Re: [TANGO-L] Walking the tango

[WHITE 95 R <white95r @HOTMAIL.COM>]

> From: Lucia <curvasreales  @YAHOO.COM.AR>
> precision is
> associated with coldness, premeditation and analysis.

Coldness? Premeditation? Analysis? How about natural physical prowess or
athletic ability? How about skill from practice? How about just plain
dancing to the music and with your partner?

> Social Tango is a warm, "between friends" dance.

Does this mean that it must be imprecise or sloppy?

> Stage
> Tango  has all the previously mentioned bad
> characteristics, and too many people take it as a
> model to emulate, obviously due to exposure to shows,
> movies and visiting teachers rather than to the real
> stuff.

Stage tango is an exhibition, a labor of artists. It's no different from an
Ice Skating show a Broadway musical or the Cirque De Soleil. Why is it
necessary to ascribe "bad" characteristics to it? Is it necessarily wrong
for people to want to emulate what they see? If you are familiar with
American culture you know that many young boys aspire to be the next athlete
star and the young women often aspire to be the next famous starlet, singer,
etc. They are inspired by the work of the pros. It might not be "social
dancing", but it does not get any more "real" that that.


> If one wants to get the most from a Tango visit to
> Argentina, one would do well to visit provincial towns
> to see the real social dance. Bs As in my view is too
> cosmopolite, and corrupted by exposure to the
> learners, the curious, and by teachers and performers
> catering to tourists.

It's been some time since I was in Buenos Aires, but as I recall, the
milongas were full of regular people dancing tango. I did not have the
opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of visiting provincial towns, but it's a
well known fact that the "real" tango scene is in Bs As. The tango is so
much a part of Bs As that it's inextricable. The provinces are not know at
all for their tango scenes. The provinces are known for the folklore, the
estancias, the gauchos, the fishing, hunting, horseback riding, etc. The
best of the best in tango are much more likely to be found in Bs As and
ironically, in other big cities throughout the world, even though many
superlative tango dancers have come from the provinces themselves. IMHO,
there is no "tango purity" or uncorrupted "tango scenes" in the provinces of
Argentina. The "real thing" can be seen and enjoyed in Bs As more than in
any other part of the world.

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