So, here´s the summary of my survey.
Of course this summary is not representative according to scientific standards, but essentially everything has been mentioned here, what I heard from ladies during my entire tango life.
So what is important for all ladies
- Neat appearance and personal hygiene
- Respect for the dance partner (this includes, of course, already point 1)
- Empathy
- To be connected with the dance partner
- To not understand the lady as a “dance sport device”
- Musical dancing
- No lecturing on the dance floor to “explain to the lady how to do it”
- Humour
- Give the dance partner the feeling of security so that she can trust the guidance / invitations of the leader
- Friendliness
- Courtesy / good behavior
- No showing of the repertoire of figures, which one masters (more or less), no matter whether the lady is able or willing to perform it.
- Passion / Energy (but you should fine-tune.) Ladies do not want to be dragged back and forth by a dancer, nor is it fun to dance with a juiceless wuss.
Of course, some of these things overlap.
Many interesting things have been addressed by the ladies.
But it is also interesting what was not addressed / desired at all.
Among all the things that ladies expect from their dance partners, one is “missing” completely. And probably that will astonish many dancers.
Not a single lady wished that the gentlemen make more steps, figures, sequences.
Apparently that’s not important to the vast majority of ladies.
This is interesting because most tango dancers I talk to believe that they need to know and perform as many figures as possible in order to make the dance interesting for the ladies.
I also know that many gentlemen stress themselves just because of that, and do not feel really good and complete as dancers when they know only a few “figures”.
All I can say about that: Forget it!
If you really need proof that figures are comparatively unimportant for the ladies, read, What do you expect from the men you dance with.
