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Tango Dancing with the Stars

August 1, 2013

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Tango with the Stars?
Tango with the Stars?

In Tango, we were all beginners at one point. But once we get past the point of being a beginner and become moderately competent, most of us do not want the challenge of dancing with a beginner again. It might make us look bad, or much worse, we may get hurt. I must point out this situation does differ between men and women.  Followers usually pick up the dance a lot quicker, and if they are fairly attractive, usually have no problem getting dances, even when they are just starting out. But for leaders, its a different story.  Many of my guy friends have told me that when they first started, they just watched and rarely danced. Or, they were too afraid to ask advanced followers. But I can’t help but wonder if they would improve faster if given a chance to dance with better dancers, perhaps like what they do on “Dancing with the Stars”. he he.

The topic of dancing with beginners is much debated and not easily solved. In this post, our guest writer, Tanguera Escondida, tackles the subject:

I recently said “yes” to dance a tanda with someone who turned out to be a complete beginner. I kept my game face on as he led me through a series of painful moves, careful to keep our embrace open so that I wouldn’t be knocked to the ground. We danced, topsy-turvy, in and out of traffic, plowing our way through the middle of the dance floor to take up residence in the already-moving line of dance. And then, we still managed to weave between the outer and inner lines of dance, stopping and starting on a dime to avoid crashing. He tried to lead me into a boleo (which I refused to do), tried inserting his foot between mine to execute a very poor sacada, and proceeded to attempt a smorgasbord of complicated dance moves. Some of these moves are even hard for an intermediate/advanced dancer to master. And after each song, he smiled, eyes big and round and innocent, and said, “That was great!!” I knew he was trying his hardest. I knew he was having fun. But I also started to wonder, “Why would a straight beginner even KNOW about these moves? Why isn’t a beginner just focused on walking? The embrace? The FUNDAMENTALS of tango?”

This is what people think we do at Tango
This is what people think we do at Tango

Well, I posed the question to my “all-knowing (heh)” tango partner, Klondike, who’s been around longer and seen much more than I have. He told me that some teachers sell tango lessons by introducing fancy, fun moves. That beginners want to dance tango like, “Dancing with the stars!” That they’ll get bored practicing the basics for days, months and years on end. That the only way to keep selling and selling and selling is to teach boleos and ganchos and sacadas. I know not all teachers are like this, that some focus on teaching the basics, even to experienced dancers. I just wish all the other teachers would follow suit, and help save followers from being thrown around and man-handled. What is the point of creating a herd of beginners that don’t even know how to walk?

After that particularly painful dance with that particular fancy-pants beginner, Klondike pulled me aside and said, “You know, when you dance with people who don’t know what they’re doing, you may not be asked to dance by the people who do.” I looked at him incredulously. “Really?” I said. “Just because I chose to put myself out there, to dance with a beginner, it means I’ll be shunned by other leaders?” It was hard to believe. Aren’t we all beginners once? Isn’t it lovely to see a teacher dancing with a beginner? Shouldn’t we all try hard to make beginners feel included, and say “yes” to them once in awhile? But then again, I understand that everyone watches everyone to figure out who is a good partner. If an experienced dancer sees me hobbling around with a beginner, maybe they’ll assume I’m a beginner, too. Or they’ll assume that I don’t pick my partners carefully (which is sometimes true). It seems slightly unfair. I don’t think I would turn an experienced leader down if I’d seen him dancing with a beginning lady. As long as he dances well with ME, and our chemistry is good, I’m happy.

I don’t mind dancing with beginners. What I do mind is dancing with a beginner who doesn’t have the slightest grasp of the basics. Several months ago, I danced with a wonderful beginner. He only walked me around in the line of dance, smiling sweetly. He held me in a slightly open embrace, and tried very, very hard. He was a little wobbly, his forward motion wasn’t very powerful, but boy, was he trying to master the WALK. I’ve had the joy of watching this dancer progress, and he’s gotten exponentially better. And he still asks me to dance. I’m glad that I gave him a chance, and made him feel welcome. If I’d snubbed my nose at him, maybe he would have never asked me again, even as he got better and better.

