Do I have to dance with my friends?

[Peaches]

One set of teachers I ran across one time referred to this concept as "chocolate and vegetables." There had to be some chocolate to keep people happy and interested, but they always made sure they got their veggies, too.

There's nothing wrong IMO, in offering people something fun and interesting to see and work on...so long as there is technique in there somewhere. Even the most dedicated person likes a bit of levity now and again.

Although I would say, wrt ganchos...yes, they are a frivolous move. However, I'd say the question of how to make a gancho look good is actually a very useful technique question. The only way to make a gancho look good is to have both a very free leg and plenty of power and control, which isn't a very easy combination o things to get...and that's also a fundamental concept in tango. So, really, while the gancho itself may be frivolous, the underlying technique is very important...and if the technique isn't rock solid to begin with it will show up in the gancho. Working on those friolous things can be a way of exposing flaws and refining basics. Much like nuevo.

 

[bordertangoman]

Damn, I knew I should never have let you see those vids of me...

I think as a teacher you have to give your students some "carrot" -

you'll have the moderators after you saying things like that

So, for example, I add "fun steps" at the end (ganchos, sacadas, soltadas etc.). Of course I stress that these are non-essential movements, and I don't spend a lot of time on them, but the students like them.

Of course, typically, all I get asked is "How can I make this gancho look good?" rather than, say, "Can you look at my posture?", but I think there's always some element of compromise with these things. If all your students go away, it doesn't matter if you can teach brilliantly.

think there should be an award for Badly Done Ganchos;( a good name for a tango band?) like the Fickle Finger of Fate in Rowan and Martin's laugh in ( if your're old and cool enought to remember Goldi Hawn's.
origins)

Actually IMO Nuevo dancers do ganchos better than traditionalists

 

[Dave Bailey]

Although I would say, wrt ganchos...yes, they are a frivolous move. However, I'd say the question of how to make a gancho look good is actually a very useful technique question. The only way to make a gancho look good is to have both a very free leg and plenty of power and control, which isn't a very easy combination o things to get...and that's also a fundamental concept in tango. So, really, while the gancho itself may be frivolous, the underlying technique is very important...and if the technique isn't rock solid to begin with it will show up in the gancho. Working on those friolous things can be a way of exposing flaws and refining basics. Much like nuevo.

Actually, the gancho I teach relies more on dissociation - if you both dissociate enough to start with, it's a piece of cake to "unwind" and the gancho happens "naturally".

For a certain value of "naturally", that is.

 

[Dave Bailey]

you'll have the moderators after you saying things like that

You've got a filthy mind.

I like that, shame you're a man.

think there should be an award for Badly Done Ganchos;

The main problem is that the leaders tend to push or pull their partners back, rather than twist them. And the main cause of that is that they can't twist because they haven't twisted enough in the setup to "untwist".

 

[fascination]

...

 

[Peaches]

Actually, the gancho I teach relies more on dissociation - if you both dissociate enough to start with, it's a piece of cake to "unwind" and the gancho happens "naturally".

For a certain value of "naturally", that is.

Are we talking about the same thing? I don't think I've ever thought of ganchos in terms of winding or unwinding...just stepping backwards. Ish. Can you explain?

 

[Dave Bailey]

Are we talking about the same thing? I don't think I've ever thought of ganchos in terms of winding or unwinding...just stepping backwards. Ish.

Yes, but there's dissociation in the step also - as there is with every step to a point.

The twist is there to provide the space and energy for the flick motion.

Can you explain?

Probably not.... but I'll try.

Basically the gancho is led from a forward ocho step to the leader's right.
The collection part of that forward ocho step is interrupted by the leader putting his right leg in between the follower's legs.

If at the end of that ocho step both follower and leader dissociate, then "undissociating" when leading the backstep that creates the gancho provides a natural motion which means the gancho itself is unforced, and that the follower isn't being yanked backwards.

I realise this is not a great explanation, but it's quite tricky to describe this in text.

I'm putting my class notes online (here's Week 2, for example), so when I cover ganchos next I'll try to flesh that out, maybe with a picture or a video...

 

[Zoopsia59]

I think the discussion of the technical aspects of ganchos deserves its own thread.. unless somehow doing ganchos is affected by whether or not you are dancing with a friend....

 

[Dave Bailey]

I think the discussion of the technical aspects of ganchos deserves its own thread.. unless somehow doing ganchos is affected by whether or not you are dancing with a friend....

It's possible that an ill-executed gancho can turn a friend into an enemy...

 

[tangobro]

Almost all of us have some friends in tango community. As a male I have many female friends and they are always expecting me to dance with themselves when they see me in milonga and if I dont dance with them they are getting upset and angry with me So sometimes I feel as if I have to dance with my friends...

Do you have similar problems? What do you suggest about this situation?

Yes. Similar, but different in that they are not really "friends", but women that I'm friendly with. We may share smiles & conversations, but our current interactions are only in classes, workshops, practicas or milongas. I came on the board today to find an answer to a similar question. I did not find it in this or related threads, so I'll start a new one - How can a guy say no?