[Tango-L] tango to the blues

[steve pastor]

>From what I've seen of "blues dancing" (which I think should be spelled out rather than
  referred to as simply "blues") I think I'll pass. (And it was "competition" footage.) I've
  seen people dance to blues for years, and it seems to me like the old "Hey, pay me
  money and do what I tell you to do, and you'll be doing ________ (fill in the blank with
  the dance name I just made up.)
  Wikipedia states that West Coast Swing was orginally danced to "16 note
  blues" (sic). (Just kidding alert!) Maybe tango was, too. (End of just kidding alert)
  (Anyone having knowledge of what music WCS was danced to originally, please
  contact me.)
   
  Want to dance tango to blues? Want to add ganchos and boleos to your West Coast
  Swing? Want to do some "crossed feet" or sacadas in your Night Club Two Step?
  Want to dance milonga to a really fast country western two step (There's a good one,
  Michael! )? It's all good.
   
  Then there's the real thing. Hopefully, we won't forget.
   
  Trini wrote;
>In the past couple of months, there has been an interest in
>the tango community of dancing tango to blues music (at
>blues events).  There seems to be a new blues scene
>emerging here (or at least being better publicized).  I
>understand that jazzy blues would be the appropriate music
>to use.  Any such crossovers in other cities?

I love dancing tango to good tango dance music, but sadly, there is very
little of that around Houston. For example, this is an excerpt from an
announcement for an event to be held next week; "....will perform DANCE
music of Argentina.... We will feature music composed by Gardel, Padula,
Piazzolla, Villoldo and others......" The band is very talented, but has
no idea what constitutes good music to dance to, which in general
reflects much of the community. To me, musicality is 98% of the dance,
and I don't enjoy trying to put something together to a Piazzola
recording. And dancing to Gardel!! Isn't that illegal in Argentina?

That's one reason that me and my girlfriend go out at least once a week
dancing to the blues. Not "jazzy" blues, but good down-home, gritty,
Texas blues. It's extremely well-suited for tango, and we both enjoy it
immensely, in addition to learning a lot and getting in some good
practice.

I like dancing to alternative music, but I sometimes get irritated with
DJs who choose to play music just because it's different. We hear nice
"world" music, and beat-heavy disco/rap/electronic stuff. Give me some
music with some meat in it, some feeling, something to interpret into a
dance. I know many may not like blues as I do, but there is still plenty
of good rock, pop, even country, out there that is great for tango.

Looking forward to the "Tango Blues Cruise" in St Louis next month, en
route to Mt Vernon, Missouri for the third annual "Meet in the Middle"
Tango Festival presented by the incomparable Karen Whitesell!

Regards,

Michael Figart II


 		
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