The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 2 Aug 1999
to 3 Aug 1999
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Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
To: Recipients of TANGO-L digests <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 03:00:01 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
From: Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 2 Aug 1999 to 3 Aug 1999
There are 14 messages totalling 354 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Salida (2)
2. URL for New Republic Tango article
3. Nuevo libro
4. Tango in San Jose, CA?
5. Tango Magic on Connecticut Public Television in August
6. Salida to back.
7. tango magic
8. "Shall we dance?"
9. New Milonga in NYC
10. Rueda...fantastico!
11. Instructor recommendation request
12. From "Book of Five Rings"
13. Tango Magic
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 00:28:38 +0000
From: Larry Carroll <larrydla @JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Salida
"Salida" has several related meanings, such as the start of a race or
train trip. This likely is because both begin with an "exit" (the word's
usual translation) from a starting block or train station. In tango it
means the beginning of a dance figure. An example is the first three
steps of the 8-count basic that some teachers use.
"Resolucion" can mean a solution or decision or summing up. Or in tango
the end of a figure. An example is the three-step "resolucion natural"
(Tango Close).
Between the beginning & middle you can put many patterns. These include:
nothing (a perfectly valid choice), the two steps of the cruzada, ochos
indeed all sorts of simple or complex figures.
Describing dance figures this way does two things. First it divides the
figure into "chunks" (a cognitive psychology term), making the figure
easier to understand & remember. Second, it gives meaning to the chunks.
They have a function; their choice is not arbitrary. And not only does
the function have an abstract meaning (beginning, middle, end). The
functions have a relation to the music, which usually has phrases that
suggest a beginning, the development of a theme, and a resolution of the
theme.
Thinking of figures as having a structure doesn't only make them easier
to understand. It may also lead you to ask questions. For instance, why
should the salida be those three steps? Why couldn't you use a cadencia
(stepping in place) as a salida? Why not just start walking in a
straight line? Are there other ways to resolve a figure: say with a
corte or a cadencia followed by a pause?
Eventually it becomes clear: anything you do as a salida (or resolucion,
or whatever) is fine, if it fits the music, your partner's abilities, &
your surroundings. This lets you begin to be creative -- to make tango
your own.
Larry de Los Angeles
http://home.att.net/~larrydla
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Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 07:47:45 -0000
From: Jim Wrathall <jim @PLUNK.COM>
Subject: URL for New Republic Tango article
Follow up to finding the New Republic Tango articleJim Murphy (& List),
> After sending out my post about the Tango article in
> The New Republic I tried the web address it was at
> earlier today and I could no longer get to it.
This seems to be the URL for the article in the New Republic:
http://www.thenewrepublic.com/magazines/tnr/archive/0899/080299/aloff080299.
html
Thanks, great article.
-Jim Wrathall
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 11:01:34 EDT
From: "Carlos G. Groppa" <Tango4You @AOL.COM>
Subject: Nuevo libro
Hola, lista!
La editorial de la revista Tango Reporter acaba de editar el libro "Tango:
Una breve historia y las letras que hicieron historia".
Impreso a todo color, en el se relata la historia del tango y se incluyen las
letras de 200 tangos, muchos de ellos ilustrados con reproducciones de las
tapas de las partituras originales.
Para mas informacion, ver "www.tangoreporter.com"
Un abrazo,
Carlos
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 12:39:14 -0400
From: Doug MacGeorge <slats @MAIL.OEONLINE.COM>
Subject: Tango in San Jose, CA?
A member of our Tango club in Detroit is travelling to San Jose,
California, toward the end of August/beginning of September.
Does anyone have information about places to dance Tango in the San Jose area?
Thanks much!
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 14:27:43 +0000
From: James Murphy <cmurf @WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Tango Magic on Connecticut Public Television in August
In August Connecticut Public Television will be broadcasting "Tango Magic".
They will also be carrying the Evening At Pops episode "Forever Tango with
Leslie Caron."
Tango Magic will air Monday,August 23, at 10:00 p.m. and repeat on Sunday,
August 29 at 2:00 p.m. and Monday, August 30 at 12 noon.
The Evening At Pops tango episode will air on Monday,August 23 at 9:00 p.m.
and again on Sunday,August 29 at 3:00 p.m.
jim murphy
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 15:34:10 EDT
From: Charles Roques <Crrtango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Salida to back.
This issue just won't die, but hopefully for the sake of clearing up
misinformation (and apologies for repeating myself), a few more words re
stepping back.
No, it is NOT the first step of a basic eight-count step for several reasons:
The eight-count basic itself is a step that has been invented over the
years as a means of teaching tango. It serves as a vehicle for explaining
tango movement. It is not the absolute form that one has to follow.
Traditionally one leads to the side, not back simply because you can't see
behind you so you shouldn't step where there might be people, whereas you can
see to the side, at least peripherally. Stepping back is an affectation that
people have picked up from videos and performances. On an empty stage or
floor you can start anywhere you want to. On a crowded floor you can not. The
same thing applies to the resolution. This is also an invention so that
students have a closure to the movements. It helps give a form to them. You
have to be careful doing resolutions for the same reason. Someone might be
behind you.
For those that are beginning, there is no reason to be confused over this. It
just helps make it easier for you to "complete" the step if you learn it in a
closed form. As you learn more steps try to avoid using back steps (if that
is how you learned), or even the resolution if you can. ALL tango steps can
be reconfigured; nothing is etched in stone. Danel and Maria teach stepping
to the side at the salida. He has been dancing tango for more than fifty
years and danced to some of the great late orchestras in Buenos Aires as a
young man, a pretty good authority on the matter. But for those that have
studied with them know, he often does not use the traditional resolution to
conclude their figures.
