Blind AT classes

[Dave Bailey]

From here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22147757/
Inspirational article.

I wonder how it'd work in a Milonga situation (and with mixed blind / sighted)?

I'm sure blind followers would have no problems whatsoever, but there's an essential visual element to floorcraft, isn't there?

[Heather2007]

From here:

Inspirational article.

I wonder how it'd work in a Milonga situation (and with mixed blind / sighted)?

I'm sure blind followers would have no problems whatsoever, but there's an essential visual element to floorcraft, isn't there?

A wonderful article. Where one lacks in sight all the others senses (sound, touch, hearing as well as the etherical senses of "feel" and "sense") are heightened (note: why many (sighted) followers keep their eyes shut when dancing). A follower learning to back-lead could help the non-sighted leaders in the floorcraft. When stationary the leader could then lead the ocho, sacada, barrida etc and when on the move, the follower navigates. Thanks for that DB.

[Me]

I wonder how it'd work in a Milonga situation (and with mixed blind / sighted)?



It would be my guess that the seeing impaired would probably experience the same problems that most well-mannered tango dancers experience - other dancers plowing against line of dance, large adorno, etc.

I say this because most of the time I dance with my eyes closed... and oftentimes, my partner dances with his eyes closed, too! He tends to dance a lot of entrada, enganche, little fancy things like that that are kept beneath our centers and within our little tango bubble, and as long as we move smoothly along LOD and I don't get a wild hair and toss in some flying back boleos or kung fu lapiz, everything works out.

It is an interesting question and I hope my partner reads this board. He has taught a lot of special needs dancers in the past... anything from people in recovery from major joint surgery to those who live with epilepsy.

[Dave Bailey]

I say this because most of the time I dance with my eyes closed... and oftentimes, my partner dances with his eyes closed, too!
I think I'd be too scared of bumping into people to close my eyes...

[kieronneedscake]

On a relatively quiet dance floor, I have sometimes closed my eyes for a bar or two, particularly while circling in one area. As long as nobody is carving up the floor, it is completely safe, and allows me to be truly aware of my partner's disposition. It is a wonderful thing to do, but of necessity one must have a quick look around to update the sense of where you are on the floor and where everyone else has got to.

On a related note, a delightful teacher from Holland made me do an exercise thusly:

She made me lead her "forgetting entirely about myself, concentrating on what steps I would like her to take", imagining that she were dancing alone on the floor. Of necessity I had to do this with my eyes closed, as the visual distrations took away my focus. She then back-led me to prevent me from leading her into trouble.

It was a very interesting and free experience and helped me choreograph much easier and more coherent steps for her to dance. I think everyone should try dancing a few steps blind, (like, say 3 or 4) just to see what it's like, but a word of warning - our balance is controlled by our inner ear, but vision provides much more rapid and fine adjustments. Our balance is less good without sight, and we have not had the practice of permanently blind people.