[Tango-L] Cortinas (not the old car from the '70s)

Thu Oct 5 17:09:17 EDT 2006

Hi, Jake and everyone,

There are may people at the milongas who are just beginning to learn  
why things are done a certain way in tango.  People who are too new to  
grasp the intimate nature of the dance may not naturally be inclined  
to follow any kind of codes of behavior because they have not learned  
it or its purpose.  If a DJ goes along with such ignorance, he or she  
fosters an environment that I consider to be bastardization of tango,

People have to get off the dance floor after one set.  In tango, if  
they do not, usually it is the woman's reputation that will be at  
stake.  It is like leaving a milonga with a man, especially if the  
lady has arrived alone.  Of course, people who do not care about their  
reputation, may not care aout such things, but anyone who cares about  
the "longeity" of their popularity in a tango community, will  
definitely care about how they are perceived.

The music is there for the dancers.  Longer cortinas have a purpose -  
they allow dancers to choose appropriately their next partner.   
Considering that it is a man's responsibility to walk the lady to her  
table after a tanda, a longer cortina is essential.  The reason that a  
man walks a lady to her table is because she is often disoriented  
after dancing.  This has always been a custom and every custom has a  
reason behind it.  Does the current generation of dancers and DJs does  
not know this?

Alternative music does nto count as real tandas and can be viewed as  
long cortinas.  It would be nice if an ending of a strange, long  
cortina was marked somehow.

The DJ's work is fundamental.  A DJ who not only knows the music, but  
who spins with sensitivity and care creates a space for dancers and  
their feelings.  A real DJ is not someone who provides background  
music for whatever people want to do.  To DJ well is an art.  In  
regular nighclubs, DJs are valued and paid accordingly for what they  
create in terms of energy and flow - when people take a break and when  
they cannot keep themselves from dancing.  In tango, it seems that  
there is a much more amateur approach to this very important job and  
anyone who is willing can appear as a DJ.  That is too bad.

Warmest regards to all,

Nina
P.S. I never believed in conspiracies until I realized that there is  
an attempt by some people to replace the authentic music of Argentine  
tango with "alternative".

Quoting "Jake Spatz (TangoDC.com)" <spatz at tangoDC.com>:

> Hi Dani (and Neil),
>
> Well, I look at it like this... Not everyone is going to clear the
> floor, since people sometimes dance more than a tanda together. So it's
> not my job as a DJ to _force_ them off. It's my job to mark the change
> between tandas. That's how I (and others) deal with the context we've
> got. To dictate a different manner of conduct, when it doesn't really
> matter all that much, is simply rude. After all, some of us aren't
> acting out of ignorance: we're adapting to the conditions at hand.
>
> As for people who dance to the cortinas... Well, if the DJ plays salsa
> or swing or whatever, who really cares? People come to dance, and even
> if they annoy me a little, it's hardly worth condemning them for the way
> they have fun. Honestly, I pay more attention to picking out my socks.
>
> Another matter, however, are the cortinas played before or after
> alternative sets... These can get genuinely confusing. Some DJs, I
> notice, don't even play a cortina before an alternative set-- a breaking
> of the pattern that just throws people off. After an alternative set,
> the cortina, I think, should be markedly NOT dance music, so that
> dancers understand what's going on.
>
> But for that matter, alternative sets also need to be selected with a
> bit of care... I once heard a DJ play an obscure Piazzolla number at a
> very well-attended milonga, and my partner and I were the only ones who
> started dancing to it. Everyone else just stood around confused.
> Reacting to the crowd, as he should have, the DJ faded it out after 45
> seconds, pretended it was a cortina, and played a traditional tanda. I
> wanted to dance to the song, sure; but he acted appropriately, and
> clarified matters for the other 80 or so people present-- which is every
> DJ's primary function, once they've got their tandas and cortinas worked
> out.
>
> The crowd at hand comes first. Everything else comes third.
>
> Jake Spatz
> DC
>
>
> Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~ wrote:
>> Hi Christopher, Jake, Manuel... everybody
>>
>> I think your suggestion is favourable with me, Christopher. Assess the
>> length required on a 'need-to-effect' basis.
>>
>> I was considering what you both suggest, Jake and Manuel. Trouble is
>> that with longer 'set' lengths, there is always the invariable numpty
>> who feels they have to get up and dance to the cortina... nothing more
>> annoying.
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> Dani
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Christopher L. Everett <ceverett at ceverett.com>
>> To: Dani Iannarelli <dani at tango-la-dolce-vita.eu>
>> Cc: Tango-L at mit.edu
>> Sent: Thursday, 5 October, 2006 8:49:09 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Cortinas (not the old car from the '70s)
>>
>> Dani Iannarelli wrote:
>> > Hello all,
>> >
>> > With regard to the 'refresh' button for the milonga dance floor :-) .ie
>> > cortinas :-)
>> >
>> > Just wondering what members would consider the optimum length?
>> >
>> However long it takes for people to clear the floor.  No
>> more, no less.  Big floor, lots of people with difficult egress,
>> you might need as much as 90 seconds.  Tiny floor, small
>> crowd, easy to get on/off the floor, 10-15 seconds.
>>
>> Christopher
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Tango-L mailing list
> Tango-L at mit.edu
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
>