[Tango-L] "Maestros de cuarta" "the guy who's doing the teaching "

[Gordon Erlebacher]

While you make good points, and it is a good philosophy to always assume 
the male is wrong, it makes me smile when I then go to class where I 
have some problem with the lady and the teacher finds fault with me, and 
when the teacher tries it out with her, and then proceeds to spend 10-15 
min correcting her. How is that possible if it was not her fault? :-) It 
takes two to tango, and therefore, the lady can be at fault. But I 
agree, not at the Milonga. That is why I have become much more selective 
at the Milongas, both in terms of partners and the music I dance to.

Yes, I understand the arguments, and subscribe to them. We should return 
to the days where we teach only men, and not ladies. Isn't that how it 
used to be?

By the way, at what point is one qualified to become a teacher? Nobody 
is really qualified. Those who started 15 years ago are likely more 
qualified, although not always, than newcomers. Perhaps one requirement 
to be a teacher would be to win the world tango championships or be in 
the top three finalists? I am sure that many of the known teachers today 
started teaching before they were ready, and grew into it, with the 
exclusion of many on this list. I please guilty myself: we started in 
Tallahassee with no teachers (and we still have not teachers). However, 
there were always some dancers better than others (that is always the 
case), and the better dancers helped the others. Over time, this helping 
became teaching (long before we were "ready"). As we continued learning, 
we refined our teaching methods, and eventually we became better 
teachers. I am sure we would be criticized by many, but there are many 
who recognize our improved skills.

Finally, good dancers often do not make good teachers, and often good 
teachers are not good dancers (due to age or ability), although they 
understand and can communicate the principles clearly.

Just my two cents.

        Gordon


On 1/11/11 12:58 PM, Charles Roques wrote:
> David wrote:
>
> Why do they "Think" they are automatically  qualified to "Teach
> Tango" when they really aren't qualified?
>
> Sadly this problem has been around for years;  a lot of it is just male ego.  It was there when I started 14 years ago and it still is...it won't go away.  The problem is the leader assuming that because he leads a step, and decides what to do, he must know it, ergo he can teach it.  It has to be emphasized by teachers from day one that not only is that wrong but it breaks concentration and is very bad etiquette in class, and especially on the dance floor.  I tell my followers that if a man starts teaching on the floor, stop dancing with him, perhaps after the song, but don't finish the set.
> it is more important for the leader to assume that if the follower does not execute a step properly, it is always his fault, not hers.   Either he lead it wrong or else he overestimated her ability and danced steps she didn't know in the first place, so he is wrong on both counts.  The best demonstration of that is, if I as a teacher can lead a follower to do a step but he can not, it obviously is not her fault, so don't correct her, correct yourself.
> I realize that all followers need to practice and don't always have the luxury of being selective but it doesn't hurt to tell leaders that you see often teaching, that if he is going to teach than you would rather not dance and politely decline.
> Cheers,
> Charles
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