The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 21 Apr 2000
to 22 Apr 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 03:00:50 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 21 Apr 2000 to 22 Apr 2000 (#2000-109)
There are 7 messages totalling 316 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Planting a seed (2)
2. Tango/Lindy Exchanges Re: Planting a seed (3)
3. a dance experience
4. CD Review - "Enrique Rodriguez y su Orquesta Tipica 1939-1946"
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 10:33:18 -0400
From: Matej Oresic <matej.oresic @CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: Re: Planting a seed
Robinne Gray wrote:
> The Exchange hosted by Ithaca is about two weeks
> away. Folks can register online and the website tallies and displays the
> number of folks who will attend from each metro area. So far we've got 159
> people registered, NOT including the Ithacans.
Several weeks ago Steven Mitchell was in Ithaca for a weekend of swing classes.
In a Friday class alone which cost $30 there were over 100 people...
It is easy to forget that swing caught the mainstream and that scales are
completely different btw swing and tango these days. While you hear the swing
music in one form or another on radio every day, it takes quite some effort to
squeeze Argentine tango program on the "world music" radio program, probably
followed a week after by some fiddlers from Transilvania. ... and we must be
happy for any kind of exposure, whether newspaper, radio, or TV, while swing is
just bursting from everywhere. I remember the nightmares trying to publicize
the tango show
(Check for details: http://lancelot.bio.cornell.edu/matej/tango/show.html )
in local media, and getting people to understand that this is a good thing...
(it turned out good, fortunately)
>Well baby, it's workin'.
Yeah, swing is part of this country's culture, while Argentine tango isn't. One
can take tango as a "sport", for the fun of the movement, some kind of
additional entertainment, but it just doesn't work that way in a long term,
while there are always very few who turn on the tango music at their homes,
just because they love it.
One can see several attempts to "mainstream" tango, or at least keep it a good
business even if becoming very creepy, with expensive packages, tango fashion
selling as "passion filled fabrics that make rich men swoon", or glitzy
ballroom-like events with competitions. This is just another reason for not
doing tango for many who could potentially become great tangueros, or at least
staying away from that kind of tango catered to those who are willing and able
to pay any money for it... From that point Robinne's suggestions are wonderful,
but I think if doing tango one should be prepared to settle for a lesser scale
than swing, and work hard to expose it in a way we feel it, and maybe some day
people will be ready...
> But eventually I'd love to see tangueros get
> together in a spirit similar to the Exchange, should the tango community
> ever mature (in many senses of the word) to a degree that would support it.
Well, at least in Ithaca we always allowed an option of participating in
milongas only or taking individual classes, and we always hosted visiting
tangueros at our homes. It might not have been at the level of current Lindy
Exchange, but again this is because of the scale. There just are many more
lindy hoppers around here than tangueros, and I am sure the same case is
anywhere else in the US these days.
The schedule of our events is at:
http://lancelot.bio.cornell.edu/matej/tango/tangoworkshops.html
Best regards,
Matej
http://lancelot.bio.cornell.edu/matej/tango/
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 09:32:52 -0500
From: Stephen P Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Tango/Lindy Exchanges Re: Planting a seed
About Exchanges Mike Hamilton wrote:
>[B]asically, these things started out just being a bunch of
>[Lindy] dancers deciding to go to a city that they knew had a lot of
>great things going on. ... [A] bunch of people from Chicago
>decided they should all get together for a weekend and go to
>San Francisco. ... It was very informal and there was no real
>organization at all beyond calling their friends, getting a
>place to stay, and getting on a plane with their dance shoes.
>... Well, they all had such a good time, that a bunch of the
>San Fran people hopped on out to Chicago to do the same thing.
>... Now things started to snowball. People started hearing
>about it and thought it was a cool idea.
