Re: [TANGO-L] teaching technique

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

Manuel wrote:

>To me, the most boring and unpleasant class I can remember is one
>where a teacher at a tango week (out west) put the whole class of
>beginners (I was then one of them) through an excruciating series of
>excercises designed I guess to impart some sort of "technique".

Wasn't in the class so I cannot comment on that on experience, but I have
taken classes in technique that were completely worthless.
I have also taken workshops and private lessons from Florencia Taccetti
that focused almost exclusively on technique and found them wonderful
learning experiences despite of the hard work she expected from us.

>Fortunately for me, I've discovered that technique is something that a
good
>instructor will teach a student in order for such student to do a
particular
>move as they are teaching that move.

There are elements of good technique that are not unique to a particular
step or step pattern.  These are ignored by most instructors in their
group classes.  Many instructors seem to reserve teaching the complete
details of technique for their private lessons--maybe because individual
attention is required.  Even in private lessons, however, you have to be
careful and select instructors who that actually know how to teach
technique.

With best wishes for 2003,
Steve

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