[Tango-L] Tango Roles
Sergio Vandekier
sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com
Sun Jun 4 02:15:06 EDT 2006
Dear friends of tango,
The premise is that in tango like in life there is a
masculine and a feminine role.
These roles are played when you dance or perhaps they are not evident in
your dancing.
I am going to translate some paragraphs from Nicole Nau's book "Tango, Un
Baile muy Portenio"
the book was edited in November of 2000.
I could explain this according to my own experience but I am going to avoid
doing that due to all the problems we have been having before.
What follows is not antiquity, is today. It is not my saying this is the way
it is . is a German woman who came to Argentina to learn about its culture,
tango and life in genral.
Nicole Nau says in her book (page 159):
" Generally speaking the world of the woman and that of the man are totally
separated in Argentina. This causes that the woman on one side is a total
enigma and a mystery for the man and the masculine universe is accepted by
the woman as something unknown and a fortress to be respected.
Each one knows of his specific strength and that of the other sex avoiding
the fatal consequences of : comparing, competing or lack of trust.
To be "macho" in Argentina means to be a man with all his privileges but
also with all his obligations.
In public he is the chief. There is no discussion whatsoever in this
respect. Both know it. But "to be a man" in Argentina does not only means to
have a woman but also to be responsible for her, to protect her.
It is like having a treasure in this life, for which is worth to fight day
and night. A beautiful woman.
In this fashion "machismo" in Argentina has no negative implication, quite
the opposite, to be macho is an excellent characteristic.
Women, specially in the tango world, organize all activities in such a way,
that the man be convinced that what is happening was according to his
desires. In this form the world will be in perfect order for him. Men flirt
with women all the time . He is pleased by a smile, or a special look:
something that suggests that he could have her if he wanted her. This is a
totally innocent attitude, there is no threat whatsoever.
Both women and men know how to play this game without burning their
fingers. Both feel the potentiality of something but they do not allow it to
happen.
Masculine (page. 163)
Masculine is synonymous with activity, greatness, vigor, strength.
A firm position on the floor, with legs somewhat apart constitutes a
masculine symbol, the same way as the decision and poise in stepping without
hesitation, to step with firmness. The man is the one that leads, if there
is a dialog with a woman is because he wishes it to happen and not because
he is supposed to do it. His position is solid and stable at any moment. He
is the center.
He dances with plenty of resources, he is ready for the unexpected. He never
gets close to his limits.
He never abandons his central position. The woman brushes his body, he never
brushes hers.
He embraces her waist, a sign that indicates possession.
Protection and domination at the same time. His torso erect, symbolizes the
power of the "Ego", dominion of space and security. His left hand closed
represents strength.
Feminine (page 164)
Feminine symbolizes reception, execution, smallness, weakness and
sensibility, harmony and equilibrium. Her life at home, the emotional.
Growth where the man sees facts. She gets pregnant and gives life.
In tango she receives the man's conduction, her feminine aspect lays in the
quality of her movement.
Women find with more ease elasticity and harmony in her movements than the
man does.
He is loaded with heavier cultural and social burdens.
The woman in tango leans on the man's body. She looks for her place like the
bird that looks for protection in his nest. The man's hand on her back
underlines the femininity of her forms. They seem more delicate in
comparison to the strength of the man's hand. The stronger his hand the more
fragile her body looks. Her movements are smooth and elastic.
The embrace is like a V with a closed side an an open side. The closed side
represents closeness and intimacy, the open side distance. One must learn to
notice and feel the differences within that embrace." end of quotation.
The same as in real life the man is poised, steps with decision, without
hesitation, he is strong and firm. Guides and is prepared for the
unexpected, he improvises. he never gets close to his limits.
He protects and respects the limits imposed by the woman to his embrace.
She is fragile, receptive, looks for protection in his embrace and in his
chest. She is smooth and elastic, dances with harmony and beauty.
When you go to a gay milonga in B.A., 'La Marshall' for instance on
Wednesdays nights, you will see couples dancing very good tango formed by
two men : one of them leading, showing his masculine role the other one
following performing his feminine role.
Or a couple formed by two women : one dressed with a suit and wearing a tie
or dressed as a woman but leading in an obviously masculine way the other
one following with a very feminine attitude.
They dance very well and create a perfect tango full of feeling, emotion
with perfect communication and connection.
The result would be very different if both partners danced with a masculine
or a femine attitude.
In this last case the resultant tango would be not as full of feeling,
passion and connection as before. the one done by the two followeers will
be weak and the one done by the two leaders would look as having the
components of a fight.
The American friends I have that at present live in Argentina told me not to
talk about this subject because people abroad will not understand it does
not matter in what way you explained.
This is all I am going to say, if you understood fine if you did not
understand disregard what I just translated from Nicole's book.
Have a good day, Sergio.
PS. at no time I mean to be patronizing or trying to impose any rules to
your dancing or to your life.
Please feel free to continue doing what pleases you the most. It is a shame
that I have to be so defensive in order to share my knowledge with you. To
all those that wrote to me I will answer in right time.
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