So, it seems more experienced dancers are treading a fine line when it comes to dancing with beginners. Maybe it matters more for a follower to dance with a beginning leader, rather than a leader dancing with a beginning follower. I don’t know the answers.

Maybe some of you have thoughts. How do you interact with beginners? At what point should beginners attempt to navigate the complexity of the tango dance floor? Why are they so focused on all these fancy moves? Do you discount a more experienced dancer seen with a beginner? How can we help them become a part of our community?

-T.E.

Disclaimer:The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of SF Loves Tango. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: Argentine Tango, Bay Area Tango, Milonga, San Francisco Tango, Tango dancing, Tanguera Escondida

Comments

  1. David Mendoza says

    August 2, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Dancing with beginners shouldn’t be complicated. One must dance to the partner’s experience level. When I have the opportunity to dance with a beginner, I’ll walk with her based on the music. If that goes well then I’ll proceed in leading her to the cross. If that is successful then ochoes until I execute a move that she doesn’t understand or can do very well. I rarely ask her verbally what she can do, it so much better just to physically execute my intent. That way I know what limitations I’ll be working with to provide my partner a fun and enjoyable dance. The main thing to have fun even if it’s only to walk. Walking in itself is an art and most dancers don’t know how to walk without having to do extraordinary movements. I love beginners. Afterall, I started as a beginner and I always do my best to remember where I came from. All you fancy and advanced dancers – remember how you started and give our new people a chance to progress. You make more friends and establish a larger partner base – be humble.

    • maika says

      August 2, 2013 at 5:42 pm

      Thank you David! Great advice.

  2. Palo Alto says

    August 4, 2013 at 2:34 am

    I dance with everyone – beginner or experienced, young or old, pretty or plain. I like to be inclusive. I dance just for fun, and that frees me from worrying too much about my tango cred.

    When I was a young prototype tanguero, some followers gave me a chance. I remember that, and prioritize them now that I am more in demand.

  3. K'ai Roberts Fu says

    August 27, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    I’ve been teaching tango since 2001, and I still dance with beginners. It’s just fine to follow a new leader who is careful, considerate, and, as our author said, “trying so hard.” A good tanda with seasoned follower may be what they need to keep motivated through the difficult years of learning.

    That being said, as an experienced follower (some might say, “cranky old milonguera”), I do my best to evaluate dancers of all levels before accepting a tanda: beginners are not the only ones who think they’re in “Dancing With the Stars”. With newer dancers I may need to manage their lead – for example, I will politely refuse any lead to an in-the-air anything, and will keep my eyes open for traffic and adjust as needed, to keep us safe on the floor. I don’t mind. It’s part of my responsibility to the tango community. If I can tell a leader has been dancing for a while and they’re still doing inappropriate moves, that’s when I avoid the tanda altogether.

    I was once told when I went to a new community that if I was seen dancing with beginners, advanced dancers won’t dance with me. Piffle. My footwork and basic technique are the same no matter who I’m dancing with. If those leaders are really that “advanced”, they’ll know…and may even appreciate the fact I’m not too proud to dance with beginners. My experience has borne that out.

    • maika says

      September 9, 2013 at 8:15 pm

      Thank you K’ai! It’s great to have your input on this topic.

  4. Janis says

    September 11, 2013 at 11:57 am

    I took up Argentine Tango because I am a glutton for punishment. Surely, that must be it. With a somewhat solid background in ballroom, I soon discovered that everything I had learned was a greater hindrance to dancing tango than an asset. With the same self-knowledge that one person asks of another who speaks with a southern drawl, “What part of Texas are you from?” leaders would ask me, “Where did you learn ballroom?” 
       
    I was never at the top of the food chain as a ballroom dancer, but I suddenly slipped from a solid intermediate status to the depths of the deepest ocean, to become some obscure plankton struggling to survive my first molinetta, to endure the horrors of realizing too late that my leader wanted me to gauncho him, and me nearly tripping him with my delayed reaction. As I have progressed, I like to think I have redeemed myself somewhat, although I fear I am still on some of the more experienced leaders’ “Do not dance list.” 

