Orange Practica
Tonight I went stag to the Orange Practica in Berkeley, met Homer and Cristina, and had a great time dancing. It works well for me to show up for the class right before the practica, then I get to meet people in class who like my dancing, and I get to find out who I’m interested in asking to dance. I think part of the problem before is that I’ve been showing up at milongas without knowing the community, and I have to work really hard to get any momentum to ask some stranger if they’ll dance with me.
At a milonga, if you’ve screwed up and they’re not happy, they’ll often put up with you until the end of the set, and then go tell all their friends that you’re a terrible lead. Even if it was not my fault. (Explain to me, again, how this is supposed to be fun? Where’s the motivation, if there is no reward?)
I very much liked the open atmosphere, the friendly vibe, even the few tandas of alternative music. (By alternative I don’t mean Pearl Jam, I mean tango-able songs that were written after about 1959.) Homer was very friendly to me, when I introduced myself and said I was a fan of their YouTube videos; he even helped me get a ride home, which is no mean feat since Berkeley is about 25 minutes away across a bridge, or 1:20 by transit. I feel really positive about him and Cristina, and I’m tempted to see if I can arrange a private lesson with him about when it’s appropriate to relax the hips and get that huge torsion, and when it’s best to keep everything together. I think I’ll ask Michael and Beatrix the same question, and probably get different answers.
I like that about tango, that there can be many different forms that are right. Well, some people don’t think so, but I’m not very interested in their opinions. I just want to have a good time, not be all snobby about someone else having a good time.
At a milonga, if you’ve screwed up and they’re not happy, they’ll often put up with you until the end of the set, and then go tell all their friends that you’re a terrible lead. Even if it was not my fault. (Explain to me, again, how this is supposed to be fun? Where’s the motivation, if there is no reward?)
I very much liked the open atmosphere, the friendly vibe, even the few tandas of alternative music. (By alternative I don’t mean Pearl Jam, I mean tango-able songs that were written after about 1959.) Homer was very friendly to me, when I introduced myself and said I was a fan of their YouTube videos; he even helped me get a ride home, which is no mean feat since Berkeley is about 25 minutes away across a bridge, or 1:20 by transit. I feel really positive about him and Cristina, and I’m tempted to see if I can arrange a private lesson with him about when it’s appropriate to relax the hips and get that huge torsion, and when it’s best to keep everything together. I think I’ll ask Michael and Beatrix the same question, and probably get different answers.
I like that about tango, that there can be many different forms that are right. Well, some people don’t think so, but I’m not very interested in their opinions. I just want to have a good time, not be all snobby about someone else having a good time.