Most agree the 8-count Basic is a hindrance to development of improvisational and navigational skills. Teaching walking in the direction of the line-of-dance (no back steps) and some navigational strategies, e.g., stationary and turning rock step combinations, including the ocho cortado, while experiemnting with rhythmic variations (different combinations of quicks and slows, with exposure to tango, milonga & vals), gives beginners a reasonably sized repertoire of small movements that can be pieced together in different ways. This is the beginning of improvisation, both in terms of movements and musical variation and teaches leading and following skills as opposed to memorization of fixed patterns. In conjunction with improving the (close) embrace, this is all we teach in our 6-week beginner course.
The primary skill beginners need to survive at milongas is navigation. If you teach line-of-dance walking and rock steps for navigation, you can have a beginner functioning at a milonga, and even be connected to the music. One of the main hindrances for beginners attending milongas is the belief that they are not skilled enough. They go to milongas with their basic walking and navigational skills and they see boleos, ganchos, and volcadas, as well as rapid movement around the dance floor in numerous directions, and they feel insecure. When asked, many of our beginners have commented that the 'advanced' dances 'in the middle' (sic) are so good, they lack the confidence to get on the floor and be seen. Well, confidence does not equal skill. Many of the navigational hazards in the middle lack good leading and following skills (as can be seen from women being dragged off their axis), do not understand milonga codes regarding navigation, and are oblivious to the music; thus, they are not good dancers. Given that environment, it's not surprisiing that in a culture than places value on step acquisition in dancing, those without a repertoire of visible figures will feel insecure, even if their navigational, improvisational, and musicality skills are higher. Changing this insecurity requires changing the dance culture, which is no small feat. The problem of insecurity at milongas does not end with beginners. Many intermediates are also intimidated by the circus in the middle of the floor, especailly when it spills onto the edges. This is due in part to age differences. Younger dancers in general have higher confidence. They are less inhibited. However, it does not mean they are better dancers, even though many of them could easily become good dancers. One solution to this problem is to cultivate an enviornment where insecure dancers feel more comfortable. One possibility is to advertise an event as a 'practica', but actually create a milonga environment. It could even be done for beginners (and invited helpful intermediates), perhaps beginning with some instruction in milonga codes (e.g, use of cabeceo, dancing to end of tanda, clearing floor during cortina) and then proceed with a milonga environment. After a few 'practice milongas', this might increase the chances of beginners entering into the tooth-and-nail environment of the regular milongas. Ron _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
