[Tango-L] why learn the eight count basic?

[Ilene Marder]

The problem is that once you get the 8 count with backstep into your 
body, it's difficult to breakaway...becomes habit.
And the more you dance the more you will want to get away from that 
backstep.
I prefer an 8 count where the number one is changing your weight to the 
right leg...as described by Barbara. It works very well.
my o2

hbboogie1 at aol.com wrote:

>I am not a teacher however I feel the 8 count  basic is important as a 
>teaching tool for those wishing to learn salon. It gives  the follower the 
>opportunity to take a forward step a right side step a back  step another back 
>step leading into a cruzada finishing with a back step out of  the cruzada a 
>side step to the left and finishing back to the starting position.  All the 
>essentials of dancing in all 4 directions.
>The B8C done right is not  as easy as one might think. I would say the 
>majority of teachers will spend  perhaps 20 minutes on the 8CB and then move on 
>to figures. 
>An excellent  teacher will teach every aspect of tango using the 8CB 
>starting with posture,  balance, embrace, axis and floor craft. After learning all 
>this you're ready for  that first back step… but wait not yet. You first 
>need to learn how to very  gently compress down into the floor sending a 
>signal to the follower that your  getting ready to take that first step back and 
>don't forget the position of the  foot as you step back…...blah blah blah 
>you get the picture and that’s just step  #1 in the 8 count basic.
>
>Good is learning the 8CB in twenty  minutes
>Excellent is learning the 8CB in one year.
>Good is the greatest  enemy of excellence
>
>David  
>
>_______________________________________________
>Tango-L mailing list
>Tango-L at mit.edu
>http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
>  
>