is more likely to quit.
>
> Exactamente!
>
> You are completely right. For someone like myself who has always  
> danced because of how the music moves me and not because how the  
> dance moves me makes learning tango horrendous at times. It is very  
> rare that I just feel like I am dancing Tango, Milonga YES, that is  
> why I love it.
>
> The problem with Tango that I see is that for some reason there is  
> this pressure to know how to do steps and that if you don't do the  
> steps correctly then you let down your partner and those watching.  
> If somone asked me what my least favourite thing to do right now is,  
> it would be to go to a milonga. Practica, fine, perfect even as  
> everyone is just mucking about and enjoying themselves. Milonga, no  
> thank you it feels like I am going to a job interview.
> ...
> To sum everything up, Tango has yet to become a dance for me and I  
> am trying to find out why.
> ...
> 'Mash
> London,UK