Re: [TANGO-L] Tango teachers that hurt the community

[Miamidances @AOL.COM]

Why do we have so many differing opinions on Argentine Tango? In the ballroom world there are different opinions, but not anywhere near as many, as in A.T. world. In ballroom theyb  re two standards, the American standard and the International standard.  In the American style thereb  s the Arthur Murray studio syllabus, the  Fred Astaire  studio syllabus, and several independent studio syllabus, the names of steps are different, some have steps that the others donb  t have, but the technique is almost the same. The International Syllabus is exactly the same steps and technique throughout the world.

In the Argentine Tango world there is no standard syllabus. After 7 years organizing the USTC Tango Fantasy event in Miami, Ib  ve had the privilege of msany interesting conversations about the past and where Tango might go in the future with many of the masters.  In one of my conversations with Mr Copes, he told me that they tried to set a syllabus.  Copes, Pugliese, Zotto, Gavito, and several other masters got together for this purpose, after 5 hours of discussion, and almost going to the fists, they gave up. They could not even agree on the basic step. If these masters of Tango could not agree on the basic step, I donb  t think that we ever will.

We will always have our debates and conversations on what we think is right, and give our opinions of what we have been taught, but the many issues of Tango will never be finalized or agreed upon.

Tango Forever

Randy Pittman
Best of Dance studio, home of the Miami Dance Machine

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