[Tango-L] Milonga 101 -- conversation between dances

[Chris, UK]

> in my opinion, a good teacher teaches technique first and coreography as
> a side-effect.

I suggest a good teacher teaches technique first and improvisation as a 
side-effect. Choreography is no part of it.

It's sad to read that Tango USA still suffers from this:

> The method of having men & ladies separate to learn a choreography can
> work with really good instructors. ... It always surprises me how well
> people are dancing a complex choreography by the end of their class
> without much anticipation. Part of their success, I believe, is that
> they repeat the sequence over and over and over again ...

Good teachers years ago discovered that rote-learning of sequences 
degrades technique, handicaps improvisation...

... and sabotages the beginner's understanding of the dance:

PHOEBE: So um, are you the professional guitar player?

(CHRISSIE HYNDE): Yeah. I'm Stephanie.

PHOEBE: ... So, um, so um, how many chords do you know?

(CHRISSIE): All of them. 

PHOEBE: Oh yeah, so you know D?

(CHRISSIE): Yeah.

PHOEBE: Ok, do you know A minor?

(CHRISSIE): Yeah.

PHOEBE: Ok, do you know how to go from D to A minor?


--
Chris

PS Osvaldo Fresedo and Ricardo Ruiz - Buscandote
 http://youtube.com/watch?v=vp9RFSQzz2A (video 2m02s)