[Tango-L] Two of My Teaching Pet Peeves

[Chris, UK]

TFH wrote of his two pet teaching peeves:

> Find ways to teach them to have their left foot step in front of them
> rather than off to the left.  They ALL do it!  STOP THEM!

That's common hereabouts in segregated class pupils. The guy is going left 
to avoid kicking the girl's foot. Which he's not yet moved because 
actually he hasn't learned to lead. Guys: spend 1hr with a good leader.

> Someone, PLEASE, tell me why soooo many teachers teach
> young followers to s-s-s-s-stretch their leg out,
> really far, in a backstep!!!

Same again. The guy hasn't learned to lead her to stretch, and this  
teacher 'fixes' /her/ the only way he knows. This breaks the connection so 
neither guy or girl can find the natural solution themselves.

> Is that the only way to teach them to have a straight knee and a
> beautiful leg?  Can't they have it with a shorter backstep

They sure can. Girls: ignore teacher. Guys: spend 1hr with a good leader.

> NEITHER of them knows how to fix that awful feeling of having
> absolutely no connection.  Bounce!  Bounce!  Bounce! 

Girls: spend 1hr with a good leader. Guys: spend 1hr with a good leader.

> Almost every teacher that I have seen lets those things go!

The teacher has no choice. These dysfunctions are inevitable consequences 
of the class teahcing model that couples non-dancers with non-dancers.

--
Chris