[Tango-L] Is it important to know Spanish if you dance tango?

[Ron Weigel]

On 5/5/06, Janis Kenyon <jantango at feedback.net.ar> wrote:

> I think of all the things I would be missing if I couldn't understand
> Spanish--all those fascinating conversations with milongueros about their
> lives, the beautifuly lyrics of tangos, and the rich history of tango and
> the milongas.
>
> Is it important to know Spanish if you dance tango?  I believe so,
> especially if you plan to visit Buenos Aires.  If you don't know the
> language, you miss the culture.

Whereas it is not essential to know Spanish to dance tango, I believe
one's understanding of tango increases substantially with an
understanding of Spanish.

My knowledge of Spanish is far from perfect, deficent in fact
according to my own standards. I can have a private lesson with an
Argentine instructor who does not speak English and understand and
communicate what is important (probably missing important nuances),
but listening to tango lyrics is usually challenging. This issue came
up on another list regarding selecting 'romantic' tangos as a DJ. What
sounds 'romantic' may actually be about a horse race, or drinking, or
homesickness, and not about romantic love. I've been thinking that
perhaps the lyrics of tangos in a tanda should, at the very least, not
be discordant, so I've been paying more attention to them but, alas,
there is a limit if you are not a native speaker.

I suspect knowing Lunfardo in addition to knowing Spanish would help.

Visiting Buenos Aires and seeing tango within the culture of its
origin also helps one understand tango. To do this effectively, one
needs to know Spanish. There's no point to going to BA to be led
around by a tour guide taking you to tourist traps and classes for
foreignors. You have to go to the milongas where the porten~os dance
and interact with them. Otherwise, you're not going to understand how
porten~os feel about tango (whether they are milongueros or cab
drivers - avoiding the term 'taxi driver' here, or the shop
salespeople). I get a free ride because my wife is a native speaker of
Spanish and I eavesdrop on her conversations.

So, I think every serious tanguero should get as fluent as possible in
Spanish, go to Buenos Aires, attend the milongas where locals go, and
talk to the people.

Even then, we will still be as blind men describing the elephant, but
at least we've touched the creature.

Ron