Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“Wow that is impressive. I can dance salsa (Cuban preferred if I can find it) for hours without tiring (well I do tire but then a wicked track comes on and my feet forget they are tired and sore). But I find AT tires me mentally long before the body gives up. At the end of a Milonga, my focus has gone to pot. I guess this is because I am still very much a student (and not fundamentally a dancer) despite having had classes for 6 years and assisting the beginners classes for a couple. But any tips to overcome this would be welcome.”
I am very much like you. Cuban salsa does not tire me at all and I can dance it all night, but AT is entirely different.
I think the intensity of focus needed when we dance it, the amount of dedication, delicacy and thought that goes into being good follower or leader, is mentally exhausting. I can get to a point where I simply have to go and stroll outside, or sit and chat idly and take a rest to still my mind after a series of tandas.
There are also milongas where you don't have the kind of dances you want, or you feel you are not at your best that day and it can throw you. My way of dealing with it now is to shrug and say, 'so be it - it's one of those days' and spend more time chatting or observing instead. I genuinely like people and AT people are very interesting - far more so than other dance groups. It attracts very intelligent people
I am also very choosy about where I dance AT and only go where I feel most comfortable, love the music and like the company. There are some events which are far too up their own posterior for me!