Thank you, Larry. This is a great explanation. Warm regards,
Nina At 10:32 PM 9/25/2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >Nina Pesochinsky wrote -------> So what is the value of an >over-explained tango? > >One or two people seemed to take this as a put-down of some sort. I >thought it >funny: a clever play on the words that David Thorn had just used, when he was >talking about an over-turned ocho (one that turns more than 180 >degrees) forced >on him by a lady who stepped closer to him on the second half of the >ocho than >he was expecting. > >Or, reading her later response, I wondered if it was a question as >well. As in >"What is the fuss all about? Why are you spending so many words on >an evanescent >experience?" > >OK. I'll answer the question. > >As often happens, there are several forces working in the long >detailed analyses >of various subjects such as those you sometimes see on this list. Why >(over)explain? > >For some people it's simply fun, a sort of game. > >For others, it's an attempt to help others on a subject they have mastered. >Which often has the side benefit that the explanations force they >themselves to >re-think the subject, and to see it in a new (hopefully clearer!) light. > >For some it's the second part of that process, the clarifying of a subject to >themselves, that is the reason for a discussion. > >And finally explaining can also be exhibitionism - look at me aren't I clever! >________________________________________ >In other venues I've seen or heard people argue that explaining psychological >phenomena is either useless or destroys the phenomena being discussed. For >instance, they urge you not to discuss love. Or enjoyment of a sunset. Or the >almost (or actually) transcendent experience of a dance. > >What they don't understand is that "left-brain" analytical and "right-brain" >intuitive thinking are not enemies, any more than our left arms and hands are >enemies of our right arms and hands. They work together - or should. A person >with a strong left arm/brain AND a strong right arm/brain is MUCH >more effective >than if they must fumble along using one side or the other. > >The best scientists and engineers are not only technically expert >but also very >creative. This often shows up in their hobbies, such as painting or >playing or >even composing music - and dancing. > >And the best artists are invariably experts in the technical side of >their art. >Painters, for instance, typically have exhaustively studied such subjects as >perspective and shadows and the effects several colors in a scene will >synergistically effect the experience of the viewer. They will spend hours >trying out a new set of paintbrushes and paints, learning their >idiosyncracies. >They may endlessly paint the same scene over and over again with tiny >variations, and spend much thought on why some variations succeed or fail. > >So it is with dance. There are stages or phases to becoming good, >and to having >those transcendent experiences. One is learning the very basics, >such as how to >place one's foot when stepping: heel, toe, and midsole, which leads when, how >much force to use, how to move the body from station to station of a >position. >Which is both a physical and an intellectual process. These >activities you do in >classes and practicas. > >Then you revisit those basics, but this time in the midst of a >dance, when the >virtue of all that practice and analysis pays off - by letting your body and >your subconscious handle the details, letting you forget the basics, >while your >consciousness floats upon and above those earthly concerns. And you simply DO. > > >Larry de Los Angeles >http://shapechangers.wordpress.com > > > >____________________________________________________________ >Click to find out what your future holds. >http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/Ioyw6iieOol4Tm1VvpgUg7HuDWEgwls3semkJx6J7xgO2nAZylv7W6/ > >_______________________________________________ >Tango-L mailing list >Tango-L@mit.edu >http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l