Jan's post about "Lo de Laura" is recommended reading for historical trivia and helps explain one of several reasons why men danced together. These clubs were not the places where respectable women were seen, nor was the dance considered respectable, so men had to practice with each other before going to these places, which were in many cases just thinly disguised bordellos. You can also hear about it in a milonga by Angel D'Agostino and Angel Vargas, "En Lo de Laura" on vol. 3 of "Tango de los Angeles" (Tango Argentino label)
Last night I saw Miguel Angel Zotto's new stage show "Buenos Aires Tango" here and in the Playbill there is a brief single-page synopsis of the history of tango which is surprisingly informative and concise. Several things were mentioned, which have often come up as questions on this list. One was about the shortage of women in Buenos Aires (another reason for men dancing together). Another was about the rise and separate growth of "tango americano" or ballroom tango, an attempt to allow people in the U.S. and Europe to dance tango together without body contact, still very taboo in those days outside Argentina. It continued to evolve into the ballroom dance we now know. Another was about the revival of "stage" tango due to the sensation caused by the original Broadway production of "Tango Argentino" which helped to create the split between the close-hold style of the social milongas (the traditional norm) and the new stage style which soon started appearing, unfortunately for some, in the social milongas. It even mentions the disruptive effects of rock and roll on tango. I don't know if the Playbill can be accessed but you could try at: nycitycenter.org Cheers, Charles ************** Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
