brilliant!

Thanks for the comments. This particular topic must be striking a chord with quite a few people because this simple post has suddenly become the mostly commented on this blog!

Totally agreed about the positive feedback. In fact, I was at the receiving end in Taipei recently so I can identify with the “after-glow” that a positive feedback can bring!

ps, For my quick impressions of the Taipei Festival, see my email to Royce.

Great post! Unfortunately lecturing leaders are in most cases far from being the best ones on the dance floor. Indeed that’s the reason why they need to lecture, because those, who can, do, and those, who can’t, lecture!

Once in a while, I invite very beginner followers. I usually do not lecture followers and I try to give only positive feedbacks (if giving positive feedbacks isn’t possible, then I stay quiet and talk about next day’s weather…)

When I feel a beginner follower has a potential to become a good dancer, I sometimes ask her whether she minds I give her one advice. When she is OK with it, I try to share with her one tip, which when I started, helps me in my dancing.

Like: “try to relax a bit more” when I feel she is tense or “try to keep your posture up” if she has a tendency to sink or “be lazy” if she has a tendency to go to fast or “if you don’t feel it, don’t do it” when I feel that she feels compelled to add unnecessary things to show that she is dancing…

In any case, I only mention 1 point at a time in order not to make her confuse. Also, I never lecture on moves. Milonga is a social party, let’s keep it enjoyable for everyone.

The tango connection like any relationship is based on confidence and trust. It should be a relationship between 2 equal individuals. There should be no teachers or students on the dance floor, only friends.

By the way how was Taippei?
Jean-Michel
PS: for all English speaker, my name sound like I’m a girl but I’m a guy : )