[Tango-L] ....who am I going to learn from? ..and when??

[Tango For Her]

Ooops!  I think my last post was an accidental hitting of the send button without actually typing something.  

Mario said a couple of things that I wanted to comment on:

Mario: "please, lower and don't move your shoulders because I'm trying to feel the step and the rest interferes"

I spent a year, or two, with women that knew me well enough giving me a signal when my shoulders tightened.  Sometimes, they outright stroked my shoulders.  They would also, as my teachers did, whisper for me to breath. I just wanted to say that you received very good advice.  Any tightness in your shoulders will take the energy away from your center.  I think some of the women, on here, could probably elaborate a lot more than I.  

Mario: "dances THE pattern that I am ready to assimilate"

I just wanted to comment that, yes, too, will look at some patterns.  But, much more powerful is when you notice the intensity, or energy, that a great dancer has and try that on for size.  It will never be the same.  But, it is a great way to learn to get your heart and soul into the tango.  This will help you much more, in my opinion, toward bettering yourself as a slow dancer.

I remember in my second year of dancing, there was this guy with more intensity than I have ever seen.  I am not sure if he spoke English.  I never saw him talk.  Actually, I never saw him dance with anyone but his girlfriend (or wife?).  Anyway, I used to pick a song and "mimick" him.  Wow!  My brows were knit, my left hand was high like his, my posture was upright like I was flexing.  That's what I saw.  That's what I did!  I don't dance like that often.  But, time and time, again, I will pick a song and dance like him.  When I do, it is the most intense dance of my night.  

Other times, I will picture some of the great dynamic dancers that I have seen in the past and I will, as my private instructor advised, try to dance like them.  It is the most instrumental technique that I have to, I guess, break myself off of a plateau.

Sometimes, I emulate patterns and steps.  That's great, too.  But, to become a master of feeling the music, look around and observe those who ... bring the music to life.  Look for those who swell into a long, dynamic step.  Look for those who noticably dance behind the beat.  Etc.

Ugh!  Here I am sitting home on a Saturday night while everyone else is out at the milonga and I had to go and write that!  Well, at least, I am listening to Gotan Project while writing!