[Tango-A] NA-C: Secret Tango Party Revealed

[Tango Informer]

Central region tango agents have recently uncovered evidence
suggesting that Kansas City's Stone Soup Tango "Festival" (June 1-4)
is really a 56 hour tango party masquerading as a festival!  "We were
skeptical about the huge staff of amazing instructors, and the rather
ambiguous descriptions of festival events," says Ida N. Geddit,
director of the TIA's festival oversight committee.  "Then we saw the
pricing for the event, (less then $3/hour for the full pass) and we
were certain that something radical was happening in Kansas City."

Following a tip from an unnamed informant, TIA's agents trailed
festival organizers Ireland and Vigdorova throughout the US and
Europe, discovering a disturbing pattern of affiliations and
distinctly un-festivalian activities.  "These guys were teaching in
remote locations with crowds of tango addicts who would gather to
dance for absurd amounts of time; the so-called festivals they taught
at are characterized by all sorts of nefarious activities:  group
meals, large blocks of un-scheduled time, relatively few real
workshops, and the most disconcerting facet -- there was often actual
interaction, even collaboration between festival staff and
partcipants," reports TIA field agent, Willy Everdance.  It seems
clear that this is event is using the term "festival" to lure tango-
starved  participants from around the region to a four day tango
indulgence.  Potential participants should be warned that they may be
forced to enjoy tango in their own way, to share their own
perspectives on the dance, even to help in preparing and sharing meals.

"This in an outrage!" reports Dr. Tan Goforsale, director of quality
control for the North American division of the International Tango
Trade Organization.  "These people are proposing that dancers can
learn from each other, and benefit from practicing or taking private
lessons in an unregulated environment.  Even the lessons are priced
below market standards, its simply scandalous, even dangerous!"

Consider the choice of staff for this event:  Stefan & Komala, Robin
& Shorey, Carlos & Tova, Nick & Tara, Ben & Thuy...All of these are
the same seedy characters who loiter at all-night milongas around the
nation, embarrassing organizers and dancers with their untiring
enthusiasm for social dancing.  One can only imagine the momentum and
dance-crazed hysteria that this group will provoke.  To make matters
much worse, a disturbing number of this so-called tango staff, are
actually musicians as well as dancers.  Which leads one to suspect a
dangerous tendency to spread the perspective that tango might be a
living music tradition that could evolve along side the social dance
tradtion.  This idea is dangerous!  Where would we be if dancers and
musicians everywhere started to exchange ideas and influence each
other?!?

True festivalites beware.  The Stone Soup event is stretching the
credible limits of the term "festival," and challenging the very
foundation of consumer tango.  Examine the website with care and you
will see signs of rampant sharing, lack of structure, and a general
disregard of festival conventions ( http://www.ko-art.com/soup.htm ).
Be warned.  Be careful.  [ed. note: Be there.]

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