[Tango] Tango this week

[Lois Donnay]

Classes this week will concentrate on beginnings and endings. We have been working on a lot 
of moves, now let's solidify what to do with them.

Thursday in the Leaders Class we had a very interesting time subjecting men to the best and 
worst of what the follower feels. We will look a bit more at the back step before moving 
on.

And at Thursdays Advanced class, I'm going to be a little self-indulgent. There are a lot 
of things that I'd like to do, but they are too difficult for most. Usually I don't 
introduce things that are too advanced, in case people are tempted to do them before they 
have them mastered, but we're going to stretch our wings a little. Be ready to be 
frustrated! Ladies, bring your best axis and gentlemen, leave your arm leads at home. If 
you don't know if you're ready, give me a call.

It's Black Dog weekend! We're getting rave reviews about the new sound system. The quality 
of the music is important!
308 Prince Street, St. Paul. 7:30 lesson, 8:00 -12:00, $5

Only one more month to get your shoe orders in!

Lois Donnay
www.mndance.com

This is from Larry in Los Angeles. I love it, because he says the things I've been saying 
for so long: Master your basics, and tango is fun, not competitive. A social activity to be 
shared - with everyone! Don't forget!!

I'm only going to take the very basic classes, because my attitude
toward tango dancing has changed in the almost-twenty years since I
started tango. At first I worked to get comfortable with (master would
be an exaggeration) the basics. Then (and like most everyone at the
time) I got obsessed with learning the most complicated, showy figures.
(Thank you, all you wonderful women who put up with me!)

Several years into tango I heard a statement attributed to Puppy
Costello (who, incidentally, preferred that spelling to Pupi) -
"Figures are easy; walking is hard." It puzzled me for a while, until I
remembered a number of other activities where I had to "practice the
scales" often to keep my skills sharp.

It also makes sense, too, that to do (for instance) colgadas well you
have to have good body control, in several areas. You must also be
quite skilled at leading and following, especially when dancing with
relative beginners.

Which brings up a related point. I've found that it helps me to dance
occasionally with women who are relative beginners. I have to make
especially sure my leading is clear and well-timed then, and this acts
as practice for those skills.

Which brings up a point I make periodically here and in similar forums.
When dancing at a milonga you are inevitably practicing all sorts of
skills. But the most important is practicing having fun, and practicing
NOT thinking.

It is a happy side-effect of dancing with beginners that you help them
to have a good time at a dance. And when they become skilled there is another happy 
side-effect - many of them remember your kindness and you get more dances.

Larry de Los Angeles