Dancing with beginners or not !

This is quite of a theme in any Tango community.

 

Beginners and especially if women/followers can have a very frustrating first approach to the dancefloor. They are typically in higher numbers than then leaders and if their dancing level is not high it is easy that they are cut out !

 

Sure one can say that they can solve their problem with a nice intriguing smile, social skills, fantastic legs and curvy bodies and this way break the wall .. . yes .. maybe

 

and

 

even if of course it is a pleasure for eyes and senses that they are beautiful and social ...

come on ... lets be honest this is not the solution to it neither it is really right to pretend it as condition for getting started with dancing in a Tango community. 

 

I can also agree on that often a certain care for dressing up and social openess will reflect similar warmth and sofistication in the dancing but this is not always true and is besides the point here. I can maybe make another note another day on it eventually ! 

 

The thing is that a nice dancing experience does not relate 1 to 1 with the dancing level of the person we dance with. 

 

Think about it. This equation that if you are good (high level)  ..then you "dance" well .. it is simply wrong in the sense that It does not work necessarily .. then it is a wrong equation. 

 

You know there are "ufficially" good dancers and teachers who simply "do not dance", they do not follow well the music even if their movement is dynamically correct. They do not embrace well even if they can do the most advanced figures.. and they do it very disconnected from the partner.

 

Since I have been focusing in my dancing more and more on the walk and the embrace i have discovered that dancing with beginners can be very satisfactory.... a real pleasure. Many times (if you embrace correct) you will realize that in that person that is there with you, that person who is clearly not able to perform a boleo or a good turn etc... in that person there is a real dancer able to interpret the music, caring how to put the weight on the floor and even suggesting you possible interpetations.

 

All you have to do is to relax and listen. Accept that you are dancing (and yeah if you are dancing) just with another vocabolary, maybe not so close to aestethic you would like to have, actually maybe a bit ugly too sometimes.

This might hurt your ego but you (as leader I mean ) do not have to try to force it (the couple)  into a specific pattern you have in mind....you have to only listen to it and enjoy.  If you do this you will see ... ;-) 

 

Be careful .. because this mental block and equation it is in all of us. Not only in the apparently "unfriendly" advanced dancers whom tend not to invite beginners. It is in the beginners head as well. 

 

Many time it happens that beginners whom I invite tell me that they cannot dance well  because they do not have a decent level (to satisfy my needs .. they mean). Sometimes it is only a way to put the hands forward but other times they really mean it. In the last case I get disappointed because they are making themselves the mistake to think that high level  means high dancing (the wrong equation). What happens is that they dance with me having this in their mind and they will not relax and I will never get in contact with them during the dancing. 

 

So now am talking to you who uses not to ivite beginners...

next time you go out invite few dancers whom you think is are at beginner level, embrace them with care... just walk with them with the music... then come to me and tell me if you haven't just discovered yet another pleasure of life !

 

;-) 

 

abrazos

G