Re: [TANGO-L] Question about begining lessons at Dance Manhattan ?

[Tom Stermitz <stermitz @TANGO.ORG>]

Oi Michael,

Dance Manhattan's class organization of 4 beginner sessions is quite
intriguing.

One advantage of this method is that you can simultaneously take two or
more of these sessions, thereby progressing more rapidly. Conversely,
you could repeat a session in order to gain more skills before moving
on.

In general people graduate themselves to Intermediate too quickly. I
think mastery of simple material speeds up your learning of more
complicated material. So this cycle allows you to honestly achieve
beginner skills over several months, before moving onward and upward.


Personally, I would consider these topics more Advanced-beginner than
beginner. But I assume that Dance Manhattan comes back later with more
technical detail on each topic.

In my case, I want people to have more fun the first month or two,
moving to technique and more difficult material as they decide to
become more committed, and after they have built up a basic foundation
of simple elements. By simple elements, I think of simple social
dancing: navigation, improvisation, rhythm, balance, hearing the beat,
and musical phrasing.


On Jan 18, 2005, at 11:49 AM, Michael R-- wrote:

> OK , so Dance Manhattan and Mariela Franganillo is a good place to
> begin.
> The school teaches the basic beginers course in 4 segments ,  A.B.C.D.
> , but
> not necessarily in that order.
> On the nights I'm available to go in February is segment D.
> It seems counter intuitive to begin there but the school says it
> doesn't
> matter what order you do.
> So , I'd appreciate feedback from the list .
> Obrigado
>
>
> A: Elements of walking, navigating the floor, salida, forward ochos:
> all
> parallel system.  Tango and Milonga rhythms.
> B: Crossed walks,  back ochos, combining crossed and parallel systems,
> crossed salida.  Tango  and waltz rhythms.
> C: Turns: structure, technique, changes of direction,  combining with
> walks.
> D: Dancing different rhythms: milonga, waltz and  tango.  Similarities
> and
> differences in simple  steps.
Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org

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