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Digest from 22 Apr 2000 to 23 Apr 2000

Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango          <TANGO-L  @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date:     Sun, 23 Apr 2000 03:00:21 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango          <TANGO-L  @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject:  TANGO-L Digest - 22 Apr 2000 to 23 Apr 2000 (#2000-110)
There is one message totalling 98 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Watering seeds





Date:    Sat, 22 Apr 2000 16:47:39 -0400
From:    Robinne Gray <rlg2  @CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: Watering seeds

Matej wrote:
>It is easy to forget that swing caught the mainstream and that scales are
>completely different btw swing and tango....>swing is part of this
country's culture, while Argentine tango isn't.  >... I think if doing
tango one should be prepared to settle for a lesser scale
>than swing

   Precisely!  That's partly what I meant by "maturing," i.e. the overall
size of the tango-dancing community.  It's possible that tango will never
be as big as swing in the U.S. because of cultural factors (unless the Gap
decides to feature tango in its commercials, which is when the big swing
wave *really* took off) but it does seems to be growing at a modest rate.

  There are two reasons the Exchange phenomenon is appealing to me.  The
first is that Exchanges are pointedly NOT based around workshops or
classes.  Sure, classes and instructors are important, but I'd argue (as
others have) that maximum benefit is achieved through regular study with a
skilled teacher.  Some workshops are good, but when I think back on all
those I have taken over the years, I find that easily over half of them
were disappointing for one reason or another.   Sometimes because of
instructor behavior, sometimes class material, or both.  Remember all the
complaints about Pablo Veron starting classes late or not showing up at
all?  And how seldom women get useful instruction, from Veron or others?

   Recently I went to a workshop taught by extremely talented dancers, whom
I am fond of.  I went primarily to say hello and show my support for the
teachers and organizers.  The class started 40 minutes late, which I found
annoying and disrespectful to the roomful of eager students who had showed
up.  Class was taught to the lowest common denominator, and those of us who
could execute the patterns got no correction because the teachers naturally
paid attention to those who could not get though the patterns at all.

   My point is not to fault the teachers for helping students who were
obviously struggling.   I have taught enough to know that when the skill
level of students varies widely, which it almost always does in growing
communities, the teachers are caught in a dilemma.  My point is that, from
the perspective of a participant, it might on occasion be better to do away
with the instruction altogether and just have fun dancing.  What I remember
from attending 1997 Columbus Tango Week is not steps, or anything at all
having to do with lessons.  I remember how great it was to meet and dance
with people from other cities, many of whom I still see here and there.

  The second reason Exchanges appeal to me is the spirit which drives them.
 Tango mega-events by single promoters and star-studded lineups increase
the Ego Factor astronomically, often exacerbating the worst of what the
tango world has to offer.  Promoters compete with and fight amongst each
other (as all listeros have been made privy to).  There is tension between
organizers and instructors over money and scheduling.  Organizers can lapse
into promotional hubris, overextending themselves financially, advertising
cheesily, or promising a dance utopia that may be difficult to achieve.
Conflicted teachers are caught between the need/desire to make money and
concern about being exploited, causing them to 'act out' in unflattering
ways, such as being late ("promoters don't own me; I'll do as I please")
and generally acting like primadonnas (e.g. exhibiting barely-concealed
scorn for students, or playing the nationality card--Argentina is superior
to Europe is superior to the USA, and the rest of the world doesn't even
matter).  Instructors greet and kiss-kiss, then rip each other to shreds
behind the scenes.  If one is sociable with particular teachers, one is
expected to side with them against their rivals.

   Exchanges, in refreshing contrast, are volunteer-based and an operation
of that scale can only succeed if people work together and try to create a
good experience for everybody.   They are one appealing alternative to the
above scenario, allowing dancers to "vote with their feet" and Just Say No
to advancing all the disappointment, posturing and mud-slinging.  An
exchange is like organizing a big party with your friends, while defining
"friends" as an ever-expanding circle of inclusion.  This is another kind
of "maturity" I had in mind when I wrote previously.

  And exchange weekends are less expensive to organize and attend.  A few
weeks back there was a discussion about Americans and the Japanese making
tango more expensive for everybody else.  There may be some truth to that,
but please be aware that there are plenty of us in the U.S. who have
limited resources and must choose (often wrenchingly) which events to
attend.  Yvonne reminds us that in Europe there have been large events for
years (my impression was that those too were instruction-based; maybe not)
but regular transatlantic flights aren't an option for a lot of us over
here.  So my thought is to plant a seed that the North American tango
community could adapt the "exchange" concept.

Matej wrote:
>work hard to expose it in a way we feel it, and maybe some day
>people will be ready...

   Yes.


--Robinne
Ithaca, NY





End of TANGO-L Digest - 22 Apr 2000 to 23 Apr 2000 (#2000-110)
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