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| Guided tour, tango holiday, 2012, Sicily |
Some thoughts on Anonymous' comment on The basics and technique:
Indeed. And in some cases, the method of hearing from another person is the best way. This photo is of people listening to a tour guide. No-one chose to spend the time reading about the place at the hotel instead. But the difference is, a tour guide conveys, largely facts, albeit, one would hope, carefully curated, interestingly connected and told through illuminating stories.
- Well...
I see the quality of dancing within 100 miles of me and I see a problem. It is not that "tango is hard" - that shoulder-sloping excuse propagated by teachers churning out poor quality dancers and their acolytes. The problem is generally with the typical dance class learning method. And there are other pointers: teachers do shows (adverts) and dance in a way that is not social, yet people pay to learn those same moves to apply in the social dance. That is pure sleight of hand.
New dancers who danced often, individually with me are shaped by my perspective and sense of the dance which is focused on our connection and the music. It all starts with the connection. The scope for teaching that is limited because it is formed of the feelings people have towards one another, how the couple feel right then in that environment and the personalities they bring to the dance. If you are stressed, controlling and critical in life, you will almost certainly bring that to your dance partners.
I like dancing with the new dancers and people say fantastic things about those who stay. But I don't click with all comers. That's normal and a good thing. All new dancers select those they connect best with in dance friends, dance partners, teachers, guides. People often come who are stressed, controlling or have problems hearing the music and if there is goodwill on both sides these things can be overcome at least to an extent, but it is a bridge in which you meet in the middle. That is to say you dance with them.
I see dancing tango through a lens that is primarily about mind (when I am not dancing) and music and emotion when I am so I will never be interested in sharing a dance that focuses on steps and thinking. I can immediately sense it the moment people start thinking about moves in dance and it is a total turn off. It is far more interesting when people independently feel safe and creative enough to explore the space around and between them in movement and to see what happens. Invariably, traditional dance moves emerge.
In contrast, nearly all classes focus imparting the typical steps - it's an easy transactional exchange - you pay a tenner, we teach you a move. So it's not that it saves time, it's that a different method produces a different outcome. But most people are happy doing what they do, so I guess they think they got what they paid for.
"I have always found that the more technique you have the easier it is to express yourself. If you lack technique you lose the freedom to create."
ReplyDelete- Paco de Lucia speaking to El Pais in 2004 [presumably translated]
How might this idea be interpreted in the world of tango?
Totally get what Paco de Lucia's saying, especially in the context of guitar playing, where technique is crucial for mastery. But. You already know how to express *yourself * through your *own* body. No one needs to teach you that.
DeleteWhen it comes to dancing, it's all about being in tune with your own body and being aware of your environment. In the case of tango, this includes being attuned to your partner's body and understanding how your movements affect them and vice versa.
Maybe it's not so much about acquiring technique, but rather about attaining a deep awareness of oneself and one's partner.
As far as I’m aware you can’t really teach this - it comes from exploration.
I'm curious if teachers ever discuss this aspect in their classes, or if it's something dancers discover on their own. Also, I'm wondering if your definition of 'technique' encompasses this kind of self/partner-awareness or if you’re solely referring to vocabulary.
Does technique help with creativity / self-expression? I think it's a great point to explore and will come back to it.
Delete"When it comes to dancing, it's all about being in tune with your own body and being aware of your environment."
DeleteAgreed.
"Maybe it's not so much about acquiring technique, but rather about attaining a deep awareness of oneself and one's partner."
Very interesting point. Technique is probably better as a by-product of dancing. Something that comes. If people think about it too explicitly it destroys connection and dance. That's how people end up "thinking" dance - about moves and about technique. But by dancing especially with good dancers, you acquire it anyway. That said, people in the guiding role I do think often need help from the person they are dancing with. Simply swapping roles to show them how what they are doing feels like is often the most effective way.
"As far as I’m aware you can’t really teach this - it comes from exploration." I think you can show a guy that e.g. he's bobbing or duck walking. But yes, I think a lot of technique comes best from as you say, exploration and awareness and dancing a lot with good dancers i.e. people you are compatible with.
