We repeatedly hear how in its evolution tango has diversified and that we should celebrate this diversity and all forms of tango should coexist peacefully under one big tent. Milonguero and nuevo can share the same dance floor, maybe nuevo in the middle where there is more space and milonguero along the outer edge. Music can be mixed, too, with classic tango and electrotango and non-tango music all played, a little bit of something for everyone, so that everyone can be happy.
Comments such as these usually come from nuevo dancers, not tango milonguero dancers. Tango milonguero dancers typically prefer a milonga where only classic tango music is played and it is not unusual for them also to prefer the company of only other tango milonguero dancers at a milonga, with whom they share a similar interpretation of the music, relationship with the partner, and use of space. This attitude is often seen as intolerant, unfriendly, and an antithesis to tango community growth. The preference for tango milonguero and classic tango music is seen as dogmatic and resistant to the inevitable evolution of tango, as it is occurring in Buenos Aires today. Why are these tango milonguero dancers so intolerant and dogmatic? What can be done to correct this problem? Tango is a dance and a type of music, but it is more. Tango is a culture. The culture of tango, within in which the dance and music intermingle, is alive today in the milongas of Buenos Aires. Here tango is danced in a close embrace, using small steps, closely connected with classic tango music, the way it has been danced for over half a century. A connection with the past does not mean tango is some anachronism that is out of touch with the modern world. No, it IS so much in touch with contemporary life; its persistence indicates its continuing relevance to the lives of porten~os and obviously, to thousands of people from outside Argentina who come to Buenos Aires to experience this culture. This tango IS contemporary Argentine social tango, alive today in over 100 milongas weekly in Buenos Aires. In contrast, nuevo is an evolutionary experiment, about 15 years old, an offshoot from the tango mainstream. Nuevo is danced in fewer than a dozen tango events (typically called practicas) weekly in Buenos Aires. In their relative distribution, there is an overabundance on non-Argentines at nuevo events, and a much higher representation of porten~os at milongas. Nuevo (and alternative music) do not characterize tango in Buenos Aires; they represent a small fragment of tango culture, in terms of events, locations and especially the number of Argentine people who are part of this phenomenon. Most importantly, in Buenos Aires contemporary Argentine social tango and nuevo occupy separate niches. They do not occupy the same dance floor. There is no electrotango or non-tango music played to attract or satisfy the tastes of nuevo dancers at milongas in Buenos Aires. It is not part of the contemporary Argentine social tango culture. Outside Argentina, it is different. Dancers of tango milonguero, who prefer the environment of the contemporary milonga of Buenos Aires, find it difficult to create an atmosphere of music and contemporary social Argentine tango dancing, ideally with some aspects of the milonga culture (tandas, cortinas, cabeceo, ronda). Even at festivals that focus on instruction in contemporary social Argentine tango, nuevo dancers who do not attend workshops readily flock to milongas and execute space consuming moves at rapid speed that do not respect the ronda. There is no refuge from nuevo dancers who do not understand and respect the culture of contemporary Argentine social tango. In many places outside Argentina, respect of tango culture is seen as dogmatic and intolerant. Failure to recognize and follow the core characteristics of contemporary Argentine tango culture is seen as democratic and in celebration of tango diversity. There is nothing inherently wrong with nuevo. However, its culture is different from the culture of contemporary Argentine social tango. There is nothing wrong in separating them into different niches, i.e., separate events. Each can have its own atmosphere. Dancers can attend these different events and respect the environment intended by the event organizer. Just as they do in Buenos Aires. Some people may go to both types of events, adapting their dance to the environment they are entering. Doing this respects the unique characteristics of both and allows each its environment to flourish. It reduces the conflict between people who have different interpretations of tango. Ron _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
