The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 7 Oct 1999
to 8 Oct 1999
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: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 03:00:12 -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 - 7 Oct 1999 to 8 Oct 1999 (#1999-28)
There are 11 messages totalling 315 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. I received PIROPOS !
2. a home in europe
3. Donella Tango
4. Piropo definition
5. (fwd) PIROPOS
6. Tango Terms , Questions.
7. Ebert review
8. <No subject given> (2)
9. ?CD of Tango music to practice to ...?
10. missing the point
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 13:05:02 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: I received PIROPOS !
From a very nice lady,
Ay Sergio, Que ladron eres! - Me robaste el corazon.
Ah Sergio, what a thief you are! - You stole my heart.
This is to a girl that has little roses embroidered on her blouse, and her
name on the left side. "Ana".
I would like to be one of those little roses, to be able to hear your heart
beats.
Now, lets see; the left one is called Anne, and What's the name of the right
one?
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 17:53:32 -0600
From: W Williams <WAYNE_WILLIAMS @HP-LOVELAND-OM2.OM.HP.COM>
Subject: a home in europe
hello,
my name is wayne williams and i live in boulder colorado. i've been dancing
tango intensively for about two years. one of the aspects of this dance that i
love is the added dimension it provides for business travel.
i will be in munich from november 6th through the 12th on a business trip. i
will have free time from the 12th through the 26th which i would like to spend
in one city dancing tango and experiencing the local culture. i am looking for
someone who has a room to rent that is connected to the tango scene. this is
my preferred mode of travel as it allows me to get connected more quickly to a
local environment and tends to be less expensive than hotels. I have spent a
total of about five weeks in buenos aires this way and it was thoroughly
enjoyable.
some of the cities that i understand have great tango scenes include berlin,
amsterdam, paris. my plans are flexible and i can go anywhere - part of it
will be determined by this request and the response i get. i am also open to
other cities which have a vibrant tango scene.
i am clean and friendly and i think you would find me as a pleasant and
unobtrusive presense.
please e-mail me direct at wayne_williams @hp.com.
regards,
wayne williams
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 11:03:37 +0800
From: Juan Rando <juan @STARWON.COM.AU>
Subject: Donella Tango
I had an interesting request via email recently,
Has anyone heard of a Tango called Donella Tango?
This could be a testamont to someone's ego, I'm not sure.
Let me know if you know.
Thanx
Juan Rando
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 01:16:38 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: Piropo definition
Piropo by definition is a sentence comical and poetic ( that does not offend
the recipient), that men tell women when they go by in the street.
So if somebody says something offensive, that is not a PIROPO.
Piropos are meant to please a lady not to offend.
Flirting is present as part of daily life in most of the Latin countries;
Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Latin America.
EL PIROPO, however, is a Spanish tradition. Spain took this beautiful custom
to all the areas of her empire, from Spain to the Filipines, and from Mexico
to Argentina.
Some Piropos from Spain:
Con lo que se te ve...y lo que se te imagina; yo ya tengo bastante.
With that you show...plus that I imagine; I have enough.
Bendita sea la madre que te ha parido.
Blessed be the mother that gave you birth.
Piropo from Argentina:
Si la belleza fuera delito, yo te hubiera dado cadena perpetua.
If beauty were a crime, you would deserve life in prison.
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 15:34:30 GMT
From: Ed Loomis <edl @WCO.COM>
Subject: (fwd) PIROPOS
On Mon, 4 Oct 1999 08:02:09 EDT, Mitchell Levitan <WEDRIVEN @AOL.COM>
wrote:
>My point is the list is supposed to be about tango, but maybe that's not
>enough. The vanishing social mores of Buenos Aires, while mildly =
intriguing
>are not the point here or am I missing the point?
>
>Mitchell
Yes, you are. Tango is about more than just choreography and it does
not thrive in a cultural vacuum. This thread on Piropos has been very
informative and interesting. By looking back at myself through the
window of another culture in this way I see more clearly where and how
I am different. I will never understand tango if I pay no attention to
its source.=20
Ed
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 13:16:41 +1300
From: Melroy Roddie <MelroyR @AHSL.CO.NZ>
Subject: Tango Terms , Questions.
Hi, just a couple of questions re. Tango Terms.........
1. - The " Freno Position " of the Lady..... Is this where she is
stopped against the man's leg, before being led across in front into the
next move. ??
