Re: [TANGO-L] Detecting sham and incompetent Teachers

[Barbara Garvey <barbara @TANGOBAR-PRODUCTIONS.COM>]

>      This thread seems pointed at people like me who haven't been to
Buenos
> Aires, regardless of the desire to do so, but have been literally drafted
> into the role of instructor.

Dear Ed,
I would never have guessed that you haven't been to Mecca! Your dancing is
about as authentic as anyone I know, and I expect your teaching is also. The
teachers who I thing could benefit from a trip are especially those who
collect hundreds of fancy steps without realizing that good dancers of AT
seldom do more than one or two unique combinations in any 3-minute tango,
they never go from one combination to another but do mostly walking and back
ochos in between --

Actually my argument is with the types, including dj's, teachers and laity,
that want to take the Argentine out of Argentine tango by playing music that
would never be heard at a milonga in BA ( I can handle one Hugo Diaz but
that's about all), by doing all kinds of lifts, drops, twirls etc. And some
of these types are Argentines (there are probably a dozen of them in BA
too). And the close embrace fanatics who go to the Paris of the South but
never leave the city center and believe whatever their tour guide tells
them. Just going to Argentina doesn't guarantee a genuine tango experience.

I got this reply from a friend regarding my post, and with his permission am
forwarding the exchange to the list:

>      This thread seems pointed at people like me who haven't been to
Buenos
> Aires, regardless of the desire to do so, but have been literally drafted
> into the role of instructor.

Dear Ed,
I would never have guessed that you haven't been to Mecca! Your dancing is
about as authentic as anyone I know, and I expect your teaching is also. The
teachers who I think could benefit from a trip are especially those who
collect hundreds of fancy steps without realizing that good dancers of AT
seldom do more than one or two unique combinations in any 3-minute tango,
they never go from one combination to another but do mostly walking and back
ochos in between --

Actually my argument is with the types, including dj's, teachers and laity,
that want to take the Argentine out of Argentine tango by playing music that
would never be heard at a milonga in BA ( I can handle one Hugo Diaz but
that's about all), by doing all kinds of lifts, drops, twirls etc. And some
of these types are Argentines (there are probably a dozen of them in BA
too). And the close embrace fanatics who go to the Paris of the South but
never leave the city center and believe whatever their tour guide tells
them. Just going to Argentina doesn't guarantee a genuine tango experience.

Best to all,
Barbara