Keith...
Last week my reponse went only to you. A failing I have, not sending to 'all'. This one I will be careful to do right. You said a lot of things privately about 'the great unwashed'.. Being 'protective' of them and all. How did come to be their guardian? To keep them from hearing ideas other than yours? I know if I were a newbie coming to Tango L, I would not like knowing there were a small group of people, and I emphasize the word small, who were trying to keep them from hearing all sides of a Tango issue. That some people would eliminate their competition... To excommunicate them from 'their church' so to speak? What *should* happen is for people to explain what exactly is wrong with anything I've said., instead of just accusing me of being wrong in general. I'm against teaching patterns to followers, not physically forcing ladies into position, keeping Tango improv and to not mechanize it. I gave you one person by name, whom I'm sure you know, who teaches leaders to get their right fingers behind the ladies left shoulder blade and pull, when she's to be brought around to his right. That's disgusting. Is that what you support? People learning to 'fake' Tango. To look like they're doing it but not understanding a single thing on how to dance it..? You and I started about the same time in the Tango resurgence. I tried then to grow Tango in WNY by bringing in Thomas and Heidi.., Mataj and Nina and then Mataj and Robinn from Ithaca. A small group formed but basically it was too early for Tango in Buffalo. Scoliosis then took my wife out of the picture. So while you and others were perfecting your 'smooth' dancing.., I spent nearly ten years in a Tango wasteland studying what was behind it all... Without (for the most part) being able to dance it myself. But that did not stop the understand of it. I concentrated on the origins and concepts. How and why it came about. I bought and watched current and historical movies.., read books, listened to the music, bought instructional videos, went to workshops, kept in touch with Mataj and others all during my non-dancing era. My last video from Mataj was a stage show with him and Rina, Facudo and Kelly, et al. in 2001. All this time and since I have been working to tie off loose ends left by various instructors. I found that many had been trying to 'fool' me. :-/ I called it 'learning Tango from the inside out'. So while you think smooth is the answer.., I think 'understanding' is more so. Those who don't like what I say, need to point out exactly what it is they don't like. I would welcome that. Please do. Put your expertise into words as I've done. Stop the smoke of childish one liners, name calling like stupid and idiot. *That* should get *you* banned from the list, eh? It would do Tango and the L a lot more good.. Just tell me and others what you think is wrong. Perhaps you're upset because I'm not 'humble' enough? :-) That I don't say that everyone else is right too? Cause they're just not, you know? Some teach patterns to followers.., don't they? How can that be right? Tell me. Anyone is welcome to contradict what I say. But don't try pointing to early-on videos as proof of imcompetance? Ha! Those done at the very beginning of Tango here in WNY that I'm in fact very proud of... Those that were done with students of mine at 2, 5, and 9 months experience.., on their first time alone in the middle of a big floor with 400 people watching them. We were not trying to 'connect' with each other.., I can assure you. One follower's lips were quivering. But we did do what we wanted to do. To demo some slow show Tango to the 'great unwashed' I guess you call them. We were happy to get through it, and very well too, I must say. Happy to leave the hot stuff to Daniel Trenner and Anne Sophie Vile later that night.. So here are the videos referred to. At Five Months. http://www.buffalotango.com/html/video_-_knox_1.html Two vids of Karen and I. At Nine Months. http://www.buffalotango.com/html/video_-_knox_2.html Two vids of Karen and I. One vid of Sarah and I. I do admit to being dragged out by that third demo... I was running the whole event too... But do notice that the ladies knew exactly where and when to touch their feet down, all by themselves. Without the need for a ballrom 'frame' either. They just 'followed' my leads. So please say more than 'you know what's best for everyone'. Stop trying to censor other people's opinions. Stop calling 4th grade names. Stop the one liners. Grow up. Tango on.... Floyd Buffalo Tango - Argentine Tango - How To Tango * * * * * * www.buffalotango.com * * * * * * _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
