[Tango-L] Roots of Tango
While often a popular topic of discussion, its actually very difficult if not impossible to try to isolate the roots of a dance by identifying a particular place of origin or with a particular historical dance. It seems much more appropriate to discuss influences rather than roots. As far as any dance having African influences, it would appear difficult to identify any modern vernacular dance thats originated in the Western hemisphere in the last 150 years that doesnt have African influences, some just being more obvious than others. As an example far removed from tango, consider the history of tap dance. Tap draws on Irish jigs, Scottish reels, English clogs and African shuffle dances. For any one of these influences to be singled out as being the roots of tap is impossible but it has clearly been influenced by all of them. While tango undoubtedly has African influences, compared to modern Latin dances and even swing dance, the influence would seem comparatively mild. While the rhythms and some of the movements may be discerned, consider that a very defining feature of virtually all historical tribal African dances was a separation of the partners, that is, men and women danced apart, generally with no physical contact at all. The influence of this African dance characteristic can be seen in the openness of swing, disco, contemporary club dancing and in salsa. Interestingly in contrast, in tango certainly one of the most defining characteristics is the close embrace of the partners. For a surprisingly good scholarly discussion of the evolution of the influences of different musical cultures on Western music and dance, I would recommend Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo by Ned Sublette. Dont be put off by the title, its about much more than just Cuba (which served as a crossroads) and includes good discussions of dancing. It is well-researched and documented with sources and footnotes. It presents a much better and broader analysis of the influence of African rhythms (as well as other influences) on Western music than the Thompson book on tango (even though Sublette does cite it in places). For anyone interested in the early cross-pollination of influences in the evolution of unique Western music, including tango, I would strongly recommend taking a look at the life and works of Louis Moreau Gottschalk. If you havent heard of him, he was born in New Orleans in 1829. His father was an English-born businessman of Jewish Spanish descent and his mother was French Creole Haitian. He was a child prodigy on the piano and was classically trained in Paris. When he returned, besides living in New Orleans, he made many lengthy trips to Cuba and Central and South America. He died in 1869 at the age of 40 while in Rio de Janeiro. Even though he is largely unknown today, he was hugely popular giving large concerts in the 1850s and 60s, incorporating classical skills with the ethnic music of the Caribbean and Central and South America, Creole music, the rhythms of African slaves heard in the Place Congo, Spanish folk music, and French ballroom dances. Try listening to Bamboula, written in 1845. While it is widely-regarded as the forerunner of ragtime, elements of what would become tango can be found in it also. If there is a common root of African rhythms, the haberna, ragtime, and tango, it may very well be traced through the works of Louis Moreau Gottschalk. WBSmith mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] help with youtube?
I am looking for two videos - in one, a man and woman are in a supermarket - tango-ing with their carts. They find their cars are parked next to each other, they wordlessly begin to dance.anyone have a link to that one? also, I have seen two clips by the same couple/entertainers. She plays hapless victim to his lecherous tango - does anyone have the link to theses clips? Have you joined the Buffalo Argentine Tango Society Yahoo! group yet? It's easy, and the best way to make sure you know what we're doing and what's going on with the Argentine tango in and around Buffalo..go to www.yahoo.com select Groups search for Buffalo Argentine Tango Society follow the directions to join BATS_tango. Thanks! More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail ! - http://webmail.aol.com ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Roots of Tango
OK, no excuses (and I could give at leas five) it's me dancing after four months of Tango.. Now, I've shown you mine, show me your's Keith, Chris, Dancing for Her ?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrxOD7pky9Y - Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Fwd: help with youtube?
