One year in, still having difficulty

[flyhere]

... is that the same partners I have incredibly good connection with in the other dances is simply not translating over to tango...

Hmm...That is very interesting! I have problems (steps, posture...) dancing with a few fellow students in my AT class, while doing fine with others or with my teacher.

I always assume the problems are mine since everyone in the class have had AT lessons longer than me. It turned out that they (and they get corrected a lot by my teachers) are experienced ballroom dancers but have not yet adjusted to AT.

Not saying that this is the case with your dance partners, just an observation from a beginning student. Have you asked your teacher(s) about these things?

 

[Ampster]

One of the things that frustrates me most is that the same partners I have incredibly good connection with in the other dances is simply not translating over to tango. I'm hoping that can somehow change.

Larry

Larry:

Learn tango from scratch and quit trying to transpose you experiences from other dances. AT's fundamentals are diametrically opposed to other dances that it will not translate. IMHE, I did this before, and it was detrimental–I was once a BR dancer.

Additional reading: My meanderings through tango music, patience, Patience... PATIENCE!

 

[outdoorman1234]

Larry:

Learn tango from scratch and quit trying to transpose you experiences from other dances. http://ampstertango.blogspot.com/2009/03/patience-patience-patience.html

Not quite what I meant to say. I meant that I haven't yet been able to dance tango with these others as well as I can dance other dances with them. Part of the problem relates to experience level (they are more advanced). For example, one of the problems I have sometimes is they respond to a lead that I didn't even know I signaled. Usually my fault since I unknowingly gave some sort of subtle body motion that is actually the lead for something.

Larry

 

[Mario7]

And two - I still frequently have a hard time even figuring out which foot the woman is on, among other things. I think this goes into the general category of body awareness and such. In terms of dance type, tango has always felt like a very bad "fit" to me (for various reasons) although I'm willing to keep trying. .....
Mostly I'm wondering how to "turn on the switch" so I can start enjoying things rather than feeling like it's too much of a grind. I feel like I'm stuck in the "slow lane" for learning tango, and maybe can't get off that track, but it would be OK if I knew at some point that things would improve. Larry

I think that all of your problems are typical for the first year lead dancer.
I think that you being aware of so much that is sooo wrong is a good sign.
I felt the way you do after one year of trying. I didn't break thru until I had about two years into it. I had also figured that it took me two years to learn basketball, so why should tango be easier?? It's definately not.
My first year was hell, I don't know how I stuck with it...??=Just the fact that the Vals and Milonga that I danced brought smiles to the faces of my partners.
Also, Jan's advice is THE way to go if you have a few thousand bucks.. digging the music is VERY important. good luck, I feel your pain, but when you finally fly, you will be exstatic!:rocker:

 

[opendoor]

..You are not enough involved in tango..

Tango is like a hazardous infection. In the most dangerous phase you will fall senseless. This occure about 6 month post infection. You will submerge totally, dancing every night. Perhaps you will recover, may be not. Some recover and acquire total immunity, some partial. The majority will coexist with the virus. Sometimes it is stronger, sometime you are. Think your body´s defences are strong, so it will take longer to reach this state.