[Tango-L] TANGO 2000 ............For DUMMIES

[Ecsedy Áron]

Hello Jay,
>> ... they are still causing trouble: by taking up more room than everybody
>> else, by not advancing in the line of dance ... and by charging into any open space.
>>     
>
> This last, charging into any open space, is particularly disruptive, as it requires everyone else to pay more attention to which way they're going to dart next, detracting from paying attention to the music and our partners.
>   
Theeere we go then. I had that distinct impression that this might be 
the problem. I think I've referred to it as well. This IMO is a very 
Western phenomenon: you are frightened by their sudden moves, and they 
are not really aware of their delta-v or the 'flow' of their movements.

To elaborate on this: If you have ever stood in a line at a supermarket 
in BsAs, you'll know that those guys have no sense of 'personal space' 
as we know it. In essence, personal space under their understanding is 
restricted to the volume your body actually fills and not a millimeter 
more. This has two profound secondary effects: 1) foreigners mostly 
cannot take this, they're scared shitless when someone passes close, it 
feels threatening to many of them 2) portenos usually don't use high 
delta-v (they might be fast, but the acceleration is nothing I am used 
to, they also seem to be irritated by that). The first one is something 
that you can get used to. My partner had problems with it outside the 
dance floor. After two weeks I was quite happy with it as it was obvious 
that locals DO go for open spaces. Actually, this is the way to move 
fast through a huge crowd on the street without problems. They do that, 
but they also slow down when space is scarce, OR if with slightly 
squeezing in or with a 'permiso' they can make space, they will. As for 
the second problem it is quite obvious from how portenos drive: during 
my stays I've never seen anything resembling the sudden and agressive 
overtakings so natural around our parts, especially in Hungary. They 
simply know that if they do that could mean a certain accident. As I see 
it, right of way goes to people whom are more forward (so they can't see 
you directly, but you can see them - sensible), who have large cars 
(also sensible in a way) or those who approach a lot faster (happens 
mainly when a line is standing, with the other moving a lot faster - 
probably the only occasion they look into a sidemirror - very sensible 
again). These rules appear to work on the dancefloor as well and you 
don't seem to need more. Minor planning range is needed but for that you 
only need to communicate your intention of direction and speed. 
Admittedly, this is something that may be missing from some nuevo 
enthusiasts.

The concept also includes disregarding a lot of rules you take for 
granted. For instance: changing 'lanes' (in BsAs nobody is observing the 
lanes painted on the road, and use 8 lanes on a 6 lane road) without 
indicator lights, when someone is RIGHT beside you is completely 
acceptable. In ANY Western country you would be pulled out of your car 
by the next red light and beaten up on the spot for 'trying to kill' the 
driver. In Hungary, they wouldn't even wait for the red light, you'd 
pushed down from the road before, and the other driver, father of two, 
would kick your teeth in... In general, their customs are malleable, 
while Western cultures use rules that are not. Sometimes, breaking a 
rule in Europe that has no impact on anything (not even more than a 
passing witness) is punished. Customs are only customs. If you break 
them it is not the end of the world...

If you can overcome your fear of couples speeding and trusting them to 
avoid you, you'll feel absolutely comfortable. It is a scentific fact, 
that in Western societies most people are raised with a very poor 
experience in what is called limbic resonance (the reason why having a 
shrink is a commonplace today). That comes with the relatively crappy 
ability to react to body language and motion clues, therefore 
overreaction to any ambigous stimulus - such as speeding youngsters 
(note: your limbic system is the key to all non-verbalizable, emotional 
communication, and limbic effects are inherently non-conscious and 
cannot be made conscious which is a feature not a bug). Obviously, you 
need to train yourself to be less jumpy. Also, youngsters should be 
taught that they should be communicating their long term lane of 
movement more efficiently to allow planning for you.

Cheers,
Aron

-- 
Ecsedy Áron
***********
Aron ECSEDY

Tel: +36 20 66-36-006

http://www.milonga.hu/
http://www.holgyvalasz.hu/



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