Re: [TANGO-L] Teachers who lead and follow

[jackie ling wong <jackie.wong@VERIZON.NET>]

hi lois,
i lead and follow and teach and like to take lessons from either a
couple (where the follower plays an active teaching role) or someone
who can dance both.

i too led during traditional milongas in buenos aires (Argentine
women)...and didn't get much flak but there were definitely feelings
about what we were doing...  some bad but most positive or it didn't
matter.  for me, i just want to socialize with my friends, dance and
have fun.  why should it bother anyone else if i dance with a woman
or man...leading or following?

i'll be in minneapolis for the festival in june.  let's dance!
jackie
www.tangopulse.net


On Jan 10, 2006, at 3:19 PM, Lois Donnay wrote:

Last night I was at a salsa venue and I saw a woman leading another
woman in
salsa - she was really good! I was sitting next to another salsa
teacher,
and he was watching closely. When the song was over, he ran over and
asked
the woman to dance - but to lead him! I thought that was fantastic!

In the professional level of ballroom dance instruction, all teachers
lead
and follow. There is no question that a professional teacher would
not be
competent in both roles. I see this less in non-professional
teachers, and
have rarely seen this in salsa until last night.

This brought me to a question - when you pick a teacher do you verify
that
they can do both roles? Is it important to you?

I am also constantly surprised by women who whisper to me after a dance
"That was really good! Better than most of the men!" I think first of
all
that they don't need to whisper - are men's egos really that
delicate? And
also, shouldn't I, as a teacher, be expected to be one of the best
leaders?

Oh, yes - in the myth-busting mode - last time I was in Buenos Aires
I led
my male partner (an Argentine) at a regular milonga and was not
immediately
thrown out into the street. As a matter of fact, the people who saw
us loved
it!

Lois Donnay
Minneapolis, MN 55408
www.mndance.com


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