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

[nina@earthnet.net]

Quoting Brian Dunn <brian at danceoftheheart.com>:

> But Nina, you must know that in
> the diverse United States tango scene, the idea that a woman's rep would
> suffer by staying with a partner across tanda boundaries is at best
> considered quaint and at worst laughable.

Hi, Brian and everyone,

It always makes me laugh when men comment on two things - the  
questions of reputation of women and the follower's technique in  
tango.  Considering that most men do not hear much of the gossip that  
is being passed around (and do not dance walking mostly backwards in  
4" heels), anything that they say cannot really be taken very seriously.

Brian, everyone notices at the milongas in BsAs and in the United  
States pretty much everything - who dances with whom, who does not  
dance with whom, who was turned down, who is upset, who danced how  
many tandas with whom, who has a cold and sneazed 30 minues earlier,  
etc.  As remarkable as this sounds, even to me who is writing aout  
this, it is true.  I am astounded every time I hear rumors from  
people, or observations that I may not have noticed myself.

Basically, if people do not want to be gossiped about, they will watch  
their actions now just as they did decades ago in a more traditional  
settings of BsAs milongas.  We want to fantasize about being more  
free, more independent, etc, but it remains a fantasy.  On the other  
hand, like Oscar Wilde once said "It is better to be talked about than  
not talked about."  So go figure!

Warm regards,

Nina