[Tango-L] Social Tango: A Cultural Perspective

[Tom Stermitz]

On Jul 14, 2006, at 8:07 AM, Alexis Cousein wrote:

> Tom Stermitz wrote:
>> It may be that Susana Miller coined the term Milonguero Style, but it
>> is quite widespread these days. For example, see the teaching
>> advertisements in all the Buenos Aires tango magazines. Whether you
>> like it or not, Milonguero Style is one of the more common names  
>> given.
>
> Yes. And to imply that anyone not dancing that style is not a
> milonguero (no capital letter) is an application of the principles
> of Newspeak. After all, Gabriel was describing what the word
> "milonguero" meant, not a certain style.
>
> Are we now to brandish our pots of Tipp-ex(TM) to erase from history
> all mention of e.g. Pepito as a milonguero, just because
> nowadays, Milonguero Style describes something rather narrow?

Not what I said. Not what came close to saying.

There are many styles of tango. There is no "True Style". Nobody says  
there is. Nobody says one style is good the others are bad. Nobody  
says one style is authentic, the others aren't.

Anyone can say, "I like this style, because...".

Is there an actual threat from the milonguero style. I mean, not just  
a semantic threat. It really seems to bother some people.


Milonguero has multiple meanings. The problem has been that, a few  
people want to deny certain usages of the word, or claim it doesn't  
mean X, despite ample evidence that many people actually use it to  
mean X.

I claim that you commonly hear the word milonguero used several  
different ways:

Milonguero is someone who goes to dance tango a lot.
Milonguero is also someone well-known as making tango their lifestyle.
Milonguero historically was a bit pejorative.
Milonguero Style is the style done close and rhythmic in the crowded  
milongas, using a lot of ocho cortados and tight circles, to  
distinguish it from Salon Style, slightly more open with more  
circular ochos

You could also say, "you dance like a milonguero" or you dance "bien  
milonguero", or "this teacher is a specialist in the milonguero style".

That is how the word is used. I have commonly heard all these  
versions. Chatting with people in the milongas of Buenos Aires or a  
quick reading of the tango magazines in Buenos Aires shows these  
usages to be common.

Maybe 10 years ago you could claim "milonguero style" was just an  
individual distinction or marketing term when one ore two people used  
it, but that horse left the barn a long time ago.

If you don't like milonguero style, don't do it; it is a free world.  
If you don't like people talking about it, or teaching it, or  
noticing that it is common in Buenos Aires, ummm. it is a free world.