After a few months of break for other projects, I started dancing again.
On Saturday 3/17/18, we had a WCS party. On Saturday 3/24/18 we had a salsa party. On both occasions, I had a chance to dance with a visiting instructor, and had a decent dance. Thank you so much.
Such dances remind me of how much I love dancing, and also help me to get back in shape. (Speaking of shape, my body moved surprisingly well for WCS and Salsa, though.)
On Sunday 3/25/18, we had a milonga at All about cha cafe in downtown Tulsa.
There was a beginning couple, who asked me "some tips" for Tango. They learned the "basic eight" steps of Argentine Tango in the past month, and were practicing it.
They seemed perplexed at the milonga, because the way other people were dancing Tango was so different from the "basic eight".
I told them that "basic eight" is not meant to be copied in milonga. The step is meant to teach elements needed to dance Argentine Tango, and dancers need to break the "basic eight" step apart and use the elements to dance.
Bottom line. Beginning dancers need to develop basic body usage for Tango first. We would have them practice basic elements, like walking, ocho, molinette, cross, etc.
In other words, they need to practice "what" they need to do for the dance.
There were other dancers who knew these basic Tango moves. In other words, they knew "what".
But unless they demonstrate "how" well they do the moves, the dance wouldn't become interesting to others (including his/her partner).
"How" they carry themselves, "how" they support partner, "how" they move together, "how" they execute a move, "how" they dance with the music, etc etc. "How" is pretty much everything once a dancer gets "what" they should do.
Even if they think they know Tango, if their posture is misaligned and looks uncomfortable or forced, then their "how" is not good enough. Fixing "how" requires third person viewpoint; mirror, video, coach/instructor, etc.
There are different kinds of professionals for dancing. Professional teachers can teach "what" to do for a dance, at least. Professional dancers are people who know and demonstrate both "what" and "how". If their dances do not have convincing power to others, they still have a lot to learn as "dancers".
When you learn a dance, you can pay attention to whether you are learning "What" or "How".
