[Tango-L] Practice can be a waste too.

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

Hi Manuel

Nice post and your suggestion of using words more precisely
stands on its own merits.  I had a few thoughts on some
topics you touched on.

> I've yet to see a single guy just "go dancing" and learn
> to dance tango (or any other partner dance). Of course, >
this depends on your definition of learning a dance >versus
my understanding of being able to dance a >particular
partner dance......

I think you’re right about this regarding the current
generation of tango dancers.  Even in earlier generations,
there was some instruction or practica going on, though I
get the sense that it was more playful than what we do now.
 I’d like to think that perhaps one day the tango scene
will regain its former strength and parents will be
teaching their kids, and a young man or woman can "just go
dancing" and not have to do all of the work many of us are
doing today.  Some work, surely, but hopefully they will
have an easier time. 

A few years ago I asked Maria Cieri (widow of Rudolfo
Cieri) about how they learned.  They both started at around
6-7 with their parents.  After they wed (in their early
teens), they only danced with each other or with friends. 
Our Spanish/French and her English wasn’t good enough to
get the whole details, but she talked about dancing to
Pugliese every Friday night for 5 years.  Then they stopped
dancing because of the junta, during which she said people
didn’t feel like dancing, except at weddings.  Twenty years
later, tango revives and they end up doing a performance
for the queen of England.  Someone else may know more of
their history than I do, but what struck me was "5 years". 
That’s it?! 5 years!  And they danced beautifully.  I think
we're at least a generation from that.

What I have noticed is a greater interest by young men in
learning to dance compared to the men of my generation who
grew up with John Wayne and war movies on afterschool
television.  Perhaps it is all of the videos shown today
with male singers who also dance.  I think that bodes well
for all social dances.


> Another oximoronic concept is the one that suggests that
> there are dancers out there with "all the technique" (I
presume they've mastered the technique) and yet they can't
dance tango...... > 

Respectfully,
> 
> Manuel
> 

I interpret those discussions to be about dancers who are
good technically but don’t convey the feeling of tango, the
warmth, the connection.  Or perhaps they do not interpret
the music successfully.  I’m not sure one could place these
attributes under “technique”.  

Happy tangos,
Trini de Pittsburgh

P.S.  Sorry I missed G&G in Atlanta.  I hope you have them
back again.






       
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