Since we won't meet again for more than two weeks thanks to the powers-to-be at Perelman Quad :(, UPennTango has decided to keep you company with some more advice.

Let's talk about one of our top pet peeves: teaching.

First of all, teaching, as well as any kind of advice, should never come unsolicited. If you have been dancing for a longer time than your partner, you should not just assume that they want to be enlightened by you! Even if you feel that your wisdom will be priceless to your partner, ASK FIRST: "may I make a suggestion?" Then, even if they say 'yes', always have the suspicion that they are just being nice, so DON'T OVERDO IT. Make your suggestion and move on, don't subject your partner to a whole lecture.

Second: teaching is a NO-NO *at milongas*.  As a matter of fact, most types of talking are a NO-NO while dancing.  The dance floor is not a place to catch up - people are there for a reason: to dance! Other than

annoying your partner who probably wants to concentrate on the dance and just have a good time, you are also annoying everybody else around you, people who are also trying to relax and concentrate on the music

and their partners!

If you want to catch up with someone on last week's news, do it *away from the dance floor*. The refreshments table is a popular socializing spot. The chairs around the dance floor are another option, though people may think that you are looking for a dance, not a conversation. In any case, any place *other than the dance floor* is safe.

If you absolutely need to make a suggestion while dancing, take your partner to a corner or preferably to another room, *always after asking for their permission to give advice*.  NEVER start practicing/teaching a move in the middle of the dance floor! You will create a traffic jam, receive lots of unflattering comments from fellow dancers behind your back, and that will have an impact on your reputation in the dance community (if that's of interest to you).

If you are at a practica, rules are generally more flexible.  People go to practicas to practice, therefore talking and teaching are generally acceptable.  I say 'generally' because once again, this doesn't mean that you should lecture a partner non-stop! Always have your antennas up, ready to sense when a partner has had enough of coaching. If you are at a guided practica or a class, it's a good idea to wait till the class is over before offering a 'private' to one of the students.  If nothing else, it is very inconsiderate towards the teacher as well as

the student, especially if s/he has paid for that class!

Finally, if you are the recipient of such 'attention', feel free to speak up when enough is enough. Of course, if you enjoy the situation, then good for you and keep having a good time! But if you don't, please say so. You don't have to be nasty about it, a simple "let's just dance and talk later" should do it. Remember that your 'teacher' may have good intentions, but doesn't realize that you may not be in the mood for a lecture. It's only fair to both of you if you make it clear.

that's all for now. WARNING: more to come! (ok, that's unsolicited advice, but you can just delete the message :)

happy dancing!

What others have to say

-- Tango manners by the Yale Tango Club^th
-- The Do's and Don'ts of Inviting and Accepting by Ney Melo