OK. I'll speak up. I am uncomfortable with gratuitous tittle-tattle about this particular lawsuit. It should be possible to make constructive remarks about ethical conduct for dance teachers, or how women should stand up for themselves against sexual harrassment, without seeking to spread this gossipy sensationalistic tabloid news about the case in Denver.
And I agree with Astrid - it seems that Darlene has more to her agenda than trying to lift up other dancers. I also think that this particular problem of a tango lesson becoming sexual misconduct - regardless of whatever really happened in the aforementioned lawsuit - is connected to a rather warped and shallow idea of tango that is popularized by tango teachers and promoters. I am uncomfortable with tango promoters and teachers representing tango as a Latin antidote to Puritan inhibition. I wish people would stop selling tango as 'intimate," a "vertical expression of a horizontal desire," the "most sexual dance," a "dance of seduction," etc. I have seen tango teachers actually say such things in a class for first-time dancers. It's not only banal, it's disgusting! And it leads to distorted ideas. I am really uncomfortable that the popular image of tango dancing, inculcated by people in the tango business, is _so sleazy_ that attorneys could reasonably construct a BS legal defense like the following: "[His attorneys] argued that Gale was simply touching the woman for purposes of teaching her the sensual dance steps of the tango." That is quoted from the link that Darlene sent. You know, tango is not strip tease - they are two different dance worlds. I wish people would stop trying to combine them. I am uncomfortable with middle-aged women dressing for the milonga as if they were turn-of-the-century prostitutes. I am uncomfortable with "best lingerie contest" as a theme for milongas. I am not a prude, but really, what is the idea here? Is the dance itself not interesting enough for you? I am uncomfortable with guys who make tango dancing into an overt grope fest and public seduction ritual. Please, have some taste! And I am uncomfortable with the widely popularized fantasy ideas of tango that seem to define tango in this way. I am uncomfortable with men who take advantage of women who are in the vulnerable position of learning a new dance. In tango it is not unusual to hear the line that the man is the boss, the woman needs to surrender, submit, give herself. Many new dancers (men as well as women) are already way out of their comfort zone just due to the fact that they are trying to learn a new dance. It can be a very big deal for some people simply to be touching others, or to be moving their own body to music, or to be taken out on a dance floor where other people can see their timid efforts. Sometimes people have worked up a lot of courage to try tango. They fight back insecurity, fear, memories of past criticism, and sometimes past abuse. It is easy to confuse and abuse people in this situation. It is wrong to mix teaching with picking people up. People who are teaching dance ought to protect and care for new dancers, and make them comfortable, and not treat them like prey. Sex is part of life, and sex certainly is an underyling component of tango dancing. I just think it should remain underlying both at the milonga and at the dance studio. I would like to be able to bring my daughters and their friends to tango. _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
