Re: Developing Effortless Mastery in Tango

[Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>]

Frank Williams wrote:

>It's SO common for an intermediate's appreciation to develop
>much faster than their ability, isn't it?  It's a crucial
>point at which the need for practice becomes paramount, and
>spirits tend to fall.

Yes.  Students often quit learning when they become discouraged by the fact
that their appreciation develops faster than their ability.

>Teachers should prepare intermediates to understand that shift in
>the formula to progress.  ...somewhat away from focusing on concept
>and towards refining skill in execution (and always more patience!).

To some extent teachers can prepare their students for the shift in the
formula of progress, but progressing to effortless mastery is beyond the
typical instruction.

Effortless mastery comes when we reach unconscious competence, when we no
longer know what we are doing.  Most instructors provide no guidance toward
reaching effortless mastery.  Some are destructive to the development of
effortless mastery--acting like critics that constantly pull the person
into conscious competence or incompetence, and in doing so destroy the
state of mind in which unconscious dancing is possible.  A few offer
encouragement to their students to find unconscious competence, recognizing
that in the end it is up to the individual dancers to find the unconscious
competence that will give them effortless mastery.

How then, do we develop an effortless mastery of tango?  We put aside the
small voices of criticism, both external and internal.  Doing so, often
requires us to practice until we have the confidence in our physical
skills.  We also put aside our judgements about what is good and bad
dancing.  We center ourselves and taste the delicious experience of the
four connections in Argentine tango: the music, our partner, the floor, and
the others on the dance floor.  Those connections center us and guide us
toward an effortless mastery.

--Steve de Tejas

aka Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
http://www.tejastango.com/

An online resource with information about Argentine tango including reviews
of instructional videos, guides to tango music, articles about learning and
dancing tango, extensive links and a listing of tango events in Dallas,
Texas.

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