Re: [TANGO-L] New book about the Tango/Performance tango

[David Hodgson <DHodgson @TANGO777.COM>]

Now hold on there Tom, Why show them any vocabulary at all and just what
does this word "Vocabulary" mean. How about just have people learn to listen
to their bodies and learn to listen to a partner.
Most people come in with some preconceived Idea of what this dance is. From
what I have seen most people who start Tango, go along for a bit. Then at
some point said to themselves "what am I doing".

Like that guy at the end of the movie "Tango". Damn if he does not move like
a baboon with two clubbed feet. And the way he holds that knife.....Like a
Girl...... More than likely learned from a ballroom studio..........
OOOppps.....hold on...my bad...That was my dancing I was talking about.
(Your really good Mr. Junior...).

In a way for the teachers it is a good business model for making money....
In the words of George Carlin "If you nail two things together that have
never been nailed together before, Some Shmuck will buy it".

My2C
David



-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango
[mailto:TANGO-L  @MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Tom Stermitz
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 9:28 AM
To: TANGO-L  @MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] New book about the Tango/Performance tango


Lois wrote:
>Then there's my conscience. I know teachers who teach this stuff first,
>and who deceive their students into thinking they are dancing real
>tango. The students really think they are getting somewhere, as they
>dance far apart, and lead and follow their never-ending ochos and unlead
>boleos. Then one day they wake up - they've spent weeks learning moves
>that are useless. They will have to start over. I have resisted this and
>start my students learning connected walking. Yet I lured in a whole lot
>of new students who will expect to learn ganchos the first night.
>...
>Lois Donnay, Minneapolis
>www.mndance.com
>612.822.8436

This could be seen as a clever business strategy.

It is common enough in either Ballroom or Tango.

That is:

Show your beginners a bunch of vocabulary that they can't possibly
succeed with. Since they will never figure out how to dance from it,
they will have to keep coming back to you for more vocabulary. This
will create a hunger for more and more fancy steps (filtering away
those who "just want to dance).

Also, by instilling so many bad habits, they will have no choice but
to come back for hundreds of hours of privates in order to get fixed.

This goes along with the strategy of Performances and Showcases:

Set up a showcase, and your students will frantically take lots of
privates to prepare. Charge them for the costume, charge them for an
expensive dinner, charge them to dance with you, charge their parents
and friends. There's gold in them thar hills.

One additional consequence...these strategies cause more of the men
to get frustrated and quit. Women are more likely to pay to have
coaches train them up. Women are more likely to pay just to get the
experience of dancing with a great leader. With fewer men in your
community, the women are more desperate to come take more privates.

The most unfortunate aspect of teaching all this show stuff is the
moment these beginner show-boaters show up at a crowded milonga. They
can't navigate the floor, none of the good dancers will dance with
them, and they haven't a clue as to getting from here to there.


In contrast...

Sure, good tango requires practice, time and private lessons help a
lot. But, the basic rhythms and walking steps of social tango are not
so hard. Get them up dancing socially, hearing the music and feeling
comfortable. Then those who wish to do fancier material can go on.

--

Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org/
stermitz  @tango.org
303-388-2560

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