Jan I just returned home from the so-called “close embrace festival” in San Diego and here are my observations: The milongas have turned into a battlefield rather then a close embrace dance as advertised. It’s pretty much chaos as the young “nuevo’s” take to the floor. It’s hard to put into words the disrespect they show for other dancers and the line of dance but I’ll try to paint a picture. No regard for a crowded floor with endless colgadas and piernazos and lets not forget the boleos and of course if you haven’t seen it yet the front and back karate kicks? They seem to have only two speeds passing everyone at 100 mph or the dreaded endless idle standing in one spot and either striking a ridiculous pose or turning endlessly like a lizard on the end of a stick. Another trait is looking down at the floor or they might be looking at their feet I haven't figured that out yet perhaps someone who knows why they do that could post it on Tango L. One other curious observation: When they run you down or kick you or your partner you get a nasty look as if it’s your fault for getting in their way. Go figure? So lets review: Crowded floor 100 mph head down endless boleos and colgadas moving against the line of dance blocking the line of dance by stopping posing spinning intimidating the poor close embrace dancers in order to secure a large area of the floor. Yep that’s about what went on at this “by dancers for dancers close embrace festival” I’d like to repeat what Jan said in a previous post “As to the rights of the "true tango" community, I just can repeat myself from an earlier post - the milonga organizer determines and enforces the dancing style”. So on a positive note I would like to make a suggestion in order to retain truth in advertising a name change is called for because this is not a close embrace festival.
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