[Tango-L] Women and Classes

[Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~]

In a social dance setting, in principle there IS no audience...! In a performance setting, there IS an audience...! The premise in what you are saying, Ron, is that you don't differentiate between the two. Does this mean you have no concept of one, the other or both? You generalise and bleat "Dancing with your partner is preferred over dancing for the audience". You must try, Ron, try to understand that there is a difference. You cannot generalise.
 
I come from a performance background; I mean, before tango. I prefer performing to social dancing... it's as simple as that! However, when I perform in anything (in this example, tango) although there are many considerations to be aware of such as where the audience is, the type of audience, the atmosphere (emotional), and much more... I do 'dance with my partner'. The thing about tango is that, as most people know, the passion between the two dancers is extremely important to convey the message, the story of the relationship... ie the music, the lyric, the connection. Now, this aspect of 'dancing with your partner' is exactly that... another aspect (in tango performance) added to all the other factors aforementioned. It's a necessity to convey the message of the dance. This adds to the beauty of the performance, but it's not the only factor.
 
*Being able to turn heads IS another factor for me*.
 
I hasten to add: that's not to say I'm aiming for that in a social setting. I don't pay attention to what's going on in the seats/tables around the dancefloor while I'm dancing. I don't care... unless they interfere with me or my partner!!! I'm aiming to enjoy the dance, the music, the connection between me and my partner; if I happen to turn head, then even better! I'm not necessarily aware of it at the time as I'm concentrating on my partner and me and the music, but it is something I'm told about by people afterwards.
 
It's altogether so-o-o-o common in many tango societies, the snivelling, snide comments hidden behind hands. "Who does he/she think he/she is!" "That's not tango!" "They don't feel what they're dancing!". I say to these types "Get lost! Live and let live! Mind your own business!".
 
Y'know, I'm sick of those (noisiest) who continue to put down those of us who enjoy performing as being unworthy of tango... 'that's not what tango is all about'... 'you have to dance for your partner'... 'dance as though no-one is watching'... and all that crap. I must stress though, that these belching platitudes, although indeed worthy of consideration and in some way applicable, are not burnt into stone as being qualities of the 'true tanguero'.  
 
Others like me have been pilloried, panned and made to question our worthiness of tango for enjoying performance tango... I've read these 'digs' for God knows how long! For what reason? Probably because either they can't perform themselves or are crap dancers anyway... who knows? I don't.
 
So, 'now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party'... ie. those of you who agree with me, please speak up. There are bound to be lots of flaming from the 'holier-than-thou' / 'we-know-best' brigade. Come on, give your self-appointed advocate a helping hand. ;-)
 
Cheers
 
Dani


----- Original Message ----
From: Ron Weigel <tango.society at gmail.com>
To: dani at tango-la-dolce-vita.eu
Cc: Tango-L at mit.edu
Sent: Wednesday, 12 July, 2006 6:22:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Women and Classes


On 7/12/06, Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~ <dani at tango-la-dolce-vita.eu> wrote:
>
> For you, Ron... for you. Please don't speak on my behalf.
> Dani
>
> Ron Weigel <tango.society at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dancing with your partner is preferred over dancing for the audience.
>
> Ron
_______________________________________________

OK, so dancing for the audience is preferred over dancing with your partner?

So I guess it only takes ONE to tango.

The stage is reserved for those who dance for the audience. (By the
way, good stage dancers have good partner connection technique. Good
stage dancers also dance a social style at the milongas.)

Those who prefer to dance with our partners would like to have the
social dance floor available to us. Sometimes we get in the way of the
performers who have descended from the stage onto the social dance
floor. Sorry about that.

Ron