Re: [TANGO-L] Taco Bell

[Carlos Rojas <Crojas @HACIENDACDC.ORG>]

'TimmyTango @AOL.COM wrote:
"wether we're dancing to Tangos or Christmas Carols. Isn't the tango the
connection between two people and how they surrender to each other and
interact as one?"

TimmyTango,
The taco bell comment is not in regards to style or even music, it is in
regards to the mentality in the US to take something from another
culture, change it and then present it as authentic.  Is even more
insulting when the change occurs because we don't take the time or the
effort to learn it well.

The music in social tango does need a tango rhythm, just like salsa
needs a salsa rhythm.  But it does not matter (to me) whether is golden
age or contemporary, but it needs to be danceable.  When it comes to a
private dance with your life partner or a performance, then it does not
matter (to me).

One aspect of Latin American culture that is not understood in the US
(in my experience), is that in Latin America we make a difference
between music for dancing and music for listening, sometimes we even
make a difference among music for eating, partying, drinking, romance,
family, listening and dancing.

I see many DJs playing music for listening at the milongas, and it just
kill the desire for dancing, dancing music needs to move you, and needs
to move the crowd.

As an example, I love Gardel, in fact my father named me after him, but
you will never see me dancing to a Gardel song, because it is not for
dancing, is to listen and to feel.

Carlos Rojas
Portland, OR

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango
[mailto:TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of TimmyTango @AOL.COM
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 4:25 AM
To: TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] Taco Bell

We all dance the tango Differently, and that's good. If we all danced
the
same, that would be boring.
Nito and Elba have their own style.
Carlos Gavito has his own distinct style
Only Nestor Ray dances like he did.
In the tango, it's not the steps we're dancing, but how we dance the
steps.
Wether we dance salon, or Milonguero, or we're dancing slowly to the
beat of
the music or dancing traspie, wether we're dancing to Tangos or
Christmas
Carols. Isn't the tango the connection between two people and how they
surrender to each other and interact as one?

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