Dancing well starts in your head, well before you even step on the dance floor. It even begins before you attend a workshop. In fact, it begins when you make your decision on how you want to dance and what you need to learn to achieve that.
In my decade-long experience as a dancer and a teacher, I have met many dedicated and talented dancers who did everything right except for one thing: they chose the wrong direction. They invested a lot of time, energy, and money in classes and workshops, countless hours of practice – and the result was not even close to what it could have been if they were a little wiser.
To be honest, I feel disappointed when I see such a waste of talent and effort. I try to see in people what they can become, their potential. If you would like to avoid the same mistake, some wisdom in your approach is essential. I will share what I think is the most beneficial method, but first, let me share a little story.
My way was the hard way
They say that smart people learn from other people’s mistakes, while others learn by making the mistakes themselves. Well, I was in the second group.
“I feel like I wasted all these months practicing. I’m not sure if I want to dance again soon,” he complained and added that he hardly danced four tandas all weekend.
He said he danced with a lady and he broke her toenail. She cried, and he spoiled her evening…
“Don’t get disappointed so easily. We’re just beginners,” I was acting like a smart-ass, but what I didn’t tell him was that, despite the fact that nothing similar happened to me, I felt even worse.
It was our first big international tango event, and the fact that we didn’t have enough experience and direction was showing big time.
My learning process consisted of choosing random steps with fancy names from videos on Youtube and taking workshops or private classes to learn them. Looking from today’s perspective, my dancing was a mash-up of styles and steps that didn’t make any sense.
Back then, I didn’t know what’s what? I didn’t know the answers… and more importantly – I was not even aware of the questions. All these years of dancing and teaching gave me enough experience to become aware of them, so I want to share them with you – so you don’t have to repeat my mistakes.
Have these in mind…
I wish someone had told me to ask these questions before deciding what steps and what technique I should focus on.
1. How often can I do it?
How often can I do this step/technique without being repetitive? How does it fit with different kinds of music and different sentiments?
This means focusing on the basic stuff that is highly usable in all kinds of music, things like walking, rock steps, crosses, and similar sequences and techniques. This also means avoiding complicated movements with fancy names like volcadas, colgadas, ganchos, etc., since they are only used occasionally.
2. How much space does it require?
How much space does it require? Can I do it on a crowded dance floor?
You might find yourself trapped between two couples in the ronda, which happens quite often if you visit high-quality events. If your repertoire consists of sequences or techniques that require a lot of space, you’ve got yourself in a dead end. My advice is to return to the proverbial drawing board and reinvent your dancing with a repertoire that can easily fit even the smallest space.
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3. How much effort does it require?
How skillful do I have to become before I can do it in a comfortable and confident level? Will I be able to use it with most of the partners I will meet? What effort will it require for me to learn it? How much time will I have to spend on it?
Good dancing means dancing with smoothness and confidence. If you have to force the movements or feel that they are above your skill level, you’re probably doing something wrong. The effort is for practicing, not for the dance floor.
Think about how much time and effort you’ll have to spend to make that new step you’re learning work flawlessly because you will only dance well if it’s below your level and doesn’t require you to force it.
4. Does it fit with my style?
Can I incorporate it into my style of dancing? Does it fit my personal vibe? Is it out of place compared to the other stuff I prefer to do? Can it gently flow with other things I do on the dance floor? Can I use it right away without making major changes in my dancing style?
The way you dance is a message, just like your fashion choices. If you dance with a repertoire that’s a mash-up of different styles and approaches, you’re sending the message that you’re a confused person. One can discover a lot just by observing how someone dances.
Try to make your dancing consistent and smooth. Don’t shift gears and try to be five different dancers at the same time. Dancing with consistency shows maturity and knowledge.
But that’s just my opinion on what I think is right. Do you think this approach can help dancers become better? If you do, please help me reach a wider audience by sharing it with your tango friends. Together, we can save a few people from having a bad experience on the dance floor.
In general, I agree with you. I will not learn any firuletes that imply breaking closed embrace and connection. However, I frequently visit Eastern Europe, where women have long legs (in general longer than most women in the West and Argentina) and are proud if it and use them often.
I was told already twice that it was boring to dance with me. If 2 women said that, it means other 20 think so too.
So I am after volcadas, ganchos, sacadas, etc for which I do not have to break the connection.
Hehe, I live in Easter Europe, and like everywhere I visited – there are women (people in general) who will appreciate nice soft dancing above fancy moves…
And also, other couples around you will respect you for respecting their space and safety from high heels.
I thank you for this astute revelation, your words of wisdom, if heeded, could save so much agony for dancers.
While reading through the post I had multiple images flood my mind drawn from experiences in my own Tango Community – one where the sleazy guy hell-bent on getting to dance his steps sequence no matter which orchestra is playing, or the one where the ‘big-moves-guy’ wants all the space he can manage to dominate so he drags you into the middle of the ronda and barges into others, usually beginners, who comply and give him the room he demands, or the one where the guy, with more than ten years worth of classes just cannot hear the music and it’s rich subtleties. There are also the exhibitionist women who throw self-induced boleos around like they are going out of fashion.
None of this is dancing Tango, it’s more akin to a hybrid that has developed in their own minds, or been planted there by fake-teachers.
It really ruins the Milonga experience for traditional or purist Tango dancers when they have to endure these individuals, so I would urge teachers to sort out the mess and encourage beginners along a more gentle and authentic route, rather than proposing that their students attend workshops with professionals or directing them to watch Youtube professional performances.
We all know how competitive Tango has become in terms of boosting numbers through the door of the classes and Milonga, and increasing ticket sales, and workshop fees. They would argue that they have to make a living but I would argue that the mechanics of greed if left unchallenged will ruin the dance for everyone.
There is always a silver lining to every cloud and for me it is this: after 15 years in the Tango Community I have identified which of the milongas is best for me to attend, where connection is guaranteed, gentleness, compassion and humility fill the ronda and cabeceo prevails at all times between all attendees.
BTW Ivica would you mind if I shared your work on Mastodon? The old school social media sites like FB, Instagram et al, are imploding so I prefer to operate in the open source Fediverse where the corporates have no influence.
Excellent advice, particularly the issues regarding question three. Nothing kills any hope of connection faster than force-feeding an intricate step that you don’t yet own. I am so glad to hear that someone is stopping to ask, “Will I be able to use it with most of the partners I will meet?” Recently I heard an instructor put it another way; “don’t produce.” If a lead is hell-bent on producing they are displacing connection.
You’re right… and it makes me sad to see it often on the dance floor, even from people who looks like they have talent.