2. - The step where :
The man hooks the back of the lady's leg with the back of
his leg, to turn her from a side step into a back ocho. Also , but less of a
hook than a follow ,in the Giro following her leg in the direction she moves
( like a back sacada ) .May be involve either of the man's/lady's legs
,also may either follow her or ( as above ) be used to turn her into a back
ocho and out of Giro.
Is there an argentine term for this ( Can you understand what I'm
trying ti say ?? )
Also while I'm talking I'd like to Thank Lilli for her Interviews..... much
appreciated .
And Thanks to all for your help in my
understanding ..... Mel.
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 19:37:26 -0600
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw @TC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ebert review
Greetings all,
Virginia Gift wrote:
> In a review of the film "Tango", Roger Elbert wrote the following, but
> without any support "The tango is based on suspicion, sex and insincerity.
> It is not a dance for virgins. It is for the wounded and the wary."
> I find it interesting but am not quite sure what to make of it. Does
> anyone agree with him? If so, why? Disagree? Any comments?
Perceptions of tango are, in my opinion, very personal and quite varied.
These comments tell me very much about Roger Ebert's personality but not
very much about tango. That personality being insecure and distrustful,
which was evident after challenges to his opinions by Gene Siskel. In
this case, as with each of us who dance it, the tango has revealed much
about the beholder, much like a mirror. "Insincerity" is particularly
intriguing as an adjective, and completely the opposite of my own experience.
For me, this dance without steps never works unless I'm being honest with
myself about my own emotions as evoked by the music. I tell people that
tango is "a dance of truth that cannot be 'faked'". Revealing oneself and
communicating with a partner at that level frightens many beginners.
"Not a dance for virgins" may be closer to the truth, but if forced to be
literal I would say, "not a dance for the virgin in each of us". This
is because I believe that young people often mistake sensuality for sexuality.
Tango is ultimately sensual, whereas expressions of sexuality are optional
and often unwelcome.
"Wounded and wary"? Too specific. How about "tango is for those who know
feelings of longing"? ...that's just the mirror held up to me...
Abrazos,
Frank in Minneapolis
--
_____________________________________________________________
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frankw @tc.umn.edu Dept. of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 321 Church Street SE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home)
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 17:15:48 +0100
From: Daniel Figman <dfigman @MIXMAIL.COM>
Subject: <No subject given>
There is a book about Argentine Tango the name is Tango
Secrets. It's in english and spanish.
I don't have any other info, becouse I read it ones at
at friends house.
==================================================
Daniel Figman
Su Email Privado, Gratis en http://www.mixmail.com
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:17:10 -0400
From: Lars Genieser <lhgenies @BELLATLANTIC.NET>
Subject: ?CD of Tango music to practice to ...?
This should be interesting to others just learning to Tango. I have
some difficulty with "catching the beat" of the music and dancing in
sync. A CD of "Tango music for
beginners to practice to..." would be a great help. The music should be
simple and modern (not too much distracting melody) and have a strong
beat which can be easily picked up. Many Tango CDs seem to be for
listening rather than dancing.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Lars Genieser
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 19:20:17 +0100
From: Daniel Figman <dfigman @MIXMAIL.COM>
Subject: <No subject given>
Does any one knows a good method of writing tango
steps, besides the Laban, which I found very
complicated.
==================================================
Daniel Figman
Su Email Privado, Gratis en http://www.mixmail.com
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 01:32:56 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: missing the point
Dance is a manifestation of the popular culture of certain people.
If I try to learn the dance of those people without paying attention to the
culture that originated such a dance, I will end up dancing something
similar to the original dance but contaminated by the elements of my own
culture.
This is precisely what happened with the Argentine Tango. People that
step on every beat of the music, could not understand the fact that you may
step as you please, according to your feeling of the music. They modified
the
basic rhythm, to be able to step to every beat in sequences of slow, slow,
quick,quick, slow. They could not understand that you may improvise,
developing your own dance according to yooour feeling of the music. They
created sets of figures to dance to. They could not understand that the
dance could be asymmetrical; the man does his own foot work as he leads the
lady to do different foot moves. They developed a symmetrical choreography.
They did not understand the need to wolk toes first, they walked heels
first.
They were used to dance for fun and not FOR FEELING!. In summary utilizing
the elements of the Argentine Tango, they created a new dance.
You may call that dance American Tango, International Tango, etc.
If I want to be a good Rack&Roll dancer I had better learn as much as I can
about the culture that originated it; otherwise I might miss the point too.
End of TANGO-L Digest - 7 Oct 1999 to 8 Oct 1999 (#1999-28)
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