The Milonga Is Not the Place to Teach

A charming lead sent this excerpt last week to apologize for being a "DFT," dance floor teacher. Needless to say, when someone you have known for a year and have danced with a few times gives you a few pointers mid-milonga, that is a different thing than what is described here.

Click the link to read the full essay.

The Milonga Is Not the Place to Teach
http://tangothoughts.blogspot.com/

Tango possesses so many positive qualities, yet sometimes wrong conduct sabotages the possibility of these positive qualities coming together. "

. . .

"One reprehensible behavior is teaching anyone to dance after the start of or during the time of the milonga."

. . .

"The usual victim is the novice or inexperienced dancer at the milongas, eager to learn and enter into our marvelous world or, better yet, the occasional dancer, most likely a beginner, who has spent little time on the dance floor, who will acquiesce silently in order to avoid facing major troubles."

. . .

"At first the intention [of someone teaching during a milonga] would appear noble and generous, but this hides the true and unpleasant expression manifested by this behavior which is to assert oneself or make oneself appear to be an expert within the dance. "

. . .

"A second intention of he who attempts to teach or make corrections during the dance is to imprint an indelible message upon his partner that she lacks skill, is clumsy or is not capable."

Raul Cabral (translated by Dianne Castro)