And their cars get stolen at the end? Yea, you can find it here http://www.arzanohumorciak.com/corti_2006/perdizione.html or on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-629zssP21Y___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] How the Tango-L List is Moderated
Since the subject comes up once in a while, and some people have some misconceptions about how it works (or just plain curiousity), here is the gist of it. In general, it is greatly to the advantage of the moderators NOT to have anyone on moderation status, as it just creates more work for them. There are basically two ways people get on moderated status. a. When anyone first subscribes to the list, he is automatically on moderated status. This is mostly to prevent spammers from subscribing and then sending spam, and was implemented recently on Tango-L. It has the side benefit of catching most newbie errors as well (e.g., unnecessarily attaching the entire content of the previous email). After a few postings (sometimes as few as one), the person is removed from moderated status. b. Someone is put on moderated status by the moderator for intentional and/or severe and/or repeated list abuse or rules violations, or for a statement of intent to do so. c. There is actually a third category, which I use once in a while, sort of a blend of (a) and (b), which is to get the attention of someone who has some relatively minor violation (e.g., unnecessarily attaching the entire previous email), but who seems to ignore the repeated emails I send to them pointing this out. It generally gets their attention when they HAVE to read and act on the reminder email in order for their posts to get through. This is really more like putting someone back in category (a), since they are newbie type errors, rather than intentional or severe rules violations. Hence, most of the rest of the discussion will focus on category (b): Intentional and/or severe and/or repeated list abuse or rules violations, or for a statement of intent to do so. (As usual in such cases, it is 1% of the posts or posters that end up needing 90% of the maintenance effort.) To put things into context, let me mention three points: i. There are, at this point in time, more people in category (b) than there have every been in the history of Tango-L, and this number is a large whopping THREE (3). I.e., it's an insignificant problem as far as I'm concerned in terms of list membership but a significant nuisance in terms of my time, because it's 0.3% of the list membership demanding significantly more than their share of the moderators' time. ii. Since I started enforcing the rules, particular the no flames rules, the exodus of about 10 people per month leaving because they are sick of the bickering and rudeness has been stemmed (and they are generally the civilized people one would LIKE to keep in such a group). iii. I am not prepared to devote more than 1 month of my lifetime to attending to list-member requests (particular those that come out of intentional rules violations), which if you take the simplistic view that 1000 people will request some kind of assistance at 15 minutes each, well that's thirty-one 8-hour days right there. (I can't imagine being on my deathbed, saying, My only regret in life is not having spent more time administering Tango-L ) And I am much more willing to push that number for people having genuine technical or other such problems with their postings, than people who arrogantly demand my time because they feel that they are above the rules. So, with these preliminaries out of the way, here is the approximate algorithm for enforcement of the Tango-L rules. 1. If someone is in category (a) (temporary or default moderation) and the posting is fine, I let it through and generally clear the moderation flag after a small number of good postings. If there is a problem, even a small one, I point it out along with a summary of the rule in question and a link to the rules page, and invite the poster to correct and resubmit. 2. Every so often, I scan the Tango-L postings and send reminders to those who have violated the rules. Most common are unnecessary quoting of entire previous email, unrelated to tango and 1-liner trivial posting (which for some bizarre reason seems usually to be accompanied by unnecessary quoting of entire previous email). NONE of these results in someone being put on moderation--it is just an attempt to improve the quality of the postings a little. The usual response I get to these is (a) none (which is fine--it's a reminder) (b) an OK, thanks for the reminder or (c) some kind of justification (I'm a Buddhist haiku poet and MY 1-liner was replete with meaning, but fine, if you say so ...). 3. If it's a flame I see on Tango-L, then it depends on the nature of the flame and and posting history of the poster. Recall that it has been stated strongly in the rules and in postings by me to the list that flames are the most strongly enforced rules and that my limited time does not allow me to be subtle in my response to them (i.e., expect a sledgehammer approach). Even so, if it's a mild flame, OK, who died and made you Tango God? or Is your tango as bad
Re: [Tango-L] How the Tango-L List is Moderated
Shahrukh, I, among many others I'm sure, appreciate all you do in keeping this list going. As an instructor, I encourage my students to subscribe to Tango-L. However, in the past, I've also had to qualify it by telling them there's a lot of junk emails, but there are a few gems, as well. I hope, now, that I won't have to add that qualifying statement when I encourage folks to subscribe and be part of this wonderful world of tango. The flaming, I believe, was one of the reasons the Tango DJ list was created. When that list was created, Tango-L saw a lot less input from musically-informed contributors, who now spend their time on Tango DJ. I miss them and I hope that your efforts might encourage them to participate again. Trini de Pittsburgh --- Shahrukh Merchant [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ii. Since I started enforcing the rules, particular the no flames rules, the exodus of about 10 people per month leaving because they are sick of the bickering and rudeness has been stemmed (and they are generally the civilized people one would LIKE to keep in such a group). PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburghs most popular social dance! http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
