This is the question that faces me every morning as I hit the prime button on my espresso machine. I stare at my notebook until the first cappuccino is gone. I’m not allowed to open the computer, read, or deal with logistics. It’s creative time, problem solving time. And this is one of the problems I’ve been considering nearly every day for the last couple of years. It’s a problem that results in constant refinements of my pedagogy, experiments and projects, the follower’s back sacada competition I’m plotting, and quite a few free technique posts.
It’s a very selfish project. I live here, and I want to enjoy dancing with lots of people.
I know that it takes more than good pedagogy and technique, it takes more than visiting maestros. It takes what Armin calls “wildness”. I call it “risk”. If leaders are going to grow, we need to not worry about looking perfect and staying in control. We need to try things and see what happens, we need to dance moves we haven’t mastered yet.
Practicas tend to provide a forgiving atmosphere and space to growing dancers, but unfortunately we have very few here in Sydney. So that means that growing leaders (and that should be all of us), will need to use the milongas as a space to take risks and dance imperfectly if we are to improve.
We all need encouragement to grow, and the most experienced among us can set an example for one another and for less experienced dancers by showing our willingness to try unfamiliar things, take risks, and make mistakes, to expand our dance.
