Well... it's a useful half truth to say to students to try and get them to work on what they can do better themselves, rather than blaming their partners' mistakes. I think people who can genuinely enjoy dancing with any random partner are rare, because what we like and dislike isn't necessarily something we have the ability to choose.
Get Outta There!!
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Well... it's a useful half truth to say to students to try and get them to work on what they can do better themselves, rather than blaming their partners' mistakes. I think people who can genuinely enjoy dancing with any random partner are rare, because what we like and dislike isn't necessarily something we have the ability to choose.
JournalInTime
Forum Master
It's also a useful piece of advice to people who make their living (or plan to make their living) teaching and touring, as they're not going to be able to sell themselves as "maestr@s" if they can dance well with only a fraction of partners. If some of those with whom they cannot dance well are the local hosts, teachers, and queens/kings of the milonga, their reputation is toast.
I totally agree. Purely social dancers are both less restricted (they don't have to worry about the reputation thing as much or at all) and more restricted (they have narrow, specific tastes). They're also not earning a living off tango, but rather paying for the privilege of dancing, so they have every right to dance strictly with enjoyable partners.
It's a bit like being a restaurant critic (you're paid to go eat, and had better develop a palate for all kinds of stuff) vs. a restaurant client (you're paying to eat, so why would you eat something you dislike?). Being adventurous is wonderful, but in cuisine and tango alike, not a be-all, end-all goal. Finding a comfort zone to retreat to during hectic times in your life has great value, too.
itwillhappen
Forum Master
Yes, agreed. But however, granting this right quickly reaches its limits when someone focuses on the community or even oneself.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Very interesting. Thanks. I dance with only one partner who prefers that V-embrace. It's not my favorite. I much prefer the Porteño approach but then you get this blah-blah from some women about it being too tight. It really depends on who you dance with and their experience. Women who have danced regularly in B.A. and prefer that style are fine with a tight, close abrazo, a hug, really. Locally, far too many leaders start out "close" but end up rather distant in a kind of semi-nuevo style. But most dancers can and do dance chest-to-chest here.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
I've danced with women from all over the world here. I think my favorites so far are the Italians, the Brazilians, and the Porteñas (but there aren't many of them around who are social dancers--most are part of the traveling teacher show). The italians I've danced with were great, good dancers, beautiful abrazo.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Who else should it be from?
Well, one of the many 'teachers' who visit/visited BsAs, write books, blogs, etc. or set up AT 'schools' in Europe or the US, or provide videos on YT, or just those who spend some part of the year there. I can think of at least 2 or 3 who've done their 'research' on AT in Argentina and Uruguay and then published their detailed treatise on the only true way to dance AT, but then adapted for the target culture. And somewhere I recollect some detailed book on the embrace alone.
So, plenty of alternative sources.
detailed book on the embrace alone The Quest for the Embrace? Very well researched book that goes into many aspects of AT. And of course there is no one true way to dance AT.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Yes, well, lots of people go to Argentinia to study but I would think, at least as far as teaching traditions go, you'd want to talk to one of the natives who were the original source material for all those out-of-towners. Research, historical research, is a different matter and can be done by anyone.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Yes, by an Argentinian.
This is really true for anyone who wants to dance well while traveling. If you're lucky enough that your cabeceo is accepted by a top dancer in a milonga you're visiting (which fortunately happens sometimes), you'll not want to break the tanda if their chosen embrace is one you're unfamiliar with (which has also happened to me - though happily breaking the tanda was not necessary).
But now you are talking about dancers with above average skill as opposed to "anyone and anywhere". Which usually means that they will also adapt to you to some extent and have decent technique
JournalInTime
Forum Master
This depends on whether dancing with "top" people matters to you, and on whether you observe before you invite or accept. I don't care about the first, and I always do the second: I look not for the best people, but for those I believe will dance well with me, and I dance with the latter group. I don't worry about the others. While I don't travel a lot, I have done so, and this has always worked out for me . . . I've yet to be in a "I didn't dance enough" situation, but I've been in too many "I think I danced too much" situations.
I think people oversell the rigidity of their style and others' styles. Almost everyone muddles through to dance with almost everyone else. "Can't make it work at all" situations stick out because they're annoying or embarrassing, but are pretty rare. I think "can dance with anyone" is less about style-switching and more about muddling through, to be honest.
I think people oversell the rigidity of their style and others' styles. Almost everyone muddles through to dance with almost everyone else. "Can't make it work at all" situations stick out because they're annoying or embarrassing, but are pretty rare. I think "can dance with anyone" is less about style-switching and more about muddling through, to be honest.
opendoor
Forum Master
This situation is very unrealistic. Firstly, I assume that if you go dancing in a foreign country, you are open to the customs there. Second, the number of tango styles is very manageable, every beginner learns that there are different types of embraces.