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| Helena |
Whatever people might say, technique for many has a lot to do with look and if the guy is hunched over but I still get a great connection with him, so what? I take my partners as they come and if they are respectful, fun (which includes creative) and musical then I am happy. Guys who are very upright and mannered may be beautiful to look at but are often dancing for themselves, or at best, for two. If they have beautiful movements, connect amazingly, are musical and creative, well then you have a unicorn indeed.
In the practica, if I put my hand on the the new guy's chest so he stands more upright, or shares his chest, I am not doing it primarily so he looks better, but so I can better feel his intention or because a physical change can change the psychology, in this case, the guy starts to feel and dance more confidently.
If I think about what "technique" might be and if we are talking about the same thing, the most common "technique" issues with beginner guys are tense arms, not sharing the chest, poky fingers and trying to drive with the arms. These are not things that are particularly useful to say to a whole group. It will just make them worry and think. It's better to not even say it to the individuals, but rather just swap roles and show them, do to them what they are doing to you.
Of course, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If the new guy dances in the woman's role with an experienced dancer who pleases their partners that will be his reference point. But if he has no reference point, the next thing is to do unto him as he is doing to you and then do unto him as you would have him do unto you.
That's one reason why dancing in the woman's role is so useful, for guys.
“ If they have beautiful movements, connect amazingly, are musical and creative, well then you have a unicorn indeed“
ReplyDeleteAnonymous wondering: are there any good examples of such creatures in the world of tango? Guys particularly: I am one, and I’m a sucker for a good role model. Especially if they’re on YouTube and I can bathe in slow motion in their mojo.
Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. Now, I tend to look for the quietest, most unobtrusive guy, because they tend, for me, to almost always be one of the best dancers. And you really have to look for them because they can be so missable. They almost never dress in elegant clothes for instance. Their movements are small.
DeleteI remember showing video of the best dancer, for me, in Scotland to people to show them what great, musical, dancing looked like. And they would say, "What, that thin young man"? Or "That guy? I thought he was a beginner."
And yet, I mentioned to a new female friend I feel very compatible with in another dance, that there was only one guy I really love dancing tango with in Scotland. She used to dance tango and guessed, immediately who it was, without my having to say anything else.
So, some people know and some people have no idea and some people just have totally different tastes.