Hi Igor, Since your original question centered on techniques to help men understand masculinity in tango, here are a few things I use. As a female instructor who is 5'4", I've never been accused of producing effeminate male dancers. The one or two that have had some comment made about that were undergrads, which I think doesn't count.
The basic idea is to take away the fear of the man to move, especially the fear of stepping on the woman's feet. As Tom pointed out, it's about confidence. First, in the modern dance studio I use we're only allowed to use socks or barefoot. This rule had the unexpected benefit of taking away a lot of the fear of stepping on the woman's feet. If he steps on her, he's not going to hurt her. So he moves more confidently. It's worked out so well, that we use "barefoot tango" a lot in our other facilities that allow dance shoes. Second, in my beginning classes, I always start the couple walking side-by-side, as if they are taking a romantic walk through the park. They are instructed to walk wherever they want - backwards, forwards, randomly around the room whatever. This is a natural way for men to get the idea that they are "in charge". We then talk about those dynamics. The seeds have been planted. Third, when the men and the women begin to start dancing face-to-face, it never fails that the man's fears begins to surface. I address that in several ways: - I remind them about the previous exercise. - I talk about how the man needs to "invade" the woman's space. He needs to get her to vacate the space before he can enter it. I use strong words because at this point, that's what the man needs to hear. - I give them a visual example by taking the biggest guy in the room and leading him to walk backwards. (The sight of a 5'4", 110 lb Asian woman plowing through someone twice her size is pretty effective. Perhaps your female dance partner can help create this visual.) Fourth, there are a couple of responsibilities I assign the man, which I make clear. - After the usual weight shifting exercises in which the man is able to sense where the woman's feet are, I always tell them that they are now in charge of her feet as well. - Navigation. Head on top of your own shoulders (no cuddling), eyes looking about the room, turns occurring because you need to see what is happening as opposed to turns simply being a step. By this time, the seeds have sprouted and are growing. There are further exercises that I do as needs arise throughout the teaching program. However, I don't talk about masculinity or feminimity or gender roles because my job isn't to address their psychology on those issue. I don't go into too much touchy-feely stuff either. What I am is simply practical. Cause and effect. If you want B to happen, then A must come first. This approach works well for us, and I have a relatively good retention rate of men. I should, however, say that the market we reach tends to be people who are interested in dancing, anyway. I find it a waste of time and resources to just blanket the general public. And I'd rather spend my efforts on interested people rather than on half-hearted people. I also agree with Tom about the importance of understanding musicality. But I don't push it too much if the guy just isn't getting it. Then I change tactics to help the man feel confident. Concerning your ideas about women being feminine, the description you gave actually sounds to me more like wanting women to be more "masculine" rather than feminine. But I've written long enough. Trini de Pittsburgh --- Igor Polk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thank you very much all those who took time to write good > answers ! > Now there is a lot of material for thinking ! > > While in the middle, since I see that I was very unclear > in my question, > I'd like to clarify ( and I am able to do it thanks to > your answers, thank > you again ! ) what I feel masculine and feminine power > is. > > Being masculine means when other men, say friends of a > dancing men, admire > the dancing of the dancing man. And all them want to look > and act like him. > Probably, it should include confidence, strength, agile > movements, control > over the situation, and admiring expression of the face > of his lady ( an her > loving embrace). > > Inner Men's power is like that - confidence, ability to > control the > situation, providing freedom and security to his lady, > and may be at the > same time playfulness, risky, sharp, powerful dancing > style - just to prove > his mastery in the first group of his abilities: "See? No > matter what she > dances great!" > > Shortly, ability to make her dance well with him and to > show his friends > that it is very easy for him, and at the same time look > the way men like. > > Woman's power is not surrendness ( even though it is a > pre-requisite to it, > as very well described by Krasimir ). It is ability to > control the situation > by other means than direct. Ability to influence her man > in such a way so > that he leads her what she wants and the way she wants. ( > Surrender to fool > him that that it is he who in control ;) ) Ability to > handle the situation > no matter what and look like a queen always. Ability to > make him dance well > with her. > > Admirers of the good women are... men too. They all want > to rush and invite > her for dancing. > > > Well, I've just made it up, do not judge severely, > Igor Polk > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tango-L mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l > PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburghs most popular social dance! http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't let your dream ride pass you by. Make it a reality with Yahoo! Autos. http://autos.yahoo.com/index.html _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
