[Tango-L] self proclaimed teachers. If we can't lick them teach them (long)

[timmytango@aol.com]

We will never get away from people who want to teach.(or show off)  As 
much as I want to shoot some of them, you just can't. The people who 
shouldn't teach do. And the ones that should, don't.
So instead of cursing these self proclaimed teachers, lets educate 
them. Lets create a sylibus of tango steps, elements of tango, moves, 
of what a good teacher should teach and in the correct order in which 
things should be taught in. I needed to do this before Oberlin College 
would let me teach tango there. Now, the tango class is one of the 
hottest dance classes on Campus.
It's my opinion that all people wanting to learn tango should first 
learn milonguero, or social tango before any other style. (Please 
remember this only my opinion, you may think differently) It may be 
harder to first learn the close embrace,for some people,  but after you 
learn this style everything else comes easier. How to stand, walk, find 
your ballance, turn, and so on. Oh ya, Stop and go. Not throwing the 
lady in the air and land her on your knee. Learn, teach the basics 
first. Not ganchos, volcadas, or calgatas until the person has some 
knowledge of how to get around the dance floor with out bumping into 
others, or blocking the line of dance.

You opinions are welcome.

Tango 101 Oberlin College
Class description: This class will present dancing the argentine tango 
in the close embrace style of the Milonguero.
Each student will learn the art of Lead and Follow, dancing chest to 
chest, the technique of sharing the same axis and moving along the 
dance floor in a straight line or in a very tight turn. Students will 
learn how to communicate with each other without speaking a word, and 
to give the gift of ones's self for 3 minutes. The key concept is how 
to move with liquid motion from spot to spot with the utmost elegance 
without bumping into the people around us. Musicality will play a very 
important roll in learning how to move within the cadence of the music, 
hearing all the special sounds created especially for tango and what 
makes the tango what it is. It is intensely individualistic and 
improvisational. The theme of the tango is emotion and longing.

If you would like to add or delete please feel free. Change for a 
better understanding. (this is only my opinion)

Class Dynamics
Whether you come to class single, or with a partner, everyone will 
learn to lead and or follow. We will rotate the ladies from man to man 
so everyone gets the opportunity to dance with a partner. and that 
works best, since no two people dance the same. All classes will be 
taught in a circle, rotation in a counter-clock wise direction, always 
on the outer perimeter of the dance floor. this will also help the 
student to learn navigation and floor craft.

If you would like to add or delete please feel free. Change for a 
better understanding. ( this is only my opinion)

Class 1. Introduction to tango and its history: you will learn posture, 
finding your axis, the embrace, standing in place changing weight, 
walking forward and backward, alone, and in close embrace with partner. 
  Stop and Go, and especially learn how to find the connections with 
your partner, moving to the music.(there is lots to teach in this class 
and this class may carry over into Class 2)

Class 2 Different Tempos: listening to different tangos and learning 
how to move accordingly to its sound, whether with quick or slow steps. 
Listening to the music is one of the most important things to learn. 
Let your feet sing the song you're dancing to.

Class 3 Rock steps, sycopations, and turns: the combination of these 
three elements dramatically improves our dance by adding interest and 
navigational possibilites

Class 4 Using all of the dance floor: navigation around the dance 
floor, and using the corners of the dance floor for the fancy moves.

Class 5 Giros, giros, giros:Once you know how to go straingt, Now its 
time to learn how to turn.  Several different turns to the right and 
left using differents cadences

Class 6 Box step and making the lady cross: Learning the 6 steps it 
take to lead the Box, then taking the box apart in any location and 
adding different elements. I don't use the phase 8 count basic. I say, 
the Box with a cross step added.

Class 7 Walking in Parallel and walking in the Cross walking system.
In parallel system, the lady steps with her right foot while the man 
steps with his left. In Cross walking system, each person steps with 
the same foot. In Ballroom, this is dancing WRONG. this is what makes 
the tango so interesting and, or difficult.

Class 8 Review, Making what we just leaned, work. Never be afraid to go 
back and review

Class 9 Ochos, Ochos, Ochos: and who to get out of them: the figure 
eight in Spanish,
Both in forward and Backward. It's very possible this class will carry 
over into class 10

Class 10 continuation of getting into and out of Ochos, in both back 
and forward directions. With time Boleos and adornments for the ladies 
will be taught.

Class 11 the Molenete: The grappevine or Pin wheel. The man being the 
stem of the watch, the lady is the numbers of the watch.
How to lead, how to step around the man.

Class 12 Review and lets dance,





proclaimed teachers also forget or just don't know. a person only 
learns so fast, or so much in a giving time period.
Let the person your teaching learn and master what you just taught, 
before you go to the next step.
AGAIN. this is only my opinion. You may think differently, add or 
delete some of the things I mentioned
AGAIN, we will never get the self proclaimed teachers to stop teaching. 
So lets teach them the correct way to teach