The Tango-L mailing list archive

Digest from 15 Oct 1999 to 16 Oct 1999

Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango          <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date:     Sat, 16 Oct 1999 03:00:15 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango          <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject:  TANGO-L Digest - 15 Oct 1999 to 16 Oct 1999 (#1999-35)
There is one message totalling 70 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Really, missing the point!





Date:    Fri, 15 Oct 1999 16:48:50 -0400
From:    SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: Really, missing the point!

Eugenia Spitkovsky wrote:

>Dear Sergio,
>You are connecting piropos to walking toes first? or any other ideas you
>may have about proper way people should dance tango? "Sweet nothings"
>(piropos, or compliments) are a part of every foreplay between men and
>women everywhere people inhabit the Earth, and use language for
>communication. Tango is a dance of those who left their Motherland. The
>feeling of nostalgia, longing for romantic love and dealing with the
>shortcomings of speaking a foreign language is part of tango expression.
>With feet, body, heart, and words.
>Eugenia

Dear Eugenia,
              Thank you for answering my note.
We had been discussing several aspects of tango, for approximately two weeks
before you sent your reply.
We had had a very lively and interesting discussion in reference to Piropos,
flirting and the connection between tango and culture that originated it.
All these subjects came as results of postings from people that had visited
Argentina and wished to share their experiences.
I did not connect piropos with walking toes first, or any other ideas I
might have about the proper way to dance tango.
Actually I could not care less about the way you or anybody else chooses to
dance tango.
"Sweet nothings" might be what you describe; but they do not have anything
to do with piropos. The mere act of saying that reveals a total ignorance or
at the very least a total misunderstanding of the subject we had been
discussing.
Tango is not a dance of those that left the Motherland and had a nostalgia
of their native language.
When it comes to Musicians, dancers, writers of lyrics, actors and any other
person related to tango one finds that all of them, except rare examples
were Argentineans for at least one generation or more.
The fact that my note was released about one week after it had been sent
might have been the cause of your misunderstanding.
Should you have a need for any clarifications   on those matters, please do
not hesitate to ASK.

Patrick Crotty wrote:
>Sergio, what is your point. Yes, Europeans took Argentine Tango and turned
>it into a different dance. And then the Americans did their thing to the
>european international style tango. So what?  Steping on the beat, half
>beat, etc.; i. e., trransfering your weight on a beat or some sub division
>of a beat is an essential part of dance. What's the problem? For those of
us
>and you whom love the the Argentine Tango, let us dance it in peace and
>respect. We have no quarrel we those who prefer another style, but oh yes,
>its not a matter of another style, it is a matter of a different dance.
And
>with all due respect to your feelings, if your not dancing to the beat of
>the music, your are not dancing. Sincerely, Pat Crotty

The point is that we were discussing the interelation between dance and the
culture that originated it.
I am particularly delighted that there are other dances, I happen to like
American Tango a lot.
Yes, they are different dances. My feelings are respected because I dance to
the beat, at least most of the time.
I hope that you dance to the beat also.





End of TANGO-L Digest - 15 Oct 1999 to 16 Oct 1999 (#1999-35)
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