Re: [TANGO-L] Community Growth - The Next Generation

[Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>]

I am glad that Tom has brought the discussion back to that of community
growth.  Doing so more sharply brings into focus the issues involved in
choosing tango music for teaching and playing at milongas.  We all
recognize that the more recent tango recordings have better sound quality
and modern musical sensibilities, and the dance beat is more prominent in
golden-age tangos.

Tom wrote:
 >My position is that the rhythms of traditional 1930s & 1940s tango
>are the most important foundation for a dancer, and the most
>important basis for community development.  Musicality sits on top of
>rhythm and phrasing, and the "real" feel of tango is contained in
>this older music.

The rhythmic feeling of tango is more clearly expressed in the older
music.  The beat is more submerged in the newer music, but it was created
by musicians who have understanding of the music that precedes their own.
For the dancer to succeed in dancing to the newer music requires an
understanding of the older music.  When I watch people dancing to modern
tango music who have not first developed their rhythmic skills with the
older music, I usually see people dancing without any sense of the beat.

For that reason, when we are teaching tango to beginners, Susan and I rely
heavily on music with simple and clear rhythms.  We typically start with
1930s Canaro and Calo with Podesta before moving onto D'Arienzo and Di
Sarli.  The simple rhythms help the dancers dance in the music.  When
students are intermediate, we use the more complex music, such as Pugliese
and other orchestras.

As a DJ who is also working toward community development, however, the
issue is a little different.  What music will appeal to the broad range of
dancers?  It depends on the venue and the dancers.  If there are many
beginning dancers, I think it pays to to stick to the simple rhythms.  As
I play music with increasing complexity, I watch to see if the dancers are
staying in the music.  If too many are having difficulty, I shift back
toward the simpler rhythms, and I do not play later Pugliese, Color Tango,
Sexteto Sur, El Arranque, or even Biagi.  If the dancers are eating up the
music, however, I will play music with greater rhythmic complexity.

>Our communities are still very small and very young. A smaller
>repertoire of music emphasizing simpler rhythms will give us a
>better shared basis. Festivals with more experienced dancers is
>a different matter.

Tom makes a very good point.  Although it may be entertaining to watch,
seeing a room full of advanced dancers who are dancing to very complex
music at a milonga, such a spectacle can deter beginners from even
participating.  Growth of the community requires making the dance
accessible.  Starting an evening with less complex music and building
toward more complex and dramatic music is a way to encourage greater
participation.

With best regards for the New Year,
Steve

Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
http://www.tejastango.com/

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