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KatieR
25th-April-2006, 03:12 AM
Hi all!

Recently I have been getting into Argentine Tango in a very big way. I have done some private sessions and now go to classes about 2 - 3 times a week and have just been to a pretty big weekender. The MJ scene is Adelaide is severely lacking not to mention slowly imploding, and there is no West Coast Swing *major sad*.

I have been really enjoying it, however the social side of it is very different to an MJ freestyle and wondered what the actual etiquette for a Tango Milonga or Practica are.

When my Tango dance partner and I attend a Milonga, even though I am now starting to get to know everyone from the Tango classes, I am very rarely asked to dance. People stick to dancers they know very well and even though they are lovely and will come and talk to you, they just wont ask you to dance. It is different for Adrian being a guy as he can do the asking (I have discovered that girls just dont ask...) but he still finds that he gets some quite distressed looks from ladies.

I know that I am a beginner but have been told my Tango following is very good.

I would love to know what other people have found and if anyone actually in the know can fill me in so that I dont continue making a complete and utter fool of myself.

timbp
25th-April-2006, 05:54 AM
When my Tango dance partner and I attend a Milonga, even though I am now starting to get to know everyone from the Tango classes, I am very rarely asked to dance. People stick to dancers they know very well and even though they are lovely and will come and talk to you, they just wont ask you to dance. It is different for Adrian being a guy as he can do the asking (I have discovered that girls just dont ask...) but he still finds that he gets some quite distressed looks from ladies.

I know that I am a beginner but have been told my Tango following is very good.

I would love to know what other people have found and if anyone actually in the know can fill me in so that I dont continue making a complete and utter fool of myself.
I haven't been to a milonga myself. But my impression from reading various things on the internet (from all parts of the world) is that in many places beginners should not expect to dance with anyone but beginners, and should feel privileged if anyone more advanced asks/accepts a dance. On the other hand, at the classes I've been to, I got the impression the teachers are trying to break that down and encourage people to dance with everyone.

As for actual asking for a dance, what I've read is that you should make eye contact with someone you want to dance with. Then it is for the guy to actually ask. But if you break eye contact before he gets to you to actually ask, that's taken as a refusal.

Personally I'm not convinced we need to import argentinian social etiquette along with the dance.

So the easter weekender was good? What did you think of Peter and Lisa's classes? I think Peter is a great teacher.

philsmove
25th-April-2006, 08:49 AM
HI Katie you are very lucky to have a regular partner

I have found a very similar situation in Bristol

Being refused a dance is quite common, even from fellow beginners

I used to go to Tango classes three or more times a week but the lack a partner has made progress virtually impossible

I am sliding back to MJ were every one dances with everyone

And at last nights MJ class I made a point of asking as many beginners as possible for a dance, I now know has depressing it is, if no one will dance with you

As has been said many time on this tread Tango is different, very different

PS at one AT class (not in Bristol) after the lesson the teacher told to ask someone else for a dance, so my mate made a major mistake and asked the teacher. “if looks could kill” poor chap he never went back

Msfab
25th-April-2006, 09:10 AM
When my Tango dance partner and I attend a Milonga, even though I am now starting to get to know everyone from the Tango classes, I am very rarely asked to dance. People stick to dancers they know very well and even though they are lovely and will come and talk to you, they just wont ask you to dance. It is different for Adrian being a guy as he can do the asking (I have discovered that girls just dont ask...) but he still finds that he gets some quite distressed looks from ladies.

I would love to know what other people have found and if anyone actually in the know can fill me in so that I dont continue making a complete and utter fool of myself.

Hi Katie

Ive been to a couple of Tango milongas/practice/freestyle down my way, and yes at first these are intimidating, but as with MJ as people start knowing the faces it becomes easier.
As for the Lady asking for a dance, I was told that we could and infact that it was encouraged. And so this is what I did - whats the worst that could happen?:rolleyes: I can only speak as an AT follow, with dancing with the better dances I was able to get feedback which really helped me. There was no one that didnt want to help!
Dont give up Katie:flower:

under par
25th-April-2006, 09:16 AM
Hi Katie


Dont give up Katie:flower:

says the penguin with..... boxing gloves on:what:

Msfab
25th-April-2006, 09:25 AM
says the penguin with..... boxing gloves on:what:

You can see that im armed and dangerous, yet you still insist!

Back to the topic of Tango etiquette.....Any views UP?:rolleyes:

under par
25th-April-2006, 09:30 AM
You can see that im armed and dangerous, yet you still insist!

Back to the topic of Tango etiquette.....Any views UP?:rolleyes:

Its always best to dance to tango music if you can :yeah: :kiss:

Msfab
25th-April-2006, 09:45 AM
Its always best to dance to tango music if you can :yeah: :kiss:

Well thank you for that bit of advice, Katie can you use it?:rolleyes:

Is there such thing as Tango music? People seem to be dancing to not what Id call tango music like on SDF and the film 'Take the lead':confused:

under par
25th-April-2006, 09:48 AM
Well thank you for that bit of advice, Katie can you use it?:rolleyes:

:

It's my pleasure as always Manal xx U.P. I do try hard.:flower:

KatieR
25th-April-2006, 10:12 AM
that in many places beginners should not expect to dance with anyone but beginners, and should feel privileged if anyone more advanced asks/accepts a dance.

I always get quite a few dances with our instructor, he said that they always like to make sure beginners always get a dance. I had a couple of dances with a few other guys but they got rid of me as quick as possible like I had some kind of infectious disease.



So the easter weekender was good? What did you think of Peter and Lisa's classes? I think Peter is a great teacher.

It was fantastic, unfortunately I didn't get to do any of their classes, I did Pedro and Sophia's workshops and also some of Emile and Nazan (from Germany)'s workshops as well.

It really helped my tango in a huge way, and also helped my MJ!

KatieR
25th-April-2006, 10:15 AM
Well thank you for that bit of advice, Katie can you use it?:rolleyes:

Is there such thing as Tango music? People seem to be dancing to not what Id call tango music like on SDF and the film 'Take the lead':confused:

Not sure Manal, I will give it a try!

The two different schools I go to are very different, Siempre Tango is very old school, whereas the Southern Cross Tango guys are a lot younger and use more modern style tango music like Gotan Project which I just love.