    Yet there are times I feel light-headed/heavenly euphoric when I complete a move or a tanda that goes well, or dance a good part of an evening with few breaks, only to find myself in the dumps at the next venue, when sitting too long without a dance invitation starts to play mind-games with my “dance-esteem.”

    Why do I struggle with this, when I could focus my time on ballroom dancing at elegant places like Le Colonial where the valet parks my car, instead of me scurrying down dark alleys in questionable parts of town to attend tango venues in funky buildings with icky ladies’ rooms? 

    It’s my “gluttony-punishment-thing.” Numerous tango dancers have shared their own experiences with me regarding this, telling me this is an incurable condition and that I should simply try to live with it.

    I’m doomed.

Tango scenes in SF

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Celebrate #bayareatango community, support everyone involved & share ♥️ of #tango with San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

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As the year-end approaches, many SF local tango ev As the year-end approaches, many SF local tango events have had or will have their last event of 2022 to wrap things up. This year's last Milonga Rubia al Sur happened this past Sunday, Dec 18 with DJ @ayano.yoneda.tango and special performance with visiting artist, @martinalmironartist, and milonga host, Lisette @passion4tango. 

With the holidays coming up and Argentina winning the world cup, dancing tango all night long around Lisette's very own flower arrangements was just the appropriate celebration people needed.

Hosted by Lisette Perelle, Milonga Rubia is held every 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month, with current location at Just Dance Ballroom (2500 Embarcadero) in Oakland and a different DJ for each event.

✨ Fun fact - how Milonga Rubia got its name... ✨

Lisette's Argentine friends have always been calling her 'Rubia' because of her blonde hair. One day about 6 years ago, when she was discussing naming this new milonga with @julian_tangosf, he said, “Why not just call it Milonga Rubia?" That's how Milonga Rubia got its name! The event once was in a venue in Emeryville/Richmond. Once Lisette changed venues to a more southern location (Just Dance Ballroom in Oakland), the event's name was changed to 'Milonga Rubia al Sur' accordingly.
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Last Saturday, Saturday Dec 17, @abrazoqueertango Last Saturday, Saturday Dec 17, @abrazoqueertango hosted their Holiday Bash with performances by @mirabtango and Miranda at @tangodome, a cool art gallery and dance space at 951 62nd St in Oakland.

🏳️‍🌈 Abrazo Queer Tangois a volunteer-run organization, and after expenses, all funds are used to pay for their events and offer discounts to students and folks short on cash. To help the org break even in 2022 and fund its 2023 programs, last Saturday's event was positioned as a fundraiser with a sliding scale $20-$40 for folks to choose how they'd like to show their support, offering a sweet night of performance, community and great music in a magical location. 

Missed the event yet still would like to support Queer Tango? Donations always totally work! Please write *donation* in the comment via your favorite method:
Venmo ➡️ abrazo-tango (Karen Curtis)
Paypal ➡️ abrazoqueertango@gmail.com
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💫 #motivationmonday is not over yet so here is 💫 #motivationmonday is not over yet so here is a quick recap of the International Day of Tango at @greatnorthernsf last night! 💫 Milonga hosted by @julian_tangosf with DJ @loco_chung. 
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#diadeltango #tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevent #specialevents #milonga #sundayfunday #socialdancing #bailemos #embrace #tangodancers #bayareatango #sanfrancisco #keepdancing #dancingislife #weekendrecap
This Friday night in the heart of San Francisco, t This Friday night in the heart of San Francisco, tango dancers and the public who are curious art lovers had a unique experience with live music performed by local tango musicians and the strategic mix of TANGO • VALS • MILONGA • ALTERNATIVE music by DJ @jonas.aqui of @jxtango at @drawingroomsf_annex, an art • gallery • studio in the Mission district – a free event by the collaboration of @chetangosf, @drawingroomsf and @artistmigration. 

