tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post7088332699728124045..comments2024-02-23T08:34:49.655-08:00Comments on My Tango Diaries: Choosing a Teacher: Part 2 - Some GuidelinesMarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08960763038363579526noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post-62121185756225864332009-10-21T12:09:44.775-07:002009-10-21T12:09:44.775-07:00well said, I think. - bastetwell said, I think. - bastetAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post-71107168787932286922009-10-21T11:52:55.924-07:002009-10-21T11:52:55.924-07:00Bastet - since I published these on Tango Connecti...Bastet - since I published these on Tango Connections a week ago I've been flooded with emails from dancers, teachers and organizers all over the country who have been politically sidelined by members of their local tango community - from nebulous attempts at discouraging competition to outright sabotaging other teachers' efforts. It's definitely been enlightening - but also truly disheartening in some cases.<br /><br />Regarding the community involvement issue, there are two things I should have clarified. First, I'm not talking so much about visible ways teachers and organizers plan events etc. in their communities - so much as the personal ways they reach out to students and the people around them - and, most importantly, the example they set for their students. Most of the time no one else even knows this is going on. <br /><br />From what I know of your students, I know you've done wonderful things for your dancers, and those stories do get shared in the community. You both set excellent examples - and your students model that every time I see them at milongas, classes and practicas. <br /><br />The second thing is my opinion isn't based in the tango community perspective specifically, but from a business perspective generally. Community involvement, in whatever way it can be achieved, either within the tango community or outside of it, is of course, valuable for business. I think I wrote the post with too narrow a focus there.<br /><br />It's not that I feel that some teachers aren't doing enough to be involved - but that many are being actively discouraged, as you said, from doing so (usually by the "elite" teachers that you mentioned). I was actually referring more to those teachers that are most visible, needing to be open to collaborating with other teachers and organizations. That focus gets a bit lost in my ranting. :/<br /><br />You're right, tango may be openness and connection and lovey-dovey - but business certainly may not be. I'm getting quite the education on that lately.Marihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08960763038363579526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post-77549561399143561702009-10-21T11:00:18.057-07:002009-10-21T11:00:18.057-07:00yes- saw that and thought it was funny. Would have...yes- saw that and thought it was funny. Would have gone down as a hoot at Tangofest. 4" heels were in abundance.<br /><br />On another note, just to give you a different perspective...the part you have about community involvement...most tango communities seem to have plenty of polical undercurrent that closely resembles high school popularity contests, IMO. It's one reason I don't go out much, personally. I have seen first hand how some people who have taught or do teach are perhaps subtley, yet consistently backhanded and ostracized by local tango "elite", and if you aren't on the "A"-list, well... you can figure where that leads. So I'm just saying that what you may see or be inferring in your own local community, may not be the real story, or there may be reasons you don't understand or know why some people don't particpate (including teachers) and though you are certainly at liberty to make a judgement, you may only be making it based on limited information and there may be other dynamics invloved on the community side rather than the instructor side, or both (have seen that also)...just a thought. Not every one (including teachers or community is always as lovey-dovey about tango- it's just a fact, unfortunate though it is).<br /><br />-bastetAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post-55222103227014038052009-10-21T10:29:40.193-07:002009-10-21T10:29:40.193-07:00Bastet - unfortunately that's true from what I...Bastet - unfortunately that's true from what I hear. :( On a similar topic, have you seen Working Artist's topic on teachers Morticia and Igor? <br />http://elizabethbrinton.blogspot.com/?spref=fbMarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08960763038363579526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5370884568160752646.post-74340786810072499852009-10-21T06:45:45.469-07:002009-10-21T06:45:45.469-07:00"Do they emphasize connection, musicality, au..."Do they emphasize connection, musicality, authentic leading/following rather than memorizing patterns and steps?"<br /><br />With that on your list, you'll have to knock out most Argentine teachers, who tend to teach by rote pattern in my experience (confirmed yet again most recently in Portland).<br /><br />Sorry for the anon post- can't get Firefox or IE to post any other way here now.<br /><br />-bastetAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com