Re: Tango rating--what about students??

[Manuel Patino <white95r @HOTMAIL.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "steve d" <steved @MAYSVILLEKY.NET>
Subject: Tango rating--what about students??


> I have enjoyed the various postings on the advantages and disadvantages of
> rating tango instructors. A better option may be to have a rating system
for
> students.

Dear Steve, I'm glad to see your post in the forum. I had expected that the
subject of rating students would come up. Firstly let me tell you that I'm
very happy that you have started learning tango. Your idea is actually quite
interesting. If it were possible to rate students as you say and have them
display some sort of credential, it would make a workshop organizers life
sooo much easier!

I believe that in ballroom studios, dancers are rated by labels of 'bronze",
"silver" and "gold", further subdivided into classes like international,
American etc.(please bear with me if I'm wrong about the exact details).
Anyway, I've heard people ask each other "are you silver or gold?" oe
similar things before begining to dance. I think these labels denote what
steps or movements the dancer knows.

The idea of rating students for the purposes of attending the appropriate
level of class is quite a good one, however, at least 2 problems would make
it very difficult to implement. First, the students themselves will often
over-rate their own dancing level (quite understandable, we all want to be
good!) so there must be some system to rate people's skill. I we think that
rating teachers is difficult, just consider how one would rate students?
There are folks out there that can learn in one lesson more than others can
in 6 months of classes. It is impossible to predict a persons learning
ability without complex testing procedures. I guess one could ask can the
student do forward and back ochos? perhaps perform a traspie? would this
make him or her "intermediate"? Also, the biggest problem would be that
segregating students by level would result in workshops so small that they
would be more like private lessons. In other words, in many smaller
communities it would be extremely difficult to organize workshops or classes
to do the system justice.

Curiously enough, no one yet has explained that there is a system of rating
dancers which is very widwely practiced. There have been many discussions
already about the "milonga code". People will watch others dance a lot
before asking (or accepting) a dance from  a person. There is even a special
method of non-verbal communications called the "cabeceo" where eye contac is
first established from across the roomand a nod given to accept. This system
rates dancers quite well (if mercilessly) it works very well if you use it
yourself and it is established at least in Bs As.

> the look of disgust and contempt on her face was a masterful
> display of non-verbal communication (last time I saw that expression on a
> lady was from my ex-wife during our divorce).

I feel bad for you. It is never good to be the recipent of such "looks". I
only hope that you misunderstood the look, that the teacher was reflecting
disgust and frustration with her own inability to teach you. If not, it was
very disconsiderate of her to do that. Better luck next time!

High ratings to all,

Manuel