Learning Tango - Page 6

garthmartin · 27th-January-2006, 01:17 PM

Well Lynn looking forward to tango tonight

I seen your post about partners, will need to get togeher more and practice
Good to read all the good ideas and links in this thread

**Lynn** · 27th-January-2006, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garthmartin

Well Lynn looking forward to tango tonight

See you later for a dance Garth!

**JonD** · 27th-January-2006, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn

There will be weeks like that ahead for me as well I suspect...

"Penguin nights" - is that a fair description?!

I'm off skiing tomorrow (yippee) so no AT classes for a while but Julie and I will try and work on that demonstration thing while we're away. I'm going to see if I can bribe Philsmove to assist - I'm sure beer will do the trick! If nothing else we'll probably get some practice "walking up the hill", but it might be a bit odd in ski boots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by garthmartin

I seen your post about partners, will need to get togeher more and practice

Good on you G!

**philsmove** · 27th-January-2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonD

I'm off skiing tomorrow (yippee) .............. I'm going to see if I can bribe Philsmove to assist

I shall expect to see you do some backward ocho’s on the piste

**JonD** · 27th-January-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philsmove

I shall expect to see you do some backward ocho’s on the piste

Given the way I ski, that is almost inevitable!

**Lynn** · 28th-January-2006, 12:17 AM

Week 2 -

More walking of course! We went over everything we had done last week (which was good as several people had missed the first week) - 4 count walk, 4 and 6 count basic and added 8 count basic (which I recognised as what I had done in the class I went to in Oct 04). But this week she was focusing on lead and follow, with a little about posture and floorcraft as well. All the usual stuff that you learn about lead and follow after you have been dancing a while but doesn't seem to get mentioned in the early classes of other dances.

She even did a demo of backleading and explained why this was bad even if the man was going too slowly as the man needs to learn to lead.

I got the teacher in the rotation, which made me very self-consious but was good as she was giving me good feedback on softening my knees, my posture etc. The class ran on till almost 10pm so there was only a short practica afterwards and the nice lead I danced with last week didn't ask me this week

(he didn't dance with anyone, he didn't even take his coat off - the hall was very cold!)

I'll miss next week

due to being in Scarborough

AFAIK there will be some Tango workshops there so I will hopefully get to those.

jivecat · 30th-January-2006, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philsmove

Tonight’s lesson was one of those 1 step forward and 3 back

I can’t tell you what the steps were but I got completely lost

Any kind of lesson and I'm instantly confused. I couldn't even work out how to turn my shoulders slightly whilst walking straight ahead last week.

The freestyle bit usually goes much better- how come I can do it when someone leads me?

My level of level of interest has risen from:
*Hmm, seems like a nice dance. Nice frocks (and shoes), to
*Tell me more, to
*Weekender craving

in four short weeks. Is this normal? It has been a most eventful January.

So, has anyone got any knowledge or feedback about the Tango Toolkit workshops which are run in a village hall in Bramcote near Southampton? They are running a beginner's weekend in mid-Feb, and I'm very tempted to book on if there were still spaces.

**Lynn** · 30th-January-2006, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

My level of level of interest has risen from:
*Hmm, seems like a nice dance. Nice frocks (and shoes), to
*Tell me more, to
*Weekender craving

in four short weeks. Is this normal? It has been a most eventful January.

Sounds about normal - I was warned this could be addictive. My dancing level isn't at the weekender craving stage - but hopefully will be by the time there are some events in Dublin. I'll know I'm really hooked when I start pricing flights to Buenos Aires...

jivecat · 30th-January-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn

I'll know I'm really hooked when I start pricing flights to Buenos Aires...

Well, I've been borrowing travel guides to Argentina from the library already....

**Lynn** · 30th-January-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

Well, I've been borrowing travel guides to Argentina from the library already....

You're more addicted than me then. (I'm only in week 2, give me another fortnight!) I know folk going to BA and I'm looking forward to hearing about their trip. There are other (cheaper) holidays to places to tango though so maybe next year...

**David Bailey** · 30th-January-2006, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

Any kind of lesson and I'm instantly confused. I couldn't even work out how to turn my shoulders slightly whilst walking straight ahead last week.

Ooh, I know this! It's called "dissociation" I believe, and it describes the "natural" (yeah right) way your head then upper body turns to prepare your feet to do the turning bit.

But, and this is the important bit, there's no hip movement.

And I speak as one who's close to getting the permanent (and derogatory

) nickname of "Mr salsa hips" at tango classes.

Anyway, dissociation is a complete b*gger to get right deliberately, but I think it's one of those key things that makes Tango look Tango-y.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

My level of level of interest has risen from:
*Hmm, seems like a nice dance. Nice frocks (and shoes), to
*Tell me more, to
*Weekender craving

in four short weeks. Is this normal?

