[Tango-L] Following

[Shahrukh Merchant]

WILL MORROW <willm_7 at msn.com> says:

> I begin by stating that I am new to Argentine Tango(3+ yrs).

The humility is refreshing (I say this with no sarcasm intended at all),
considering the increasing number of "teachers" who have been dancing
for considerably less than that time.

> My first instructor made the statement that a follower must bring 
> something to the dance and not expect to be pushed and pulled around 
> the floor like a puppet.

Sure, following is an active process, and it is a good thing to
emphasize early. Of course, it takes the next 50 classes (and/or the
next several years of dancing) to try to perfect *what* exactly that
"something" comprises. :-)

> a woman made the comment that the men (leaders) had it so hard and 
> she had it so easy because she "just had to follow what was led."

Well, there is SOME truth to this in that to be a minimally qualified
follower, indeed one "just" has to follow what is led (though it's
easier said than done), while to be a minimally qualified leader one has
to be able to (a) lead (convey one's intention) (b) have active
recollection of enough tango vocabulary to be able to add a little
variety to ones movement (notwithstanding the claim that tango is
"nothing more than walking" -- that's only true once you're
super-advanced) (c) have enough basic navigation and improvisation
skills to avoid hitting moving obstacles, or at least avoid hitting HER
into obstacles (moving or otherwise). :-)

But most people's aspirations in Tango go beyond being minimally
qualified, at which point it can no longer be reduced to "well, you have
three things to do and I have 'only' one thing to do, so your job must
be harder."

> 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?

Hmm, you lost me there. What is it exactly that these instructors are
buying into and teaching that you disagree with? That the man's role is
more difficult? Or something else? And when you talk about "artificial
performance standards," "sub-standard expectations" and "subservient,
inferior perspective," it sounds like you're making some kind of
psychological connection to an individual's sense of self-worth, but
it's not at all clear what that connection is, or whether it is the man
or woman who is supposedly being made to feel inferior).

> Also, I have yet to be asked the rationale behind my dissenting 
> opinion

Well, I'll be the first to ask then (but do restate the opinion that
you're dissenting to, and what exactly your dissenting opinion is).

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

Now, that's an interesting question in and of itself, especially if we
can get more women to chime in. My opinion is ... Damn! I was almost
being a bad leader there (inviting the woman to "take a step" and not
waiting for her to do so ...). See--it *is* difficult! :-)

Shahrukh