After more than 3 years of practice you are finally taught the right dynamic of the giro, which should be an eye-opening experience, to say the least, but you think it wasn't worth taking that workshop? I must admit I'm a bit puzzled.
Yes, of course, I am extremely glad to know something crucial that I didn't know before. That is what everyone hopes for when they pay for teaching, isn't it? The point I am trying to make is that no follower received any teaching in those workshops except for what was gleaned at the end through a combination of
luck and my question. If that hadn't happened I would have left with a grand total of zero being added to the sum of my tango knowledge.
I don't want to get hung-up on discussion of whether I should/shouldn't have known the correct technique for the giro. The point is that I didn't but I should have (as far as I'm concerned). My main point is the appalling value given to followers in those workshops and many others.
Andabien said:
I think the nature of classes is that leaders need more attention than followers do.
I agree and have no quarrel with a large part of the teaching being devoted to them. Theirs was the more difficult task yesterday, as it always is. But I was angry at having parted with a sum of hard-earned cash and receiving very little in return - as anyone would feel at going into a pub, say, paying for a pint and receiving an empty glass.
Also, imagine how leaders would feel if they attended a workshop and were asked to repeat moves they already knew over and over so that the followers could practise decorations. (Which I would love to get the chance to do.) Or if they were making errors in those moves which remained unaddressed because the followers were considered much more important? And were asked to pay to take this subservient role? I think we'd hear some squealing then.
JohnEm said:
I don't suppose you'll be happy to be told to think warmly of yourself in that you were doing your tango civic duty.
You're not wrong, there! But setting aside my responsibility to pay my dues in the tango community (literally as well as metaphorically, it would seem) exactly when am I supposed to learn my stuff properly if not at taught workshops?
JohnEm said:
Which presumably means they were teaching in close embrace/apilado and opening out into a more flexible hold for giros and ochos? Just so we confirm what the basis of the workshop was.
Well, no. We danced in OE the whole time as demonstrated by the teachers - although CE came up as a result of a question. It was never explained what Villa Urquiza style was - I guess we were supposed to know. If that reveals the depth of my ignorance more than I have done already then so be it. I doubt if I'd have been the only person present in the same boat.
JohnEm said:
I've lost count of the number of times I've been told by followers that they want it to be fun so they don't seem to be bothered about what or even if they learn.
Maybe I would take that attitude if money was no object although I quickly get bored if there seems to be nothing for me to work on. I was less concerned about exactly what i was going to learn in the early days but now it would be nice to feel that I could pinpoint my own areas of weakness and work on them by means of workshops but for a number of reasons, including the one under discussion, this is unlikely to happen.
Bastet said:
I do think what you did towards the end was, to me, the approach you should have the minute you walk in to a class.
It certainly will be from now on. I'll be the one at the back with her hand up banging on endlessly about ladies' technique!
