On 3/13/08, Alex <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > There is no open or close embrace...no traditional or nuevo...no milonguero > or salon... > > There is only tango... > > Make this your mantra...
Labels can be counterproductive because the intended message of the sender and interpreted meaning of the recipient may be different, thus miscommunication occurs. However, to neglect differences that exist within tango is an obfuscation of reality. In Buenos Aires, there is 'tango de salon', the tango danced in the milongas, and there is tango for the stage or exhibition. There are also practicas (Villa Malcolm, Practica X), where 'nuevo tango' is danced, that latter considered inappropriate for milongas. Tange de salon conists of a nearly continuous range of stylistic variations in posture, embrace, and manner of walking (with tango milonguero representing a collected set of traits along this continuum), but nearly all of this variation is characterized by a maintained close embrace and fitting one's movements to fit the (often limited) space on the dance floor. One very rarely sees a porten~o dancing in an open embrace in the milongas of Buenos Aires. The music played at milongas is classic tango music from the 30s, 40s, and sometimes from the early 50s. Forms of tango where the embrace is opened, often classified as 'tango fantasia' or 'tango nuevo' are reserved for the stage or for exhibitions at some milongas. Outside Argentina these differences are not maintained. In fact, tango reserved for exhibition or the stage is typically the predominant form of tango danced in social gatherings called 'milongas'. It is also quite common to find no one at a 'milonga' in the USA dance any of the variations of 'tango de salon' at an event called a 'milonga'. The music played at events called 'milongas' in the USA is often quite different than that played in Buenos Aires. it is quite common to hear 'tango electronica' and other non-music (i.e., music lacking a tango rhythm such as blues or European or Latin American folk music). Many of these events are called 'alternative milongas', although some 'milongas' with this musical format are not advertised as such. These changes, including bringing exhibition tango onto the social dance floor and playing non-tango music for the intended purpose of dancing tango, are inaccurate representations of Argentine tango culture, i.e., an error in cultural transmission. There is a tradition of freedom of expression and interpretation throughout the US and much of Europe. Dancers are certainly free to crate their own version of tango that is compatible with the character of their culture. However, when the expression and environment of tango has been altered to a significant degree, it is no longer Argentine tango. it is something else. Variation within tango should be understood within the context of how that variation is expressed within the culture that created it. The existence of tango variation in Buenos Aires does not provide a license to reassemble the relationship between context and expression of the art form and still claim it is an accurate representation of the culture. On the other hand, if Americans or Europeans are accurate in communicating the environment of their events, that is something different. For example "Alternative Tango Party. Saturday 9 PM - 2 AM. A social gathering for dancing nuevo tango. DJ X will play modern tango, nuevo tango, tango electronica, and non-tango music for you dancing enjoyment.' At least that would be accurate. Ron _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
