A similar situation applies to when you come from a different dance that you are good at, and then have expectations that you can pick up tango very quickly and have certain expectations about events and partners. Then a slap in the face when you realize reality.
The great thing about having done other dances is that you tend to have a better body awareness and proprioception in general, plus responsiveness to music (maybe less for some dances?) and balance (especially if you've done dancesport or ballet). Unfortunately, that only helps with part of the steep learning curve.
@JTh was last active here five years ago.
OK. But what point would that be? Also, can one have too much technique? These are legitimate questions. I don't have an answer. I do have opinions about performers/escenario dancers who don't really concern themselves much with the run-of-the-mill ronda.
I simply avoid their classes/workshops! It is a bit ridiculous (considering that you might possibly glean something about good general technique) to learn from them if your intention is to dance socially at a milonga.
Good points. Some are easier to achieve than others, such as appearance, music. Emotion and partner communication will, I think, always remain an open book. We don't know those things beforehand and can't really plan for them. Floorcraft can be taught, should be taught, but often is neglected. However, it also doesn't take years to learn. Technique is a tricky issue. If we mean it as the ability to execute a movement flawlessly, then it's not so important for social dancing. But there's a place for technique in learning the fundamentals also I think (I don't know what else to call it). Learning the abrazo, learning the physical connection with your partner & how that works, learning how to walk, posture, leg stance, etc. could also be part of technique. Do you agree?
Yes, but shifting the focus over a timeline of years can still be very effective. Some things not only need their time, but also the right time. And sometimes doing something not might be most effective.
These two are the worst for me. Someone dancing for onlookers and not for their partner, or ignoring the other dancers to dance just for their partner or themselves, is someone I generally avoid dancing with if I sense that either is the case.
Well, I would consider those things "fundamentals" myself, or maybe "essential" elements. I tend to see them as going hand in hand. Part of learning the basic structure of tango is also learning how to incorporate musicality into your dance. Connection? I'm not sure that can be taught. Some people simply fall into it, others not so much.
I don't really like this. Am not inspired by it, aside from some interesting interpretations of the music, and do not wish to dance like this.
This performance doesn't inspire me. I had to force myself not to switch off after 5 seconds: the earthiness is missing, both dance into the air, not into the floor. There is little projection. Neither of them really employ their lumbar spine. This makes them look dancing rectangular. Furthermore, they cannot abstract from the music.