[Tango-L] The dreaded back step

[Michael]

I avoid teaching the 8 count basic. You have to remember what it's
like to be beginner. Beginners will try to follow what is taught in
EVERY situation, and that includes milongas. Telling them "this is to
give you guidance in movement but don't dance it at a milonga" is not
helpful. It's difficult to break habits and the 8 count basic is a
habit. I remember one woman told me at a milonga that I was dancing
wrong because it's not what she was taught, i.e. 8 count basic. I told
her to go dance with her teacher.

Another problem is the woman's first step with the 8 count basic is
forward. Beginner women are afraid to step forward because they think
they will step on the man's foot.

I don't even start with figures but teaching HOW to move. The HOW is
always more important than the WHAT.

Michael
Washington, DC


On Wed, Jan 6, 2010 at 12:45 PM,  <rhink2 at netscape.net> wrote:
>
> My understanding of the 8-count basic is that it's a school figure that
> hits the four cardinal points on the compass among other things. Its
> purpose is to help leaders lead and followers follow steps in those 4
> directions.
>
> So why teach the back step in the first place given that in practice it
> is seldom used? >
>
>
> Personally I find the back step of the 8-count basic perfectly
> acceptable since it is easily unlearned.
>
> Bob