Hot Take: “Nobody is Practicing”

“Nobody is practicing” is a statement we’ve been hearing a lot lately. If you’re a person looking around practica and thinking this you’re the one not practicing. Harsh, I know but let’s look at the responses we get when we call this out.

• People are just dancing at practica and not practicing.
  Maybe. Sometimes we forget that Argentine Tango is a dance. To improve at an activity like dance we just have to go out and do the thing. For you practicing could mean breaking down the movement millimeter by millimeter. For someone else it could be gathering the courage to show up in a space they feel vulnerable in because they don’t think they are good enough. For another person it could be practicing how to lead or follow you since we all respond differently. Practicing doesn’t look the same for everyone. 

• You ask people  “What are you practicing?” and the person responds “ I’m just here to dance”. 

We’ve heard this. I’ve asked this and heard this response only to realize the person was actually not “just dancing” . They were trying to lead a sequence in class and didn’t want to tell me to see if they could lead it. Or they were practicing the feedback they got in class and were really focusing on it. Or they just go blank when you ask. Or maybe they don’t want feedback from you and that’s okay too.  Or they really are there to just dance and that’s okay too. That person may not be a fit as a practice partner for you. Another question to consider asking is “What could we practice together?”. You can help the conversation by proposing some ideas. Another question is “What does practicing look like for you?”.

The timing of the question is also important. If you invite someone to dance at practica and ask this question on the floor they may feel pressure to provide a succinct answer to not hold up the ronda but their answer requires more than a few seconds to convey. We recommend trying to have this conversation before you’re on the floor so people don’t feel this kind of pressure especially if they are not used to having this conversation with you. 

• “Nobody is at my level.”
  There is always something you can practice with someone no matter your perceived level. Dancing with someone with less experience is a perfect way to test if you can truly lead or follow and if your technique is as strong as you think it is. 
  

Consider an alternative

An alternative approach is to propose how your partner can help you practice. If you’re thinking nobody is practicing you probably have an idea of what practicing looks like. Propose to your partner the topic and how they can give you feedback. Remember to consider your partner’s experience background when proposing a topic and managing your expectations on how they can help you. A scenario example could be practicing ochos and your partner has no idea how to do them. So you’d need to adjust your expectations accordingly.

Change your mindset

The statement “Nobody is practicing” is also kind of odd. If we went to a gym we know everyone is there to accomplish their own thing. It could be training for a lifting competition, for general health, to socialize, or even to get out of the house. Everyone has different motives to be there. If you went to a  gym you’d have your own plan on what you want to accomplish. So let’s change our mindset of “nobody is practicing” to “how can I improve my tango practice?” and “how can I help others with their tango practice?”