Responsibility
From time to time, I hear ‘complaints’ (both in person and discussions on the Tango-L list) about visiting Tango teachers’ teaching methods as they run a series of workshops during their short stays. These can range from techniques, styles, choice of words, the embrace (open or close), etc. Inevitably, there are concerns that people are not getting the ‘real deal’, or the new material have not been explained clearly enough?
While no doubt there are times where such concerns are valid, I fear that, perhaps just as often, these teachers may be judged unfairly!?
I personally believe that there is a time and place for everything. In the context of Tango, this means that we can only appreciate or understand the instructions/explanations appropriate to our own levels. Secondly, everyone views things from his/her perspective, so very naturally we end up examining whatever new material we in terms of our previous experiences, as well as prior prejudices.
How can we guard against this possible bias? I believe patience is the key. Just as the fundamental techniques in Tango can’t be mastered in a single 1 1/2 hour workshop, why not give the same benefit of the doubt to concepts. After all, trying to ‘verify’ a newly introduced concept is more than half of fun, no?
After having spent our hard-earned cash to attend workshops, the onus is also on us to spend the necessary energy to learn.
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