As has been pointed out at least several times on this list, tango teaching doesn't always lead to tango learning.
Some of the problems that I have seen include teaching technique that suits only the instructor's own physiology, teaching poor technique*, and offering convoluted explanations of relatively simple concepts. In my opinion, nearly all uses of the hands to lead fall into the second category. In my mind, what was variously described as multiple or multi-level leading in the recent discussion on Tango-L falls into the latter category. As far as I am concerned, the nearly all of the lead is conveyed with movement of the man's torso, regardless of style. The man's right arm sometimes adds reinforcement as an extension of the torso's movement, but without rigidity. Use of the hand is usually reserved for a few of the occasions when the follower is asked not to shift her weight as the man moves. There may be other exceptions, but nearly all uses of the hand that I have seen taught are completely unnecessary and potentially unpleasant for the follower. Given these basics, I'm reminded of what a woman told me shortly after dancing with Pablo Veron. She said in a gushing, dazzled tone, "I didn't feel like he led me so much as I felt like he willed my movements." That has been my goal as a leader--finding the balance between strength, grace and gentleness that conveys the lead in such a way that the woman doesn't feel at all pushed around, that she has a good idea what I am trying to have us accomplish, and that she is able to express her own voice. With best regards, Steve *Some instructors have poor technique in their own dancing, and some instructors teach techniques that are inferior to their own dancing. In one instance, however, I had an instructor whose own technique was inferior to his instruction. _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
