Re: [TANGO-L] orchestras and moves of the milongueros

[Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>]

Previously I wrote:
>>Sergio and Pichi are using the term "milonguero" somewhat differently.
As is common in the United States, Sergio seems to be using the term more
narrowly to describe the elements of tango used by people like Tete,
Susana Miller, Cacho Dante and some of their students to dance to faster
tango music .  Pichi is using the term more broadly to mean how
milongueros dance.<<

Dan Boccia responded:
>This is a perfect example of why the discussion about
>styles is so ridiculous to me. ...

I am simply trying to clarify differences in how people are using the
language.

An interesting thing to consider is the origin of the label
milonguero-style tango.  It is my understanding, perhaps incorrect, that
Susana Miller began using this label during her first tour of the United
States to mean the specific elements of tango that she teaches.  Maybe it
was a simplification on her part, and maybe she was misinterpreted to some
degree, but it does seem to be a labeling that has stuck fairly well.

For instance, Tom Stermitz offers the following comments on Susana
Miller's webpage: "We just finished a week of workshops with Susana
Miller, the well-known teacher of the 'milonguero-style.' ...  Susana
makes a clear distinction between 'close-embrace', and 'milonguero'.
Close-embrace can be many styles, perhaps salon-style danced closely.
Milonguero is more specific, meaning a close, on the body style, using
ocho cortados, little pivoting of the woman's feet and a lot of triplet
rhythms." <http://www.susanamiller.com.ar/editorialing.htm>.

In addition, Robert Hauk's dance bio on the Portland webpage starts with
the statement, "Robert has become one of the most highly-regarded
'milonguero' (close embrace) style dancers in the Northwest."
<http://home.europa.com/~walsup/tango/teachers.html#robert>

In a posting to Tango-A, Robert Hauk and Cacho Dante are described as
teaching milonguero-style tango in Cleveland in September
<http://pythia.uoregon.edu/~llynch/Tango-A/2003/msg00683.html>.

I do quite agree with Dan's comments:
>[R]eally good dancers tend to prefer the really good dance music
>from the orchestras Pichi listed, and that these dancers have
>given themselves the freedom to express the music in their own
>personal way without worrying about what style they're dancing.

These dancers have gone beyond dancing someone else's style to dancing
their own.

Many happy dances to all,
Steve

Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
http://www.tejastango.com/