Artists featured:
Sumi Lee (piano) @sfsumi
J Ramada (bass)
Basma Edrees (violin) @basmaedreesviolin
Verónica Freidkes (vocal) @veroverofreidkes

Check out our stories and story highlights for snippets of the performances and tango dancing around art pieces!
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❣️ about Che! Tango SF❣️

All events created by Ramada Salieri and Elaine Chiu are dedicated to providing an inclusive and friendly dancing and learning environment in San Francisco and the Bay Area regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or any other characteristic or trait.

ONGOING EVENTS
Che! Milonga: Every 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month 
Che! Música + Milonga: Once every quarter on a 2nd Saturday
Milonga Uno: 3rd Saturday of every other month
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❣️ about The Drawing Room SF ❣️

MISSION
The Drawing Room connects community through art to help improve the overall human condition by making art accessible and part of the daily fabric of our lives. 
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❣️about Artist Migration❣️

ANTI CAPITALIST ART
Artist-led curatorial project providing performance and exhibition opportunities to international artists.
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #livemusic #fridaynights #art #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #artislife  #tangomusicians #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #bayareatango #sflovestango #jxtango
Those who came out to @tangolabruja last night had Those who came out to @tangolabruja last night had an epic evening of dancing and live music with three highly skillful tango musicians’ improvised music – Trio Tangazo, a dynamite tango trio made up of Sascha Jacobsen (bass), Seth Asarnow (piano), and Adrian Jost (bandoneon). 

~~Fun fact~~
Sascha, Seth and Adrian all performed at La Bruja previously - either with other tango ensembles or in duo - but it was the first time all three of them taking the stage together!

📍 @berkeleycityclub 
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🥧 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so @milongamalevaje 🥧 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so @milongamalevaje is closed for that matter, but here is something different & fun from last Thursday 😉 with DJ @jonas.aqui, courtesy of hosts @tanguera_e, Ramada Salieri and Adolfo Caszarry.

Have a wonderful holiday everyone!
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✨ FRIDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨ It’s been awhile sin ✨ FRIDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨

It’s been awhile since Milonga La Genesis (hosted by @julian_tangosf) has live tango music. Last night LEO TANGASSO QUARTET was in the house, featuring @leogassomusic from Montevideo, Uruguay on bandoneon,  @smurfetteshum on piano, Stella Bonilla on violin,  @digsmahler on double bass.

(🎥 @tangonnection, edited by @sflovestango)
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #specialevent #bayareatango #tangomusic #livemusic #tangomusicians #bandoneon #piano #doublebass #violin #quartet #onenightonly #milonganight #sanfrancisco #sflovestango
👏 The all-female tango ensemble, 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨, wrapped up their 2022 concert tour at @alameda_elks1015, playing for a full house of guests at the @housetango Community Milonga.

𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is a collaboration between powerhouse female tango musicians @sfsumi (piano), @heynisolera (bandoneon), and @teagbby (violin). Their concert on Sunday featured guest bassist @fabricanfabricant and vocalist @teresatam.sing.

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The mission of 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is to present contemporary Argentine tango through virtuosic artistic performance and educational events.  Sumi, Heyni, and Teagan originally bonded in Buenos Aires, drawn by a mutual love of tango music, as well as by a realization of the inequality of professional opportunity for women in the tango genre. They studied under the same maestros and performed with prestigious tango orchestras in Buenos Aires.  They now frequently perform around the world, including in their respective adopted cities of San Francisco (Sumi), Washington, DC (Heyni), and NYC (Teagan). All of the musicians also produce their own music. 
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#tango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #travelingmusician #heynibando #tour #beautifulwomen #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #berkeley #oakland #bayareatango #tangomusicians
🎉 Saturday, October 22 marked the grand re-open 🎉 Saturday, October 22 marked the grand re-opening of Vecher Tango at the Russian Center of SF!

After a long pause of two and a half year, the magnificent grand ballroom was filled with tango energy again. What made the occasion extra special was the incredible performances by another visiting master couple @javierchikk & @moiracastellano. To top it off, @virginiaychristian "Los Totis" joined Javier & Moira on the floor for a mixed maestros dance!