Sounds about right to me

jivecat · 30th-January-2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJames

Sounds about right to me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn

Sounds about normal

The lunatics have taken over the asylum...

LMC · 30th-January-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

in four short weeks. Is this normal?

Why did it take you so long?

**Lory** · 30th-January-2006, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

in four short weeks. Is this normal? It has been a most eventful January.

It's happened to me too!

I suspect they put something in our drinks each week...

spindr · 30th-January-2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivecat

So, has anyone got any knowledge or feedback about the Tango Toolkit workshops which are run in a village hall in Bramcote near Southampton? They are running a beginner's weekend in mid-Feb, and I'm very tempted to book on if there were still spaces.

Is it Bramshaw perhaps? With Steve & Debbie from Tango UK?
Bramshaw is a nice small hall in the middle of the New Forest -- ponies, etc., etc. Good dance floor. Bar - reasonable prices, etc. Not sure about accomodation I usually drive in from Basingstoke.

Steve and Debbie are great teachers -- they'll teach you how to dance -- not how to perform moves -- may have to think, tho'. With luck Steve'll play his bandoneon live

Oh and he's a good DJ.

Cheers,
SpinDr.

P.S. If you need a partner...

**Lynn** · 30th-January-2006, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spindr

is a nice small hall in the middle of the New Forest -- ponies, etc., etc. Good dance floor. Bar - reasonable prices, etc.

Never heard of a dance venue with ponies before!

For all those on here who add 'and I want a pony' to their wish lists - send them all there!

(I know what you meant! The native breeds are great, I used to have a Connemara).

**David Bailey** · 30th-January-2006, 03:24 PM

A thought occurred to me from this post of CeeCee's - it sounds like Frederico's class is fairly move-focussed, whereas the class Clive and I do is probably more technique-focussed.

You need both, of course, and neither is inherently "better" than the other; the key differentiator, as always, is how good the teacher is.

But I was wondering - are people generally learning in move-focussed or technique-focussed classes?

LMC · 30th-January-2006, 03:31 PM

A tango poll

Mine appears to be a mixture, but I'll let you know once I've done a few more

jivecat · 30th-January-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spindr

Is it Bramshaw perhaps? With Steve & Debbie from Tango UK?

The very one, sorry.

Quote:

Steve and Debbie are great teachers -- they'll teach you how to dance -- not how to perform moves -- may have to think, tho'.

Fine by me, except maybe for that last bit.

Quote:

P.S. If you need a partner...

Do you really mean that?? Because I think I probably will.......

27th-January-2006, 01:17 PM	#101 (permalink)
garthmartin Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Belfast Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0 Reputation Total: 19	Re: Learning Tango Well Lynn looking forward to tango tonight I seen your post about partners, will need to get togeher more and practice Good to read all the good ideas and links in this thread

28th-January-2006, 12:17 AM	#106 (permalink)
Lynn Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Belfast Posts: 7,658 Rep Power: 5 Reputation Total: 2459	Re: Learning Tango Week 2 - More walking of course! We went over everything we had done last week (which was good as several people had missed the first week) - 4 count walk, 4 and 6 count basic and added 8 count basic (which I recognised as what I had done in the class I went to in Oct 04). But this week she was focusing on lead and follow, with a little about posture and floorcraft as well. All the usual stuff that you learn about lead and follow after you have been dancing a while but doesn't seem to get mentioned in the early classes of other dances. She even did a demo of backleading and explained why this was bad even if the man was going too slowly as the man needs to learn to lead. I got the teacher in the rotation, which made me very self-consious but was good as she was giving me good feedback on softening my knees, my posture etc. The class ran on till almost 10pm so there was only a short practica afterwards and the nice lead I danced with last week didn't ask me this week (he didn't dance with anyone, he didn't even take his coat off - the hall was very cold!) I'll miss next week due to being in Scarborough AFAIK there will be some Tango workshops there so I will hopefully get to those.

30th-January-2006, 03:24 PM	#117 (permalink)
David Bailey Formerly known as DavidJames Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Norf Lundin Posts: 13,963 Rep Power: 8 Reputation Total: 3756	Re: Learning Tango A thought occurred to me from this post of CeeCee's - it sounds like Frederico's class is fairly move-focussed, whereas the class Clive and I do is probably more technique-focussed. You need both, of course, and neither is inherently "better" than the other; the key differentiator, as always, is how good the teacher is. But I was wondering - are people generally learning in move-focussed or technique-focussed classes? __________________ Jivetango Godfather Inventor of the Masterclass Baboon-worrier extraordinaire

30th-January-2006, 03:31 PM	#118 (permalink)
LMC Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In the corner Posts: 4,508 Rep Power: 4 Reputation Total: 2319	Re: Learning Tango A tango poll Mine appears to be a mixture, but I'll let you know once I've done a few more