[Tango-L] Getting tango lessons to the needy

[Alexis Cousein]

On 28/06/2011 15:54, Lois Donnay wrote:
> What can teachers do for these people?   Is there a name for a lesson or
> workshop which might convince them to work on their basics when all they
> want is a new move?  Can we do the "spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go
> down" - advertize boleos but then work mostly on walking instead? Will they
> listen when they think they know that stuff already?
>

"Technique workshops". Of course, all the other classes are
really also about technique, but these people tend to think of them
as being about sequences of steps.

> Related point - we recently had a guy visit our milonga who had been taking
> tango lessons at a ballroom studio for several months.  He was surprised to
> learn that he had basically learned nothing that was of any value at all.

It's far too blunt a thing to say because it isn't true. They have
learned to walk and have learned to lead and that is
helpful, although you need to stress what's different (different
posture, "frame" --called embrace in AT-- way of leading step timing 
and length, switches between parallel and cross walking they're
unfamiliar with, steps for leader/follower only etc.)

It's more helpful to say "you know how to dance but this is
what's really different" than "you're doing everything wrong".