Re: [TANGO-L] Detecting sham and incompetent Teachers

[Tom Stermitz <Stermitz @RAGTIME.ORG>]

I've been learning West Coast Swing.

It is great to be a beginner again, but with the wisdom and body
skill of already knowing one dance. It is like being a teenager again
with all the wisdom of being an adult.

Of course, now that I'm knowledgeable enough to know what questions
to ask, I have a much better chance at finding a good teacher. You
can learn things from negative comments, but most people try to take
the high road and say something nice about everybody.


The best recommendations are something like the following:

"She is tough, but the guys who study with her have the best fundamentals."
"He is awesome with fancy vocabulary, but wait until you have your
basics down."
"For best musicality (or expression, or sultry, or whatever) , work with her."
"You want to perform, then use X. You want to social dance, then Y is
a good choice."

These kinds of comments inform in a positive way.

I don't think our local offerings in tango always offer such variety
while retaining quality, but maybe that is the next wave.


Having pursued excellence in ONE dance, I would always recommend that
beginners focus on fundamentals and music rather than vocabulary. I
think many would agree with that. Perhaps teachers are afraid that if
they don't offer fancy steps they will lose students. That fear shows
a lack of imagination. You can be entertaining while also teaching
good fundamentals.


--

Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org/
stermitz @tango.org
303-388-2560

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