Re: [TANGO-L] Elusive Nuevo style

[Iron Logic <railogic @yahoo.com>]

 As a teaching methodology, I like Nuevo, probably they are the only ones who I have a teaching method at all to offer. At least I do not know of any other. There are many great dancers with a secret or two to pass on. It appears like they expect you to learn for tens of years before you become a decent dancer, that is ridiculous, perhaps this why Gustavo and others came up with Neuvo Tango.

Having said this Gustavo, for instance danced for ages and knows his stuff. The problem I think is with the new comers with hardly any understanding trying to "innovate". Then we have so called "martial arts tango" etc etc. For instance a salsero can learn from a Nuevo tango teacher and dramatically improve his possibilities in salsa, challenges of a tango dancer are valid for him as well. Now the question is which is tango and which is salsa.

Like many art forms, there is a cultural context to Tango, there is form, posture and the meditative quality. Some of the ballroom dances are differ only posture and form ...with the same steps.

Bottom-line, I think to modify something we should know what is it that we are modifying. If one has sensitive skin, no circus is necessary, ...in general. But I have to admit I am impressed with physical skills of some the Nuevo tango dancers, lot of women will surely find it attractive;)

...my 2 cents.

Rai




Igor Polk <ipolk   @VIRTUAR.COM> wrote:Thank you, Oleh, for bringing attention to my article
"Tango Nuevo and Argentine Tango. What is the difference?"
which can be found here:
http://www.virtuar.com/tango/tango_weblog.htm#tangonuevo
and starting the discussion which I think is very important.
That is why I wrote the article at the first place.

Many of you agree that of course, Tango Nuevo is a style of Argentine Tango.
It is a fabulous style. Very well developed by talented people and moving
full speed forward.
I am also noticing that there is "denial and anger against it" as Burak
mentioned
especially now when more and more people start to recognize values of close
embrace styles.
Why?
At the time I wrote my article I felt that there was "denial and anger"
against other styles of tango
very well felt in communities populated mostly with Tango Nuevos.

The reason why my article has negative inclining against Tango Nuevo is not
because the Nuevo is bad.
The style is as good as others. It is because many teachers of Tango Nuevo
forget to tell their students
that Nuevo is only one of many Argentine Tango styles.
Instead they say: "This is Argentine Tango". It misleads.
That is why we see those energetic "fighters" on the crowded dance floor
which sometimes mess the things up.
They do not know what to do! They have not been taught other things!
How one can be taught sacadas if he does not know yet how to walk around the
circle and have fun out of it!?
Oh, yes, yes, in the style which proclaims that rotation or turn is the
basis of all it is really tricky.
Interesting, that experienced dancers and teachers of Tango Nuevo know all
that.
They do change their style in accordance to situation,
but it looks like they do not teach enough of it to the followers of their
school.

Well, I can say that it is not about Tango Nuevo only.
When the floor is really very very crowded, as I have experienced it in
Portland lately,
even modern Salon style ( there is also salon of 1920 which is very
different ) becomes an obstacle.
Essentially any open embrace style.
The situation becomes suitable only for close embrace. This is what you see
in Buenos Aires.

So, tango dancers should be able to dance in all styles,
because it is not the matter of personal preference, but necessity of the
dance floor.
Tango Nuevo - for large open spaces, other open embrace - for regular
milongas,
close embrace - for a small or crowded floor.

The advantage of Tango is that it can be danced everywhere.
On the rough floor, between tables and chairs. Cool, eh?
We just should know how.

Igor Polk
San Francisco Click,
Photo Virtual Tour Magazine: http://www.virtuar.com/click.htm