Let me suggest the obvious variation. What if a bunch of people from
Tango-L decided to descend upon a city with a lot of tango venues for
a weekend and brought along some of their friends? In North America,
the obvious cities would seem to be Denver, Montreal, New York,
Seattle and New York. The prevalence of milongas would be the primary
criterion.
--Steve de Tejas
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 09:49:56 -0500
From: Stephen P Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Tango/Lindy Exchanges Re: Planting a seed
Aarrgh!! For possible venues for informal tango exchanges organized
through Tango-L, I meant to write ... In North America, the obvious
cities would seem to be Denver, Montreal, New York, Seattle and San
Francisco. The prevalence of regular, well-atttended milongas would
be the primary criterion.
--Steve de Tejas
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 11:06:46 EDT
From: Jack Karako <JKarako @AOL.COM>
Subject: Tango/Lindy Exchanges Re: Planting a seed
Actually life is a little easier for New York. In addition to regular multiple events over the weekends, there seems to be a constant flow of guest teachers.
Along the same lines we organized an event last year in March and invited bunch of friends (even from Turkey) and they came. It was amazing. (Which by the way we are organizing an other one June 3)
So the issue becomes: which weekend event is more attractive, and how friends mobilize friends.
Jak
www.BailaTango.com/nysch.htm
> About Exchanges Mike Hamilton wrote:
>[B]asically, these things started out just being a bunch of
>[Lindy] dancers deciding to go to a city that they knew had a lot of
>great things going on. ... [A] bunch of people from Chicago
>decided they should all get together for a weekend and go to
>San Francisco. ... It was very informal and there was no real
>organization at all beyond calling their friends, getting a
>place to stay, and getting on a plane with their dance shoes.
>... Well, they all had such a good time, that a bunch of the
>San Fran people hopped on out to Chicago to do the same thing.
>... Now things started to snowball. People started hearing
>about it and thought it was a cool idea.
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 09:25:53 +0200
From: Yvonne Meissner <tango.yvonne @WXS.NL>
Subject: Re: Planting a seed
Dear List members,
Actually, in Holland this idea of gathering for dancing all night long
untill 11 in the morning, eating together
already exists since 10 years. Our city of Nijmegen in Eric's school El
Corte every month hosts a party where al of Europe draws to (from Sweden to
Istanbul and Austria to France). Americans and people from other continents
do visit regularly. In Sweden and in Toulouse we have very big Lindy Hop
meetings. Even more special events are taking place in El Corte several
times
a year when you can party 8 days for 24 hours. There is no entrance fee but
costs
get paid by drinks. Participating in classes of course has a price. If you
look for the best place outside of Argentina, this might be it. My message
is written out of pure enthousiasm for such a activity, there is no other
interest involved. Matej and Rina from Ithaca visited several times. I wish
your initiatives a lot of good luck.
Greetings,
Yvonne Meissner
Original Message -----
From: "Robinne Gray" <rlg2 @CORNELL.EDU>
To: <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2000 1:13 AM
Subject: Planting a seed
> Hello list folk,
>
> A few months back I wrote about the possibility of adapting the Lindy
> Exchange concept to tango as an idea worth exploring. "Exchanges" are
long
> weekends in which folks from all over convene in a selected city for
social
> dance rather than for workshops. (That is the soul of vernacular dance
> forms, is it not?) Some wondered how/whether the concept could work.
> What, no big-name draw? No high prices and organizer anxiety over covering
> expenses? No horrendous-yet-entertaining backbiting among instructors and
> organizers?! Well baby, it's workin'.
>
> The other night my swing buddies informed me how the idea has caught on
and
> the snowball effect is almost frightening (the organizers are anxious--but
> about space, not money). The Exchange hosted by Ithaca is about two weeks
> away. Folks can register online and the website tallies and displays the
> number of folks who will attend from each metro area. So far we've got
159
> people registered, NOT including the Ithacans. The economy of scale is
> beneficial: an all-in pass is less than $50 per person. Check It Out:
>
> http://www.csuglab.cornell.edu/~arf4/lindy_exchange/
>
> Of course next week Ithaca will be hosting Facundo & Kely, whom we'll be
> delighted to see again (check Matej's website for details). Quality
> instruction is a good thing. But eventually I'd love to see tangueros get
> together in a spirit similar to the Exchange, should the tango community
> ever mature (in many senses of the word) to a degree that would support
it.
