[Tango-L] Argentine Tango on Dancing with the Stars

[Kace]

JFPaloma at aol.com wrote:
>   
> Argentine Tango gets so few chances to be seen by millions of people and  
> last night was the perfect opportunity to erase stereotypes about the dance  and 
> show its true artistry.  I've talked to many people today who saw  the show 
> and all have said that the tango they saw was brutish  and harsh and showed no 
> trace at all of emotional beauty I've been  telling them.
We all lament how tango is under-represented or mis-represented in 
mainstream media,
but unfortunately few of us do anything to redress that.  How many of us 
go beyond our
own simple enjoyment of the dance, into demonstrating, choreographing, 
speaking or
writing on the subject for the laymen? 

My perception is that the typical tanguero is a more introverted, 
reserved and shy person
compared to a ballroom, latin, salsa, swing or belly dancer.  He is more 
likely to pursue his
obsession quietly by himself, and treat his milonga outings as a 
sanctuary to escape from
the mundane life.

In view of such "monk-like" detachment to keeping the dance pure and 
pristine for oneself,
is it any wonder that the public images are shaped largely by 
non-experienced dancers,
flamboyant showmen, self-promoting entertainers, and TV producers.

Didn't a wise man once said "History is made by those who show up"?  We 
need more
celebrities and media personalities who understand tango -- like Duvall 
-- and tango
artistes who have the crossover appeal to bring tango into the popular 
genres. 

Or contribute a small step ourselves, by writing a magazine article or 
posting a video to
Youtube.  Talking endlessly within the community cannot change the world.

Kace
tangosingapore.com