"I'm curious if teachers ever discuss this aspect in their classes, or if it's something dancers discover on their own."
With guys, individually, I do prefer to show the above (as in swap roles, do what they are doing back to them). And I have said both points to the group because are common, plus the point about relaxing your arm because most of them have tense arms. But then when I was dancing with a teacher of a different dance myself last week, he told me to relax my arm! I had thought it was! So a new or stressful situation can absolutely create tension we are not aware of even if we think it is not stressful! As in meditation, I focused the mind on my arm and realised, actually yes, it could relax more. So it's that awareness you mention which is sometimes a kind of letting go. It's less class teaching these things that help, more individual help, I think. Because everyone is different.
The class has undoubtedly brought people in to the dance but I believe it is the individual dancing with new people that makes most difference. And it's mostly the guys who need that. Plus, the opportunity they get to dance with different people and feel the differences.
I agree with your perspective. It's all about connection and immersion. The “organic” approach not only makes the learning process more enjoyable but also fosters a deep understanding and personal connection to the subject matter.
ReplyDeleteI've found that my best language learning experiences were when I genuinely engaged in conversations with native speakers, just as you mentioned. The same applies to tango; it's more about feeling the music and your partner than memorising steps, just as how having a conversation with someone is about truly engaging rather than repeating memorized sentences unrelated to the topic.
Imo, traditional teaching methods often miss this point. Maybe because they rely on rigid structures and standardised teaching approaches that stifle curiosity and creativity. I must admit, like you, I've grown disillusioned with the way people view learning for this very reason. I blame it on the fact that we’re all a product of an education system that has convinced us that we can’t learn anything unless we work really hard.
With that said, you can’t deny there is some value in structured learning. One thing schools get right is that learning occurs daily (or weekly since we’re talking about tango). Consistent involvement is the key to learning, the rest is just details. After all, it’s not an 'either/or' situation; both structured and organic approaches have their merits. What works best might vary from person to person, but maybe a balanced approach could offer the best of both worlds?
Yeah I mean my point on the original post was that it's fine to pay for lessons if it helps you get what you want. And cos tango is at least in part a dance of seduction, if you can persuade an apple of your eye to dance with you and smile then that's learning and moving. It's kinda fun, much more i agree than doing a class with some self righteous teacher wannabe, but that doesn't mean all teaching bad, auto-didacts good! nor do all lovers feel exploited when they give freely, cos that's the song of earth! But also I've found that sometimes people give complements easily ("ooh you're a good dancer") but actually a good loving kick in the derriere is sometimes what you need to rise up and say goddamn, I'm an idiot, baby, but I'm worth it, I'm not gonna spend my time like I'm the best just cos I'm me, I'm gonna play the patient game, see the world from other peoples' eyes, feast on their feet, until the finest floosies choose to purr in my direction......... I mean I dance with people, not moves nor categories of good and bad nor learning theories, and while I know every dancer close or far is a good dancer I want the quality dancer who knows their stuff to choose me even at 100 miles. Nature and nurture, simplicity and style, flair and fleet, fast and slow, stage and social, carelessness and creativity, hot and cool, I want it all, and I'm making me the better me, not worry 'bout him she or his
DeleteConnection, immersion, organic, engagement, feeling, curiosity, creativity. I love these paragraphs you wrote. I agree if you don't do something regularly, it isn't going to last. That said, I have had many insights and learned important things from single interactions, often conversations. But yes, that is part of a more general growth.
DeleteI am exploring the structured thing myself just now, so more to add later. Certainly though, my recent return as a student, to dance class of other dances has only confirmed me that in certain things. Primarily, if a person can follow (and there is a skill in or attitude for that) they will learn to dance by dancing with experienced dancers. After that, it is easier to learn the other role, especially if an experienced "guidee" "backleads" you to help.
"I see the quality of dancing within 100 miles of me and I see a problem."
ReplyDelete"people say fantastic things about those who stay [dancing with me]"
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. John 8
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