[Tango-L] Following

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

I believe that your instructor was trying to convey that women must be active in the dance, not passive.  She must not be a piece of furniture on wheels that the men push around.

The difficulties in leading and following come at different times in the learning cycle.  For men, it comes earlier.  It was nice that the woman acknowledge that leading is difficult because it is.  There's a lot to know.  

For women, the difficulty comes later.  It is possible that the woman you argued with hasn't reached that stage yet.  It sounds to me as if she might not have found her own dance, yet.  How many women find and own their dance?  In my experience, not many.  Women may become technically good, but that ownership is often missing.  Is it "wrong" for her to have not reached that staged?  Not really, especially if all she is wanting is to get dances at a milonga with the average dancer.   If, however, she wants to get dances with really good dancers, that's a different story.

I don't know your dance, so I certainly can't comment on what you should or shouldn't be thinking.  Three years, though, is not a long time, and there's plenty of time for you to find your dance.  Just enjoy your learning experience.

Trini de Pittsburgh


--- On Mon, 7/12/10, WILL MORROW <willm_7 at msn.com> wrote:

Do followers who buy into this stereotypical concept not recognize it as an artificial performance standard based on (most of the time, their own) sub-standard expectation? Just as importantly, do instructors who buy into and teach it not recognize this idea of a subservient, inferior perspective for what it is? 

Just a thought. I'd be interested to read how the subscribers here see the role of the follower.