Tango Diaries

Bailango said:
But you knew it? Do you experiment with the movement when at practica or at milonga? Or if you watch someone else doing it then try to adopt.
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No, I didn't know it because I had never been exposed to it. You can only experiment with something if you know about it or have been taught the rudiments. If it's as subtle as a torso rotation, I doubt I would notice someone doing it at a milonga; there's too much going on and I don't always watch individual couples or leaders. I can't recall any teacher/instructor actually describing it. Well, actually, more recently, Monica Paz introduced some of this during a workshop.
 
ArbeeNYC said:
None of instructors I had ever taught this method.
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Instructors lack creativity and have been copying the same outdated teaching methods for decades.
To truly learn the fundamentals of dance, you should change a lot and, more importantly, take lessons from teachers of other disciplines.
 
opendoor said:
Instructors lack creativity and have been copying the same outdated teaching methods for decades.
To truly learn the fundamentals of dance, you should change a lot and, more importantly, take lessons from teachers of other disciplines.
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I agree.

However, learning fundamentals of dance and breaking down the movement you already know to its most basic principles is different. The former requires more investment and effort. The latter much less. You could say that knowing the former helps with latter. I won’t argue against that. Part of being experienced dancer is to explore on your own how the movement you use frequently can be entered into and exited in different ways. What are body mechanics that make the movement possible. There is plenty where an experienced dancer can apply his/her mind to deconstruct the movement already known. This then gives rise to new possibilities. Isn’t that what improvisation is.
 
opendoor said:
take lessons from teachers of other disciplines.
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Maybe some just need to learn to teach to make their instruction accessible to all their class, or even in private tuition. It's not only about what you teach, but how you teach - and that's not fixed. Above some level it relies on the creativity of the student(s) together and about bringing out their best. Even less capable dancers can be good, even great, teachers and coaches.
 
TTanguero said:
Absolutely. [Great teaching skills + average dancing skills] makes a much better teacher than [Average teaching skills + great dancing skills].
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Completely agreed. Lots of fabulous dancers have no idea how they do what they do, so they might as well be terrible dancers for all that it matters. Whereas someone even a tiny bit more capable than their student who is able to explain how they do what they do is an excellent teacher for that student. People who go far in tango and become highly advanced sometimes lose sight of that, because the number of people "a tiny bit more capable" than them is very small.
 
Bailango said:
However, learning fundamentals of dance and breaking down the movement you already know to its most basic principles is different. The former requires more investment and effort. The latter much less. You could say that knowing the former helps with latter. I won’t argue against that. Part of being experienced dancer is to explore on your own how the movement you use frequently can be entered into and exited in different ways. What are body mechanics that make the movement possible. There is plenty where an experienced dancer can apply his/her mind to deconstruct the movement already known. This then gives rise to new possibilities. Isn’t that what improvisation is.
Click to expand...

I found it necessary to deconstruct everything: movements, music, basic technique, style, social codes, floorcraft, interactions, history...
 
Dear diary. On a day-after-high from an incredible evening, sitting in a slow train weaving through the mountains, reflecting on this weekend’s event. I can’t tell if it’s an inflated ego or the feel-good hormones raging, or simply the satisfaction from feeling I was able to dance particularly well with particularly good dancers who didn’t shy away from expressing their appreciation. The great thing about dancing to live music is that nobody is counting songs. One has time to develop a common language and go through a range of types of tango. Two of my top-five partners were at this event, one old, one new. The newcomer to my top 5 list I had only once before danced with, also to live music (different city, different country), and the way he kept asking for one more, one more, one more was like peeling off layers, getting to the core. Watching him dance with others, he comes across as a boring dancer. But boy oh boy, the excitement, the humor, the technical compatibility, the sensuality, the musicality, the essence…. when we dance together. Hopefully we’ll cross paths again sometime. All I know is his city and his generic first name. But even blindfolded I would recognize the feel of dancing with him.
 
Dear Diary,

Darkness, and a refreshing non-cabeceo experience.

I was at a private milonga at someone’s huge house. The dancing was outdoors, starting in daylight but after dark it became VERY dark. A lot of people didn’t know each other and it was obvious people were looking around for dances. At one point after standing around trying unsuccessfully to cabeceo (I only knew the host and one other guy who I already had danced with), I casually said to the couple of ladies near me “in this darkness, it’s impossible to cabeceo” a guy overheard it and asked me verbally immediately. After the tanda I thought I might actually use the darkness productively and casually mention to someone else “gee it’s too dark for cabeceo”. Immediately I got an invite from that person. A friend of mine was there. She complained that it was too dark and I told her that it had worked to my advantage. Later in the evening she said thanks for the tip. It really did work, and that she thought several men had seemed too insecure about asking verbally since we mostly all mainly use cabeceo, but seemed quite happy to break the rules for once. Great evening. About 100 guests came, of which maybe 20 stayed over night, some in camper vans, some in makeshift sleeping arrangements in an old dilapidated castle undergoing slow DIY renovation. I wasn’t the only one coming from far. Then, the next morning (today), a big collective breakfast and some spontaneous more dancing afterwards, no DJ. Daylight, very casual attire, no makeup. I heard a guy say the hardest part about it being dark last night was that he couldn’t see faces well enough to remember who he had already danced with. I suddenly didn’t remember if I had danced with him the night before, but we realized it was at an encuentro I went to a couple of months ago. I also remember dancing last night with two different youngish guys with similar build and dancing style. I had about 4-5 tandas between the two, but have no idea how they were divided, 2+3, maybe. Again, was the darkness working in my favor, this time with respect to looks? I thought one kept coming back for more, suspiciously many times, at first. I definitely mixed up their cities when I asked one about a certain tango place in Berlin, but that was the other guy who was from there. I was easily enough recognizable due to wearing something quite different than others, something visible in the dark. Note to self, don’t blend in - especially in such circumstances.

I am not advocating dimming the lights at milongas, but this was a different experience and helped break the ice.
 
You said it was a private milonga. But 100 guests doesn’t sound too private :)

If it’s a private milonga, I am not sure cabaceo should be followed. Also if it is as dark as you mentioned there is no practical way to cabaceo. It is interesting that you say several men were hesitant to ask verbally. After it got dark, the host or DJ should have announced please ask verbally. You said the men were too insecure. I am not sure “insecure” is the correct word. Men know that some women take affront at being asked verbally. Therefore refraining is not due to insecurity. It is better to let people know that they have permission to ask verbally. Your own experience bears that out that after you were overheard, at least two men asked you verbally.
 
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