[Tango-L] Tango Roles-A learning moment comes before a teaching moment

[Kace]

Derik Rawson wrote:
> Dear Sergio:
>
> This is a list of self taught inexperienced teachers
> and I am afraid they have no real interest in learning
> about Argentine culture, unless they can re-sell it as
> a US American product and call it Argentine.  Token
> Argentines are accepted, but not if they contradict
> the US American way of doing things.  I wish you luck
> with them.
Good debates cannot be advanced if sweeping statements like these
are used as the basis of argument. 

Tango is a world heritage now.  Argentina and Uruguay may define where
its roots are, but its future lies in the combined action of participants
everywhere in the world.

We cannot and should not disown the past.  However, as individual dancers,
it is a personal choice whether or not one chooses to follow the traditions.
It defines our relationship with our music, our dance partners, our choice
of dance venues and communities --- essentially our own lifestyle.

Not observing a tradition, however, is not the same as not knowing
what the tradition is.  People who play leadership roles in
their own communities -- teachers and organisers -- must
assume the responsibility to pass on the correct historical perspective
to newly inducted members, and to share the essential facts
and "best practices" without personal bias.

This is doubly important where pretenders like ballroom
organisations and Hollywood have their own agendas to
rewrite tango.

Let's face it ... we will never come to a final conclusion on most
of the argument on this list.  Let's rejoice in the fact that there is
still a healthy dialog going on instead of closed minds ---
never mind the bad attitude and ego clashes.

Kace
tangosingapore.com