[Tango-L] BsAs glow (previously bad, wrong, Nuevo)

[Alexis Cousein]

Floyd Baker wrote:
> On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:32:56 +0100, you wrote:
> 
>> Floyd Baker wrote:
>>> Victor.
>>>
>>> I don't understand why a follower has to go through a lot of hard work
>>> and practice to be a good follower.  
>>>
>>> To me all they need is an understanding of what Tango is about.   The
>>> rest should come naturally.   
>>>
>> ...with lots of practice and hard work ;).
>>
>> What tango is about is communication (because it's an improvised dance).
>> We haven't been taught how to communicate with body and frame in our
>> everyday lives, so we need practice to perfect the technique, just as
>> we needed practice to learn how to crawl, walk, run and talk.
>> -- 
>> Alexis Cousein                                  al at sgi.com
>> Senior Systems Engineer/Solutions Architect     SGI/Silicon Graphics
> 
> 
> But that's the part I don't understand.   Why aren't we able to
> communicate with body and frame in an improvised way.  They did when
> they developed it. 

And you think they didn't work hard for it? They certainly danced their
miles, and were probably humiliated quite a number of times (which
given the setting must've been really challenging).

> It seems to me we tend to mechanize Tango here in the U.S.  

You have a fairly narrow idea of what constitutes "hard work". Hard work
is not necessarily frustrating, mechanised, and no fun at all.

There's certainly something about *some* Americans, a kind of performance
drive in anything they do (everything has to be done in earnest and with
a ruthless lack of complacency, with a notion that if it's fun
the hard work isn't "pure" and worthy) that sometimes stands in the way
of enjoyment - and indeed often accomplishment.

That's partly cultural, believe me.

> The leaders don't understand what followers have to go through with
> all the leaders. 

You can bet that's true. A little humility goes a long way - you'll learn
more effectively if by default you supposed you're the one who messes up things
than when (because you're performance driven) you'll blame someone else or the 
elements.

I know that such an attitude doesn't resolve the cognitive dissonance
between the failure and your idea that because you've worked "hard"
(you haven't enjoyed yourself too much, so your hard work was "pure")
you're good because you "deserve to be".

So be it.

Pick your choice - live in your dream world in which you're a good dancer, or
improve.

-- 
Alexis Cousein                                  al at sgi.com
Senior Systems Engineer/Solutions Architect     SGI/Silicon Graphics
--
<If I have seen further, it is by standing on reference manuals>