When I went to Buenos Aires one fact I noticed was that, on the average, tango dancers there were not nearly as good as those in the places where I had danced in the US.
I thought about this quite a bit after I returned home. Finally I realized why the difference in quality. The key is that phrase "on the average." The situation in Argentina is unique - the tango there is genuinely popular. Elsewhere it is a niche phenomena, drawing a lot of very dedicated people who work hard and long to be better. And in recent years that means not just physically but also better in other ways. In Bs As there are, as of a few months back, more than a 160 milongas - ten to twenty times the number of those in other large metro areas in the rest of the world. Plus the milongas are often much larger. Thus there is a much larger range of dancers. Those that are good are very very good, in all ways. Not just in athleticism and body control, but in feeling and interpreting the music and making the dance experience special. And there are many who are mediocre, and some who can barely dance the tango at all. Or who go to dance the non-tango tandas, usually swing and "tropical" (meaning latin dances except for salsa, which has its own large fan universe in Bs As). There are also plenty of people who go but do not dance any dance at all. Some go just to listen to tango music, which is an important musical and poetic art form on Argentina, whereas in the rest of the world for many if not most it is just an excuse to dance. Some go to socialize. Most likely they live within walking distance of the milonga. They snack, smoke, and gossip, and watch the crazy foreign tango fanatics with amusement - if they bother to watch them at all. In this forum there has been much discussion about the different styles of tango dancing. Many tango dancers in Argentina specialize in one style or another, and are contempuous of those who dance a style they themselves do not dance. That is human nature. But many are comfortable with more than one style. In the large and varied tango venue in Bs As most people have long been exposed to all the styles. It is all tango to them. There has also been much talk in this forum about the milongueros and how tango is dying in Argentina as the elders die out. This is utter crap. It ignores all the younger people who have been taking up tango. Some do it because of a parent or grandparent or other relative gets them interested and nurtures their interest. But tango is quite capable of grabbing people - young and otherwise - who have no family or friends to help them get interested. In forums like these it is natural to assume that young people will be drawn to tango nuevo and ignore or abandon other and earlier styles. And certainly there is truth to that. But it is a limited truth. Each tango style has its appeal and advantages. What is certain about young people is that they are more willing to try, and often learn, several different styles. And to use a style that suits the situation. When the milonga is tight, and some of the young-people's milongas are VERY tight, they will use one of the compact styles. And when the evening nears its end and the floor becomes loose, they will use one of the looser styles. Thus the average quality of tango dancer in Bs As is less than the quality elsewhere. But that is all to the good. It means we non- Argentines can go there confident that there is a place even for those of us who are not especially good. And there is the chance to see dance, and to take lessons from, the very best tango dancers on the planet. Look for them on the tight dance floors. They may be very old, or very young, not even in their teens yet. Look for the ones who are like fish in water, sliding easily and quietly through the crowd, not seeming to do anything special. Then look for the same ones the hour before dawn, when the floor empties out, and these quiet fish spread their iridescent fins for all to see. Larry de Los Angeles http://shapechangers.wordpress.com _____________________________________________________________ Click for a credit repair consultation, raise your FICO score. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2111/fc/Ioyw6iifRtVIg56PVVwscR9H51lixd7rULSxKs6mxTCSZ4MhNgrweG/?count=1234567890 _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
