[TANGO-L] Teaching & Community Development

[Andrew Allison <andrew @AALLISON.COM>]

Regarding the commentary in response to my post on the impact of teaching
on community development:

Roger wrote: "Skiing though - I can't feel a connection - and I've never
felt a similarity." Roger, next time you go skiing and want to turn, use
your center to turn your torso (imagine you are holding a large beach ball
in your arms, and simply move it to the side to which you wish to turn). I
think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the result (effortless turns).

Stephen's response to Luda missed two points: first, that it's not the way
that the instructor learns, but the way they teach that's important. For
example, I'm very analytical, i.e, need to really understand the step, but
one of the two best instructors I've ever had is older milonguero who
learned by watching. But, like my favorite ski instructor, he has the
ability (and, more importantly, the desire) to see where the problem is and
tell me how to fix it. Second (to both Stephen's and Frank's comments), a
clear lead is not a stiff lead. I can't speak to martial arts in general,
but the internal arts (Tai Chi and Chi Kung) can help leaders by
emphasizing being rooted (grounded), centered, and initiating movement from
ones center. Tai Chi is about being in contact with both your center and,
in its two-person version (Push Hands) that of an opponent. The awareness
of  your partner's center and clear intention of a center-led lead
alleviates the problems to which Linda refers in her response to Frank.

Jai wrote : ". . . . If few of your dance partners lead well, it isn't due
to a general ineptitude of teaching." I obviously disagree.

Dan misconstrued ""the instructor's primary task is to make sure that the
leaders can do so [lead]." as "teaching only to men." Of course followers
have to be able to follow -- but follow what? Without a clear lead, the
follower is lost regardless of skill level. The point which I think Dan is
inadvertently making is that leading and following are quite different, and
need to be taught differently.

Finally, it was my hope in initiating this thread that we might arrive at
some consensus as to what constitutes good teaching and thereby improve the
general level of instruction, thus retaining more prospective leaders
within the community.

Regards to all, Andrew

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