[Tango-L] West Coast Swing/ Carlos' blog

[astrid]

Steve,
Trying to determine the origin of any particular dance style seems to me
pretty much like chasing a cloud.
A perfect example is the (endless) discussions we have here on the style(?)
of close embrace tango.  We vainly attempt to define and agree on important
aspects of it.  How close is close?  Does it mean close all the time, or
can it mean most of the time, or what if it is used only when the occasion
calls for it?  What is it if its danced on a stage?

etc.etc. I find W.B. Smith refreshing.
And a guy charms me even more is Carlos Can~edo with his blog, who I
discovered through a link on Cherie Magnus' website.
Copied without permission (you don't mind, do you, Carlos?), foul language
and all, from www.thetangocompany.com:

------------------------------------------------
5/11/06-

The next person who tells you what tango is or what tango isn't, punch em in
the mouth! Well, not really, but pretend to. I'm tired of hearing these
people defining, pigeonholing, and barricading me into one side of the wall
or the other. Tango to me is what it is TO ME! Tango to you is what it is TO
YOU. Don't let nobody put a label on you, your artform, or your community.
Technique, for example. "Tango is danced this way, it must always be danced
that way, blah blah blah". That shit is so tired. The more rules you put on
it, the less people you attract. As those of you who have ever taken a
lesson with more than one teacher, or danced with more than one partner-
People do the shit different than each other! It's diverse AND THAT IS
AWESOME! People tend to feel very possessive of Tango. But it's not yours!
Hell, it's not mine! It's everybody's! So we have to stop alienating people
with rules and conditions and start opening our doors to people and
accepting change and evolution of Tango, whatever it is. And music. Tango
music. Music that makes you wanna dance Tango to it. What is it? It's
different to all of us. Hell, people for years told Piazzolla he wasn't
playing Tango. Now check out his legacy inn the Tango community. In fact,
the next person who tells you what tango music is or isn't, punch them in
the mouth. Well, not really, but pretend to. Muthafuckas drive me crazy when
they tell me what tango can or cannot be danced to. I know what I like to
dance to, as everybody has favorites. I'm not saying we have to like
everything, but the songs I don't like, I don't dance to. I don't say YOU
can't dance to it. Dance to whatever moves you. I'll just chill and wait for
the next tanda. Play on, play-uh! Remember, weak minds generalize, and
weaker minds judge. And that's not to say you can't personally have an
opinion on what is or isn't, it's just that, to me, there is no unversal
definition of music, dance...or art in general. And definitely not Tango. As
George Clinton ever so poignantly put it, "Free your mind, and your ass will
follow!"

1 4 3,

Carlos Canedo

PS-I prommise all my blogs won't be complaints. I just had this on my
mind...
------------------------------

What follows is even better. Copy and paste:
----------------------------------------
5/12/06-

Men, we are bummed! We are bummed because women got it all over us, when it
comes to Tango. It's a given that they follow better than us (...well,
except me cuz I follow like f-ing princess!) but they also lead better than
us. They are more patient, they learn faster (in my experience), they are
more sensitive to the subtleties of the dance, and they are more musical. We
better get our act together, cuz we will be out of the game in no thyme
quick. Get out there and practice! Pay more attention to the follower's
feelings, take a class as a follower every now and then, and, for God's
sake, LISTEN TO THE MUSIC....AND DANCE TO IT! If we don't, fellas, we will
be sitting on the bench, enjoying cheap wine and cheaper conversation about
"how good it used to be when we had 2, 3 girls to every guy around here"
while the women lead each other, follow each other, and walk right by us on
their way to the bar after a night of non-stop dancing! Get it together
play-uh!