Things that the best teachers can’t teach.
I had a private with Silvina Valz a few weeks ago. We worked on milonga con traspie. ” Could we dance a tango?” I asked her at the end of the class. “Sure. Anything you like.” She was always very pleasant to work with. Although I had danced with her from time to time in the milongas, I had not worked my tango with her for a year.
“Have you worked with other teachers?” She asked me at the end of the dance.
“Not really. I took some workshops at tangocamp and two privates here. In NYC, I work with you and in BsAs, Javier and Andrea. ” I answered, not sure what she meant. ” Why?”
“Your tango has changed so much. It was really nice. ”
” Oh…” That was nice to hear! ” I have been traveling a lot to dance with good dancers this summer. You know all the festivals. And I’ve been thinking a lot. Trying to find my way…”
” Yes, sometimes there are things best teachers couldn’t teach. You need time to learn…”
” I still remembered what you taught me at our first class.” I said to her ” One year and half later, now I understand that concept more. That’s what a great teacher sometimes does. Things they teach could be inspiring and thought-provoking for a long time.”
Experience, however, c0uld not be taught.
I danced with an acquaintance not long ago. She has danced less than two years. I didn’t dance with her regularly. She greeted me in the milonga, with the usual pleasant smile and good energy, and said ” save me a dance later.” “Sure” I promised.
We had a nice tanda later. She felt so much better and pleasant to dance with. ” Have you been taking classes?” I asked ” you have gotten so much better.”
“No baby, I learned it in the milongas, like the true milonguera.” She said proudly. I gave her a high five…
I still look forward to taking classes with Javier and Andrea again in March. It is important to learn from good teachers. They could help to build a good foundation. And great teachers could teach you something that inspires you life long. Yet nobody can teach you your own experience.
Like the old saying in martial arts: The master shows you the way, how far you go if entirely up to you.
