Article: Dance born in the brothel

[Heather2007]

(Londoners did you read...) Interesting article in The Guardian on Friday. See link below (and keep scrolling down re. learning to dance tango in 48 hours). No doubt this will turn out to be an interesting Thread :p

http://browse.guardian.co.uk/search?search=tango&sitesearch-radio=guardian&go-guardian=Search (http://browse.guardian.co.uk/search?search=tango&sitesearch-radio=guardian&go-guardian=Search)

[Me]

Supriya Thimmiah has always been fascinated by the Argentine tango. She has got the best teacher in the country - but only 48 hours to convincingly perform 'the dance of pimps and prostitutes'

Well, I stopped reading there. :) Maybe the bad grammar caused other readers to question the content.

[Heather2007]

Supriya Thimmiah has always been fascinated by the Argentine tango. She has got the best teacher in the country - but only 48 hours to convincingly perform 'the dance of pimps and prostitutes'

Well, I stopped reading there. :) Maybe the bad grammar caused other readers to question the content.

Oh by aah - lest we forget the words of Oscar Wilde: "...two countries separated by one common language";)

[bordertangoman]

aha Frederico again.........

[Heather2007]

aha Frederico again.........

I know. That did give me pause for breath too on opening it. Must say, he scrubs up well in the vid

[Tango-ne]

Ok, I'm new to all the history of Tango, so this particular clip was GOOD. I take it that Fredrico is a well known commentator and teacher? I've also done martial arts for a few years as an adult so I appreciated his comment of how tango is like martial arts. However...what is all this about "brothels" and "maximum contact with the women"?! Yikes, no wonder I am struggling with tango jealousy. By the sounds of Fredrico, I had better stop hiding, let my sexuality out, and dance like surgeons weilding scalpels! As for the maximum contact part...I trust that I can leave that for when I dance with my life partner!

[Ampster]

My opinion:

I took a break to watch the vid. I found the Instructor a bit too shallow and creepy. At the end, her "convincing" performance, I found cheezey. The "best teacher in the country" did not move well either. I found it a bit too contrived. :confused:

If I were a layman, and this was how I saw Argentine Tango presented the first time, I would not want to take it up. :rolleyes:

[Angel HI]

Frederico.....just being Frederico. Those of us who know/know of him simply smile and nod, and read on. I tend to resist labels, esp. ones like "Best" for reasons such as this vid. As for Ms. Thimmiah, she did well for one having danced but 48 hours. I feel that she could have done better had the approach to the dance been one of social tango rather than fantasia, and danced to a tango rather than a milonga (albeit, many do dance tango to it).

I further understand the mystique/usual stories of the origins of tango, but it should be noted, also, that the dance was not a dance of pimps and prostitues...moreso a dance of long shoremen and prostitutes, and the considered lesser caste locals not involved in the red light districts, at all.

[Heather2007]

My opinion:The "best teacher in the country" did not move well either.

Tell me about it...I AM ;):D

[bordertangoman]

Tell me about it...I AM ;):D

Pistols at Dawn then?
or as you're a woman you may have the weopon of your choice. ;)

[newbie]

Sex uncovered: Dance born in the brothel

Born in the sexually repressed India of the early 70s, therapist Supriya Thimmiah has always been fascinated by the Argentine tango. She has got the best teacher in the country - but only 48 hours to convincingly perform 'the dance of pimps and prostitutes'

Is this the article? It's a very short one then. It looks like more a title.

[Heather2007]

Frederico.....just being Frederico. Those of us who know/know of him simply smile and nod, and read on. I tend to resist labels, esp. ones like "Best" for reasons such as this vid. As for Ms. Thimmiah, she did well for one having danced but 48 hours. I feel that she could have done better had the approach to the dance been one of social tango rather than fantasia, and danced to a tango rather than a milonga (albeit, many do dance tango to it)..

I will say one thing for Fed - he is the only teacher that I've come across that has that remarkable ability to make newcomers feel utterly welcomed. He trawls the floor during his milonga targetting the newcoming followers (no matter the level, ability etc) - (feel offended not if he then quickly moves onto another after one track: the rule here is: "one track/one dance only"). This welcoming attitude he has skilfully cultivated among his long-standing students as no matter their advancement they are - follower or lead - too willing to ask you for a dance. A major plus sign in my book. (Unlike many, many others at other milongas who retire to the VIP table to sip among the exclusive lest they dance with a student and thus put a smudge on their street cred).

And yes, I'm in total agreement with you here with his approach in teaching a first timer - especially in just 48 hours. But like you, I felt she did well. I was totally impressed with her lines and more so, the way she got into tango character. :cool:

I

[Angel HI]

I will say one thing for Fed - he is the only teacher that I've come across that has that remarkable ability to make newcomers feel utterly welcomed. He trawls the floor during his milonga targetting the newcoming followers (no matter the level, ability etc) - (feel offended not if he then quickly moves onto another after one track: the rule here is: "one track/one dance only"). This welcoming attitude he has skilfully cultivated....

All good qualiities, indeed. Just had a great phoncon w/ a good friend/tanguera in the Leeds/Manchester area....God, I miss the UK.

[bordertangoman]

I watched the video; I thought Federico did well with this student in 48 hours.

Having spent last night trying to teach someone who seemed not to have a grasp of English let alone understand about how to follow in tango. She had a gift for doing something other than what I asked for; eg "don't move your foot" she puts her weight on it. Then I would lead a sidestep and she would do a quick weight change and make a forward step. (Is there a technical term for this kind of dysfunction?)

oy vay

[Heather2007]

Just had a great phoncon w/ a good friend/tanguera in the Leeds/Manchester area....God, I miss the UK.

The UK awaits you Angel. Hx

[Heather2007]

I watched the video; I thought Federico did well with this student in 48 hours.

Having spent last night trying to teach someone who seemed not to have a grasp of English let alone understand about how to follow in tango. She had a gift for doing something other than what I asked for; eg "don't move your foot" she puts her weight on it. Then I would lead a sidestep and she would do a quick weight change and make a forward step. (Is there a technical term for this kind of dysfunction?)

oy vay

There is a technical term to one's reaction to such dysfunction. It's called, patience. That said, I totally lost it once with a couple I was teaching. Only because we were working to a deadline and they hadn't done the homework I set for them. "What the hell..didn't you hear....No....do it again!" They were stunned. I was stunned. The three of us just stood in the middle of the room staring at each other. Silence. I recovered with a "Sorry. Taurean. Moon in Leo. Do it again". Ha, ha, ha.

[bordertangoman]

There is a technical term to one's reaction to such dysfunction. It's called, patience. That said, I totally lost it once with a couple I was teaching. Only because we were working to a deadline and they hadn't done the homework I set for them. "What the hell..didn't you hear....No....do it again!" They were stunned. I was stunned. The three of us just stood in the middle of the room staring at each other. Silence. I recovered with a "Sorry. Taurean. Moon in Leo. Do it again". Ha, ha, ha.

Yes, people expect a carrot when what they need is a stick - or a very very big carrot to hit them with. I have a venomous temper but it only comes out once in a blue moon.