Effective Teaching Methods from the Perspective of a Beginning Tango Student
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Please answer the following survey from your perspective as a BEGINNING TANGO STUDENT! If you are not a beginner, (but are in fact an advanced tango dancer or are a tango teacher)... think back and put your self in the mind set of when you were first learning to dance tango! (There are 13 questions in this survey.)
1. Within the tango community I am a (choose as many as like):
2. I've been dancing tango for...
3. When you were a beginner, what TEACHER QUALITIES were most important to you for successfully learning tango?
(1)
Worthless!		(2)
Not Very		(3)
Average		(4)
Very Important		(5)
Extremely Important!
Spent time explaining the "culture" of tango.
Non-judgemental.
Danced with you during the class.
Good dancer.
Flexible and creative in the classroom.
Good communication skills.
Funny and entertaining.
Understood the mechanics of tango.
Patience.
Methodical and organized.
Encouraging.
Good listener and observer (empathetic).
Knew your name.
4. In your personal experience, what additional teacher qualities not listed above did you find to be most effective?
(Feel free to expand and/or clarify any of the qualities listed above.)
5. In your very first 6-8 week group class for ABSOLUTE BEGINNER'S, what general concepts and principles
were, or should have been, taught, emphasized and practiced.
(1)
No, Never!		(2)
Probably Not		(3)
If there's time		(4)
Yes, Probably		(5)
Absolutely!
Followers should wait for the lead (not anticipate).
Vals.
Navigation.
Etiquette.
Pauses.
Milonga (the dance).
Open Embrace.
Close Embrace (V-Shape).
Improvisation.
Close Embrace (Apilado).
Disassociation in rotation between shoulders and hips.
Technique for walking forward.
Techniques for Following.
Balance.
Timing and rhythm.
Maintaining line of dance.
Leaders should wait for the follow to complete her step before leading another.
Technique for walking backward.
Maintaining one's axis.
Overcoming the emotional hurdle of close embrace.
Musicality.
Embellishments.
Contra body motion.
Posture.
History of Tango.
Techniques for Leading.
Collecting the feet.
6. In your experience as a beginning student, what additional concepts and principles not listed above did you find to be most effective?
(Again, feel free to expand or clarify any topic already listed above.)
7. In your first tango class for BEGINNERS, which of the following specific elements were or should have been been taught and emphasized more.
(1)
No Never.		(2)
Probably Not		(3)
If There's Time		(4)
Probably Yes		(5)
Absolutely
Ocho cortado.
Resolution.
Back ochos.
Crusada.
Eight count basic.
Walking in place (marking time).
Walking forward and backward.
Walking in the cross-foot system.
Forward ochos.
Salida.
Molinetes.
Check left turn.
Side steps.
8. In your personal experience as a beginner student, what specific element not listed above should also be taught to absolute beginners?
(Also, feel free to expand on any of the topics listed above.)
9. Which of the following teaching techniques do you think were the most effective in your first ABSOLUTE BEGINNER'S class.
(1)
Useless!		(2)
Not Helpful		(3)
Average Worth		(4)
Good Idea		(5)
Extremely Worthwhile!
Having women lead women.
Having men lead men.
Asking students to demo and then critiquing them in front of the class.
Follow/lead visually without touching each other.
Clapping to the beat.
Practice hugging each other.
Separating leaders/followers and teaching each group seperately.
Changing partners often.
Walking around during group practice time and critiquing students individually.
Demonstrating with partner slowly while students follow along.
Having the follows dance with their eyes closed.
Having women lead men.
Doing walking exercises in solo position (no partner).
10. In your experience as a beginning student, what additional teaching techniques not listed above did you find were extremely effective and worhwhile?
11. For ABSOLUTE BEGINNER'S CLASS, what style music do you think is most effective for learning Argentine tango.
Give answer as a percentage. (Total must be 100).
12. If you answered "Other", please identify...
13. What additional thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc not discussed in previous questions did you find highly effective in learning to dance Argentine
Tango?
Thank you for completing this survey.

To view a compilation of everyone's responses (including yours) click here.

Otherwise, just click on the "Done>>" button below. Happy tangoing!!!.....clay