So for now do it the way you learned it, although it is generally not a good
idea to start back, but just make sure you are not going to crash into anyone
in the process. The same goes for fancy figures even if you are advanced.
Don't do it if it holds up the flow of the dance. In other words, don't show
off. You are only impressing the beginners anyway.
Cheers, Charles
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 15:59:04 -0400
From: Robert Morris <morris @POP1.SCIENCE.WIDENER.EDU>
Subject: tango magic
According to their website, TangoMagic will be on WHYY in Philadelphia on
8/11 at 9pm
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 15:54:23 -0700
From: Barbara Alexius <taitango @IO.COM>
Subject: "Shall we dance?"
Dear List,
I will be in the Miami area the weekend of September 10-12 and thought about
attending the dinner and dance on Saturday night. My concern is that I
would really like to dance. Since I don't know anything about the dance
scene in Miami, I am wondering if the men dance with visiting women. I have
been dancing AT (passionately) for about a year and a half and consider
myself a good dancer, given that level of experience. Any
suggestions/responses will be appreciated.
Barbara
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 21:11:59 EDT
From: Carolina LUCZKOW <MLUCZKOW @AOL.COM>
Subject: New Milonga in NYC
New Milonga In New York City !!!!
Every Tuesday, Starting August 24th.
"CARIPELAS" la otra cara de la milonga...
Hosted by Carolina Zokalski and Diego Di Falco, excellent Tango dancers.
Original casts members of Forever Tango. Dancers and choreographers of
Tango Magic show (broadcast on PBS in the past week) also performed in "Tango
Vivo" and many more.
They want to welcome everybody to a night full of tango in their unique
style.
Dining and Dancing from 9pm till 3am.
137 East 55th. Street NYC
@ Lexington Ave.
for more info:
caripelas @aol.com
members.xoom.com/caripelas
212-579-9278
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 01:40:39 EDT
From: Boleos @AOL.COM
Subject: Rueda...fantastico!
Thanks Frank for opening the conversation about Argentine Tango Rueda...I
agree...it's a good think for tango just like all new ideas...if not for new
ideas we'd all still be dancing Canyengue...Lindy Hopper's wouldn't be
hopping...the first time Frankie Manning did an airstep back in the 30's
everyone was stunned.
Yes, I believe in the preservation of the Argentine Tango in it's authentic
forms but why not have a little fun with Rueda too...it has brought a lot of
new dancer's to Salsa because it's just plain fun so I believe it is a good
thing for tango too.
Most of all I can't wait to dance it myself!!! Kudos to Daniel Lapadula &
Fabian Salas for their creativity.
Christy Cote
San Francisco
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 04:34:51 +0200
From: Peter van Munster <MunsterSoft @CSI.COM>
Subject: Salida
Hi all,
Although this discussion centers mainly on stepping backwards in the 8 step
basic, I'd like to introduce a positive view of this dreaded figure: the
simple fact that everybody does know it (at least in my little corner of the
tango world). This makes it an almost ideal vehicle to get to know a dancing
partner that you've never danced with before (or to renew old
relationships). As both parties know "what is to be done" they may both
concentrate on the "how" and "why". It allows them to fathom how the leader
leads and how the follower follows. Once these "rules of engagement" have
been set, they'll both know what to expect and how to act / react.
Peter
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 22:40:01 -0400
From: Abram Shapiro <shapiro @ANDREW.CMU.EDU>
Subject: Instructor recommendation request
I am new both to tango and to the San Francisco area. I'm looking for
recommendations for tango instruction, in the Milonga style.
I don't want a one-night once-over, I'm looking for an involved and patient
program and I am willing to put in the work.
thank you,
Abram Shapiro
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 00:27:41 -0400
From: Matej Oresic <matej.oresic @CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: From "Book of Five Rings"
Hello,
I posted this info on tango-l few years ago, but find it quite relevant
in light of recent discussions about "New Tango", "Tango Rueda", or
whatever else that is being sold these days on tango market... You might
find it interesting what Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) wrote about
martial arts in Japan at his time ("Book of Five Rings", transl. Thomas
Cleary; I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in
teaching):
*****************************************************************
As I see society, people make the arts into commertial products; they
think of themselves as commodities, and also make implements as items of
commerce. Distinguishing the superficial from substantial, I find this
attitude has less reality than decoration.
The field of martial arts is particularly rife with flamboyant
showmanship, with commertial popularization and profiteering on the part
of both those who teach the science and those who study it. The result
of this must be, as someone said, that "amateuristic martial arts are a
source of serious wounds".
*****************************************************************
Society has not changed as much as we think it did...
Best,
Matej
http://lancelot.bio.cornell.edu/matej/tango/
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 02:23:35 EDT
From: Richard deSousa <M1APORT @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tango Magic
The PBS program Tango Magic, narrated by Hector Elizondo, was appropriately
titled. It was more like modern jazz dancing and had little resemblance to
the Argentine tango I'm learning. Sure, the dancers employed steps in the
tango which were recognizable, but the music by Piazzolla and Zeigler they
selected would have been difficult to dance to. No wonder Piazzolla wasn't a
success in BA. I was disappointed.
Rich deSousa
End of TANGO-L Digest - 2 Aug 1999 to 3 Aug 1999
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