Back with an agenda
I come home from Buenos Aires more energized to teach and more devoted than ever to producing dancers who can get off the plane, onto the dance floor, and fit right into Buenos Aires milongas. Dancing in the USA, we can forget minute details of tango that slip away with more distance from Argentina.
I always take time to take at least a few lessons. Anyone who thinks that I don’t need lessons because I have taught tango for 28 years, does not understand that tango is an ongoing exploration! I study with different teachers who do not always follow my preferred style: I try to listen to what they have to say and incorporate it into what I do if I feel I can benefit from the feedback.
Here are a few details that have changed this time in my dance, and they will show up in my teaching, as I try to share everything that I learn.
Embrace
I learned on the dance floor something I should have been able to explain before. 20/20 and hindsight… I danced with three people who took me in their arms, and I immediately felt relaxed, safe, calm—not my regular feeling when running a tour! I felt my pulse slow as I slipped into their arms. One of my new goals is to create dancers who can dance like that!
The other part of my embrace improvement came from lessons with Valencia Batiuk and Jose Garofalo. I have studied with both on and off for years, and I have learned to let the information work its way into my body over time. As my teachers explained their idea of the embrace, I kept saying, “Yes! I agree! That’s what I teach!” “Then DO it,” Valencia said. Oy. How will people understand it if I say to dance more in front of each other, but not toe-to-toe, especially when there are already arguments about what is correct?
I still do not know how to describe the changes to my embrace succinctly, I am attempting to transmit my new feeling in the dance to my students. Briefly, my new embrace feels more energized and solid, but does not pull the follower in. It does not let the follower wander away. There is space inside the embrace for the follower to pivot and move, but it feels more secure.
Arrive!
“You need to arrive!” was another comment from Valencia. I didn’t understand what she was trying to explain in words, but I could feel the difference. I then worked with Jose Garofalo to solidify my technique in my most joyous tango lesson ever. I am grounding my axis better. I can establish a clearer location and better timing for my follower when I do it right, which translates to a freer, more energized follower. I can feel when I DON’T do it correctly. I hope words will follow the understanding! In the interim, I am working with my students on the intention and the feeling, and I see a distinct difference when it works. Yay!
Musicality
It may not be fair to measure a dancer in the USA against a milonguero in Buenos Aires in terms of musicality. Most people here did not grow up with tango music. If you have heard tango your entire life, you will use the music better. However, there is no impediment to improving how we use music. Sheer familiarity does help: start listening more to the music when you aren’t dancing!
We will play musical games that encourage exploration, play, and deep listening.