Shout-out to our dearest friend Davood Yazdani, Julia Schiptsova of Tango Element, and all the local organizers for making this weekend feel like a mini tango festival in San Francisco!
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#tango #argentinetango #argentinetango♥️ #tangoargentino #milonganight #tangoperformance #bailar #bailemos #bailando #tangoshow #tangoevent #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto
✨It's a star-struck tango week in SF!!✨ @vir ✨It's a star-struck tango week in SF!!✨ 

@virginiaychristian "Los Totis" have been teaching in San Francisco (brought to you by our very own Davood Yazdani who's in collaboration with Julia Schiptsova of Tango Element!) And we were mesmerized by their fantastic performances last night at the special edition of @milongamalevaje at @verdiclubsf ! 🤩👏
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#tango #argentinetango #argentinetango♥️ #tangoargentino  #tangoperformance #bailar 
#bailemos #bailando #tangoshow  #tangoevent #tangoperformance #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto
💫 Exactly a year later, 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨, an all-female tango musician collaboration, has returned to the SF Bay Area!! 

Last night they took the audience on a magical journey to Buenos Aires with a concert-milonga at @tangolabruja in Berkeley. Check out our stories to see more snippets of their performance!

𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is a collaboration between powerhouse female tango musicians @sfsumi (piano), @heynisolera (bandoneon), and @teagbby (violin). The concert last night featured guest singer @veroverofreidkes.

The mission of 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is to present contemporary Argentine tango through virtuosic artistic performance and educational events. Sumi Lee, Heyni Solera, and Teagan Faran originally bonded in Buenos Aires, drawn by a mutual love of tango music, as well as by a realization of the inequality of professional opportunity for women in the tango genre. They studied under the same maestros and performed with prestigious tango orchestras in Buenos Aires.  They now frequently perform around the world, including in their respective adopted cities of San Francisco (Sumi), Washington, DC (Heyni), and NYC (Teagan). All of the musicians also produce their own music. 

Catch them for the rest of their tour!
🔸10/20 (Thur) 10pm, World Folk Jam concert w/ ten other world music groups, Oakland
🔸10/21 (Fri) 7pm, Sebastopol Center for the Arts
🔸10/22 (Sat) 7:30pm, Sunset Music and Arts, San Francisco
🔸10/23 (Sun) 3:30pm, houseTango Community Milonga @ Alameda Elks Lodge, Alameda
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#tango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #travelingmusician #heynibando #tour #beautifulwomen #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #berkeley #oakland #bayareatango
🤩 𝓜𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓪 𝓕𝓲𝓪𝓽 🤩 𝓜𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓪 𝓕𝓲𝓪𝓽 𝓛𝓾𝔁 by the @berkeleytangoclub (ATCB) returned to the #ucberkeley campus earlier today, with DJ Prashant! 🎶

The ATCB is a Registered Student Organization of the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), comprised of University of California Berkeley students, staff, alumni, and members of the local community who love tango. Their mission is to develop a student tango community at UC Berkeley fit to carry the flag of this generation and the generations to come.

They currently hold classes and práctica every Sunday and a milonga (Milonga Fiat Lux!) about once a month. Whether you are just beginning tango, or have been dancing for some time, you are welcome to join. They aim to hold high-quality events to prepare students to become active members of the Bay Area tango community, and to provide a safe and welcoming social dancing environment.

📌 Mark your calendar for the next Milonga Fiat Lux, a winter edition🎄
𝟮–𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟰
See you in 𝟮𝟰𝟬 𝗘𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 of UC Berkeley!
https://m.facebook.com/events/1713049302422431

For more updates:
Email: ucbtango@gmail.com
Facebook: @ArgentineTangoClubBerkeley
Instagram: @berkeleytangoclub 
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangoargentino♥️ #tangoevent #milonga #socialdance #partnerdance #bailemos #bailar #bailando #dancing #tangodancers #berkeleytangoclub #bayareatango #sflovestango
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