The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 4 Jul 2000
to 5 Jul 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 03:00:05 -0400
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 4 Jul 2000 to 5 Jul 2000 (#2000-183)
There are 3 messages totalling 193 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. FloridaTango: Fourth of July - Remembering Independence Day (2)
2. Tangasms in BsAs
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Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 10:57:52 +0200
From: Marco van Zanden <argtango @EURONET.NL>
Subject: Re: FloridaTango: Fourth of July - Remembering Independence Day
Lydia/Randy,
I hate to disturb you with this message, but please remember this is an
international list, not an one of the United states. We are all subscribed
because of our intrest in tango. I am very happy for you all on this 4th of
July, but please don't clutter my mailbox with more of this non tango related
messages
Marco
Marco van zanden +31-(0)20 - 68 38 117
Marco @vanzanden.nl
each monday from 9 pm to 1 am: Luna de tango
Rembrandtplein 17 first floor, Amsterdam
> The following is taken from a message sent to us by a friend, Steve Verwey.
> Even
> though is not related directly to Tango, I thought it was appropriate for
the
> celebration of the day. Please enjoy the festivities and Happy Tangos to
All.
>
> Lydia
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> REMEMBERING INDEPENDENCE DAY
>
etcetera. etcetera.
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 11:14:24 -0400
From: "Ingle, Nancy" <ningle @RHS.BREVARD.K12.FL.US>
Subject: Tangasms in BsAs
Can a mature woman, more Marilyn than Audrey, praised for her
intelligence rather than her beauty, with about six years of tango
experience find happiness and awesome tango dancing in BsAs? The =
answer
is a definitive "YES!"
I have recently returned from a three week dance trip to BsAs and =
can
attest that I had more fun than is legal, danced as much as I wanted
with some very fine dancers and turned down many others. Why did my
experience differ from others that have been reported here? Here are
some possible explanations:
First, I got advice from some very knowledgeable people about which
milongas would have the kind of dancers and style of dancing in which I
was interested ( close-milonguero style). Thanks to Kathy, Norma,
Nora, Tony, and especially Janis for their excellent and current
information. Secondly, my companion and I quickly learned to survey =
the
room before we paid our entrada. If the women were mostly in their
twenties, and the older men were swarming around the nubile maidens, we
left for better 'hunting grounds'. If the place was too smoke-filled =
to
even try eye contact, we went elsewhere. We always carried our list of
milongas with us to facilitate "Plan B". Thirdly, we learned the
protocols of the salons and practiced the eye game even as we rode in
buses or walked down the streets to overcome our cultural reluctance to
stare at strangers. Finally, we quickly found that some of the best
dancing took place at the matinee milongas ( 5-9pm) and made a point to
always attend those. Sometimes we were so danced out that the evening
milongas ( 12-4am) were skipped.
Did we run into 'teachers'? Of course! We have them in the States,
too, don'=86 we? Did we get 'hit on'? Yes - at my age it is more
flattering than annoying and as a single woman with some experience, it
was handled in the same way. Were there agressive jerks and dirty
dancers? You don't think than is an American pehenomenon, do you? Did
we hire someone to take us out? Never! But we did meet and talk with
some of these guys who were hired by ARGENTINE women to dance with =
them!
We danced with them for free!
My travelling companion is a lovely slim woman, ten years younger,
with similar dance abilities. You would think she would get all the
guys, wouldn't you? Yet, the men clearly made their choices between =
the
two of us sometimes without regard to age. It must be the old apples
and oranges thing, do you suppose?
Now to the 'tangasm'. I had innumerable great tangos, valses,
milongas, and salsas with a variety of men from their 20s to 70+. it =
is
true that the men who boldly come to the table rather than play the eye
game are frequently not very good dancers and are taking advantage of
your ignorance of the customs. It is smarter to wait and see if the =
guy
dances well - or even if any Argentine woman is willing to dance with
him before accepting a dance or initiating contact with the eyes. I
have been known to wink at a guy who was admiring me from his table as =
I
danced in front of him. Remember also, that one can always leave the
floor after one or two dances and then send a signal to the other men
your demand for quality. But now and then, taking a chance can pay =
off.
One night in Viejo Correo, I was aware of a rather seedy-looking man
giving me the stare. I could tell I was six inches taller and
out-weighed him by at least 30 pounds, but I was so exhilarated by a =
run
of outstanding dances and surprising partners, that I decided to take a
chance. Let me tell you, ladies, that little guy took me to tango
heaven halfway through the first dance. By the second, my eyeballs had
rolled back into my head, and we both had tears in our eyes by the
third. He knew he was a great dancer and left me wondering just how
many other hidden jewels there might be in that crowd. Although this
was the most dramatic experience, it was not that unusual and should be
kept in mind by women who are looking for good dances.
Knowing Spanish is an advantage for those moments between each
recording and for understanding those charming piropos whispered in the
ear. It also is handy when taking lessons or for getting information
about special events or the opening of new milongas. I received one
marriage proposal, several romantic suggestions, and the offer of a
beach house in Mar del Plata. I am still considering all ;-) "Tal
vez" is a most useful expression!
Please, ladies, keep an open mind and most of all, go alone or with
one other woman. Groups of Americans in a milonga change the whole
dynamic of a place and are sometimes resented by the local dancers who
then avoid the interlopers. If you are THE NEW FACE, you will be
noticed and then it is your dancing ability and knowledge of the =
customs
and protocols which will get you on the floor. Be patient! More than
one guy praised us for our behavior, our elegance and appearance and =
our
dancing ability which had been noticed days earlier. It sometimes =
takes
them a few days to work up their nerve to ask .
I think I may have overlooked a basic element here - we stayed for
three weeks. It took us a week to establish our credentials and meet
certain dancers. They then guided us to the places we would most enjoy
and we inevitably saw a familiar face who then got us started dancing.
Because I made it clear early on that I especially enjoyed waltzes, the
best dancers sought me out for every waltz tanda. Because I
successfully danced Pugliese with one guy early on, the Pugliese
aficionados looked for me for those tandas. It does help to stay long
enough to become known. We were also aware that each day we stayed, =
our
level of expectations rose so that some of the guys from the first week
were then ignored in favor of other more promising prospects. Even =
some
of the 'name' teachers who travel to the States were not so impressive
when on the floor with their peers.
Have I been spoiled? Yes! Was this a major ego-boost? Certainly!
But I am still happy to be back, dancing in Miami, with "my guys" who
can hold their own with the best of BsAs.
Con carino,
Nancy Ingle
=20
=20
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 09:26:06 +1000
From: Sandy Smith <sg.smith @QUT.EDU.AU>
Subject: FloridaTango: Fourth of July - Remembering Independence Day
Dear Randy Pittman,
you are darned right...your posting about American Independence Day has
NOTHING to do with tango nor does this kind of nationalistic bullshit
interest anybody outside the US.
It would be nice if everybody remembered that this is an international
forum about tango.
sandy
australia
End of TANGO-L Digest - 4 Jul 2000 to 5 Jul 2000 (#2000-183)
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