[Tango-L] Dividing Tango
I was at a Milonga last week and following the line of dance. A couple in front of me were doing 'Nuevo' and the woman was swinging gold stiletto heels in wide swaths that seemed to be at chin height. I was feeling like the moving of my partner towards that whirling fan of heels was like moving her towards certain injury.' What the hell was I to do? So, I paused and they inched away but really not enough nor at any predictable rate that I could safely follow behind. Is this something new that is happening on Tango floors? Is this going to be the 'way it is', in the future? Should I worry about this? ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] Dividing Tango
David, Very well said. I often strike a little pose with my partners, especially at the end of the dance, or maybe even during a dance. But it's got absolutely nothing to do with ... "showing off to an audience." I just do it to have little fun with my partner. But, from the tone of many of the messages on this list, it's beginning to sound like 'having fun' is another thing that's not really acceptable in tango - at least, to the tango police. Jack - Original Message > From: David Thorn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > But it seems a little > presumptuous of you to say that you know what is > going on in my head and in my partner's head, and that the pose we might > strike > is not something just between us. > ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] Dividing Tango
Brick wrote > These couples are obviously dancing for the audience, and not for each other. I think that one important source of the "hateful views" that I earlier lamented is the idea that you (the generic you) know what I am thinking. How do you know? How is that obvious? If what you are saying is that were _you_ posing, it would be for an audience, that's OK. But it seems a little presumptuous of you to say that you know what is going on in my head and in my partner's head, and that the pose we might strike is not something just between us. Are tango dancers generally so repressed that they can't express their feelings with / to their partners without first looking over their shoulders to see who might be watching??? Cheers D. David Thorn _ Keep your kids safer online with Windows Live Family Safety. http://www.windowslive.com/family_safety/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_family_safety_072008 ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] Dividing Tango
Brick Robbins wrote: > Running into people is > not good FOR your partner, so of course good navigation is part of > this focus. > You forgot that it also annoys the other people you run into! > In my experience, when a "Salon" couple strikes a dramatic, but > obviously uncomfortable pose, many of my social tango friends are > somewhat offended. They feel the same when a "Neuvo" couple is > obviously showing off. I think this stems from the change of focus. > It is not so much the change of focus but mainly, again, that they are not alone on the floor and again, instead of going with the flow, they are disrupting the line of dance with their posing and thus presenting a disturbance for the other dancers. Everybody wants to enjoy dancing with their partners and does not want to be thrown out of the mood by some couple bumping into them, extending legs into their path and such. ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
Re: [Tango-L] Dividing Tango
Hmmm, this might be true in principle, but in my experience, every woman who dances wants to look beautiful. I don't think they'd agree that ... "It doesn't really matter what the dance looks like," And isn't it part of the man's job to help his partner look beautiful as well as feel beautiful? Just my opinion. Jack - Original Message > From: Brick Robbins [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In social tango the dancers dance FOR each other. It doesn't really > matter what the dance looks like, what matters is how it feels. > ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Dividing tango
Brick says "These couples are obviously dancing for the audience, and not for each other. If only they knew what the "audience" really thought of them". It could be the wrong audience? Nobody wants to dance for an audience that cannot appreciate his performance. Showing off is not well liked . This is a problem of the particular dancers and not one of the Tango Style. Dancing "out of place" is wrong. Most of the time when a couple dances well, and decides to gift the audience with an improvised performance this "gift" is greatly appreciated; the attendants ask the couple to give an exhibition. This happens all the time in Buenos Aires. Then everyone applauds and is very happy. As a rule it is better to dance the same style that everyone else is doing. One should not show off. He adds "Performance Tango. In performance tango, the dancers are dancing FOR someone outside thepartnership. They are still dancing WITH one another, but they are dancing FOR someone else." If they are performing then they are dancing to please the audience with their art. But where I think you are wrong is in assuming that those that dance, traditional tango, canyengue, nuevo, etc, are always, and only, dancing for the audience. They are not, when they use those tango styles to dance "socially" they dance with the same attributes that the other "milonguero style" dancers so much cherish. They have good connection, both physical and spiritual, they dance for each other, as all the other couples in the room do the same (as they are all dancing the same style). They have perfect lead and follow skills and navigate the floor without disturbing anyone. It happens that their dance is so beautiful that many people take turns to sit and admire the other dancers as well. Summary: It is wrong to assume that those that dance traditional (Villa Urquiza) tango, Canyengue, or nuevo "only" dance to perform, "no way", they dance socially as well. They dance for each other with perfect connection and reciprocal spirituality. It is also wrong to dance "out of place" where your style is not appreciated. The problem is not the tango style, is the poor dancer, the show off, the one that dances out of place. Beginners should dance at practicas and not at the milongas. Best regards, Sergio _ With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you. http://www.windowslive.com/mobile/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_mobile_072008 ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
[Tango-L] Dividing Tango
It seems convenient to me to divide Tango into two basic types based on the intent and focus of the partners: 1) Social Tango. In social tango the dancers dance FOR each other. It doesn't really matter what the dance looks like, what matters is how it feels. They may be striving for an intimate emotional connection, for a playful interaction, or something else entirely. But they are dancing FOR each other. Neither the shape of the embrace, nor the size of the movement really matters. It is the focus of the dancers. Running into people is not good FOR your partner, so of course good navigation is part of this focus. 2) Performance Tango. In performance tango, the dancers are dancing FOR someone outside the partnership. They are still dancing WITH one another, but they are dancing FOR someone else. I do a lot of other dances, and none of the others present themselves to me this way. Ballroom, Salsa, Swing, all have performance (or competitive, which is really the same thing) aspects deeply embedded in the philosophy of the dance. Good dancers are expected to show off. It seems to me that many Argentine Tango dancers feel that Performance Tango belongs on the stage, and Social Tango belongs at the Milonga, and never the twain should meet. In my experience, when a "Salon" couple strikes a dramatic, but obviously uncomfortable pose, many of my social tango friends are somewhat offended. They feel the same when a "Neuvo" couple is obviously showing off. I think this stems from the change of focus. These couples are obviously dancing for the audience, and not for each other. If only they knew what the "audience" really thought of them. All IMHO, YMMV. ___ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
