OK, here's my first attempt at a syllabus...

bordertangoman said:
tango and tango music in particular is just not cool....

all the cool ethno-ukayans are dancing salsa, kizomba, merengue, and the rest are modern jivers
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Around here, the tango dancers also have a reputation as being snooty and clique'ish which makes some people who started tango leave it behind for Latin.

My impression is that the Latin dancers here definitely spend more time dancing than taking instruction. The Tango scene here was rather hard to get accepted in if you weren't taking part in the instruction that the majority were doing. I don't know how much that is still true of the tango here, because I know most of the people in it. But I have heard people who stopped tango'ing say that the obvious division of the "A-list" from everyone else was too off-putting. (the A-list wasn't even defined strictly by dancing level either)
 
Zoopsia59 said:
Around here, the tango dancers also have a reputation as being snooty and clique'ish which makes some people who started tango leave it behind for Latin.

My impression is that the Latin dancers here definitely spend more time dancing than taking instruction. The Tango scene here was rather hard to get accepted in if you weren't taking part in the instruction that the majority were doing. I don't know how much that is still true of the tango here, because I know most of the people in it. But I have heard people who stopped tango'ing say that the obvious division of the "A-list" from everyone else was too off-putting. (the A-list wasn't even defined strictly by dancing level either)
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oh god yes its very true; a lot of cliqueyness around..and lazy hosts who dont make an effort to welcome new guests....but I heard the local salsa teacher is very possessive about her salsera/tango learners going off to my classes, even though the main stay teacher comes to mine; she wont let them advput out my fliers..hypocrisy..i dont give a damn. i only want people who have a mind of their own, and the grapevine is better than hustle...
 
Zoopsia59 said:
Around here, the tango dancers also have a reputation as being snooty and clique'ish which makes some people who started tango leave it behind for Latin.

My impression is that the Latin dancers here definitely spend more time dancing than taking instruction. The Tango scene here was rather hard to get accepted in if you weren't taking part in the instruction that the majority were doing. I don't know how much that is still true of the tango here, because I know most of the people in it. But I have heard people who stopped tango'ing say that the obvious division of the "A-list" from everyone else was too off-putting. (the A-list wasn't even defined strictly by dancing level either)
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This all sounds very familiar, and it is one of the least attractive aspects of the tango scene.

I've been assisting another teacher in her class with a beginner group for a while, now, and none of the students will go to any of the local Milongas. They have picked up the local vibe, and are terrified. Only one of the local venues is fairly laid back, but actually so much so, that I think the organiser may actually have fallen out of an open window. I can't think of any other reason why the DJ, there, appears to be called Shuffle-Play. You can't win...
 
UKDancer, perhaps the teacher-centric thing is just where you're dancing. Here in Wellington NZ, population 180,000 (460,000 in the wider region), we have two regular weekly milongas, a bi-weekly one, a monthly one, three weekly practicas and some kind of special event most months. One more weekly milonga recently stopped when the venue closed - something will soon spring up to take its place.

Classes come and go - the ones associated with practicas tend to have beginners that do some social dancing, the people that go to stand-alone classes are usually beginners that will never dance socially.

Maybe you could start a milonga? Every time I go to the UK, I check to see what's on - it really surprises me just how little social tango there is :confused:
 
Zoopsia59 said:
Around here, the tango dancers also have a reputation as being snooty and clique'ish which makes some people who started tango leave it behind for Latin.

My impression is that the Latin dancers here definitely spend more time dancing than taking instruction. The Tango scene here was rather hard to get accepted in if you weren't taking part in the instruction that the majority were doing. I don't know how much that is still true of the tango here, because I know most of the people in it. But I have heard people who stopped tango'ing say that the obvious division of the "A-list" from everyone else was too off-putting. (the A-list wasn't even defined strictly by dancing level either)
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Yup, same here. It sucks. I've drifted away from it of late. I still miss it, but there's A-list, and then a huge chasm...and then everyone else who isn't Someone. Unfortunately, as a follow, it can be hard to get dances with decent leaders without being on the A-list. Especially if you don't show up at 5 milongas a week, which I don't.

By comparison, the WCS scene is ridiculously friendly. Yeah, there are tiers, but people seem happy to dance with beginners and mere mortals. And people actually chat with you! (Oh, the non-tango horror of it all!) I'm sure it has its downfalls, but from where I'm standing now--as an experienced and at least pretty freakin' decent AT dancer, and completely newb WCS *cough* dancer--that's how it seems.
 
Peaches said:
Yup, same here. It sucks. I've drifted away from it of late. I still miss it, but there's A-list, and then a huge chasm...and then everyone else who isn't Someone. Unfortunately, as a follow, it can be hard to get dances with decent leaders without being on the A-list. Especially if you don't show up at 5 milongas a week, which I don't.

By comparison, the WCS scene is ridiculously friendly. Yeah, there are tiers, but people seem happy to dance with beginners and mere mortals. And people actually chat with you! (Oh, the non-tango horror of it all!) I'm sure it has its downfalls, but from where I'm standing now--as an experienced and at least pretty freakin' decent AT dancer, and completely newb WCS *cough* dancer--that's how it seems.
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You should come back! I'd dance with you. :friend:

I think some milongas in the area are cliquier than others. I think the smaller ones tend to be a bit friendlier actually. In my limited experience.
 
Zoopsia59 said:
Censor much?
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I suggest you look up the dictionary definition of "censor". "Asking people to stay on topic on a thread I created" does not quite equal "censor".

Zoopsia59 said:
you don't have to get all worked up about them or respond insultingly to them.
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Thanks.
Zoopsia59 said:
SOOOO sorry to have posted things you personally don't want posted on our forum in trying to discuss the topic you presented.. :rolleyes:
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I was trying to solicit feedback on the actual content of my actual proposed syllabus. Have you even read it?

Zoopsia59 said:
Yeah, ok, this time I agree... I got too tricky with wording. I meant fundamentals... does that make it clearer? To me the fundamentals (and I'm talking about technique, not moves) are the "standards" of Tango.
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Fine, you can call it fundamentals if you want. Clearly, "standard" is yet another red-rag-to-a-bull word for some Tango people. :rolleyes:

Zoopsia59 said:
But for some reason, those things often don't get proper emphasis early enough to make the whole process smoother and faster for many students.
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Yes, if only someone could actually codify these fundamentals, maybe even ask other people for feedback on them?

Blimey, why didn't I think of doing that?
 
Dave Bailey said:
I suggest you look up the dictionary definition of "censor". "Asking people to stay on topic on a thread I created" does not quite equal "censor".


Thanks.

I was trying to solicit feedback on the actual content of my actual proposed syllabus. Have you even read it?


Fine, you can call it fundamentals if you want. Clearly, "standard" is yet another red-rag-to-a-bull word for some Tango people. :rolleyes:


Yes, if only someone could actually codify these fundamentals, maybe even ask other people for feedback on them?

Blimey, why didn't I think of doing that?
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i'M sure i suggested something similar before you started this thread....

my spiral;

"Y quattro ramas de tango":

Steps;
technique;
musicality;
codigos etiquette & floorcraft
 
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