>
>
> --Robinne Gray
> Ithaca, NY
> (the dancingest small town in the U.S.)
>
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 11:02:59 -0700
From: diane m tober <DTOBER @PRODIGY.NET>
Subject: Re: a dance experience
When I was in Madrid last Summer I hunted down every possible Tango venue I
could find. One day I was invited by a few people I met at a Milonga to go
with them to a little pub, where an old Argentine man was playing Bandoneon.
At first he was playing inside, where people were packed in like sardines,
drinking and smoking (way too much by California standards). A few of us
suggested he move outside, where there was more room (and breathable air).
As soon as he started playing outside one of the best Milongueros in Madrid
grabbed me and started dancing a Milonga with me on the cobble stone street.
Everyone circled us and started clapping and cheering. I had only been
dancing Tango 6 months at the time, so it was quite an experience for me.
Diane
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 11:25:28 -0700
From: Mark Celaya <mark-joan-tango @JUNO.COM>
Subject: CD Review - "Enrique Rodriguez y su Orquesta Tipica 1939-1946"
A brand new release from "el bandoneon" is the cd with recordings by the
orchestra of Enrique Rodriguez (1939-1946). EBCD-101
Born in Buenos Aires in 1901, Rodriguez was a versatile musician who not
only played the bandoneon, piano, & violin, but also waved the
conductor`s baton for more than 30 years. His early years were with
Edgardo Donato`s Orquesta Tipica, who influenced him greatly, & the
Sextet directed by pianist Joaquin Mora.
His 1st orchestra was in 1936 known as La Orquesta de todos los Ritmos
(The Orchestra of every Rhythm). He is also well known for playing &
recording non-tango music such as foxtrots & pasodobles. Perhaps this may
be the reason that he seems to be deliberately ignored by many
chroniclers of tango. I myself must admit that I had never heard of him
until this new cd was released.
Oh, but what a cd with a superb collection of 19 tangos & 1 beautiful
vals, all commanding you to dance. At nearly 40 years of age he appeared
to have put all his experience together to create a superb sound as well
as exquisit style. From what I understand, He was apparently a very
popular orchestra leader in the 1940`s in Buenos Aires; & when you listen
to this cd you will understand why. His "La Cumparsita" is awesome. I
don`t usually say this, but this cd is a definite must for all DJ`s,
practicas, & milongas. You can let any 4 selections play in sequence for
a wonderful tanda. I`ll be playing many of them tonight at my milonga for
the first time. Enrique Rodriguez died in Buenos Aires on September 4,
1971.
The compilation is as follows:
~EBCD-101~
1. El Encopao
2. En la Buena y en la Mala
3. Son Cosas del Bandoneon
4. A Media Luz
5. Con Tu Mirar (Vals)
6. Tabernero
7. Un Tropezon
8. Silbando un Tango
9. Como se Pianta la Vida
10. Tango Argentino
11. No Te Quiero Mas
12. La Cumparsita
13. Yo Tambien Tuve un Carino
14. Suerte Loca
15. El Morochito
16. Zorro Gris
17. La Casita esta Triste
18. Alma en Pena
19. Cafe
20. Adios Muchachos
Vocals: Armando Moreno (1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, 11,13,14,19, y 20)
Roberto Flores (3)
Fernando Reyes (17 & 18)
Best Regards Always,
Mark Celaya
http://home.att.net/~mark-joan-tango
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End of TANGO-L Digest - 21 Apr 2000 to 22 Apr 2000 (#2000-109)
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