[Tango-L] What is tango?

[Alex]

Mis dos centavos...

re: From: "Tango Society of Central Illinois" 
Subject: [Tango-L] What is tango?

A] No - this is ballroom or "American" tango - a competitive "event".
B] No - Finnish tango is based on ballroom
C] Practica X - Yes and No. - Nuevo, it's close...very close...
D] Milonga @ El Beso - Yes, most definitely. Social argentine tango as it
has been for 80 years or so....

I think the defining term is "Argentine" Tango...a DJ in Denver recently
suggested that we start calling it Tango "Tipica"...based on the history of
the use of the word "tipica" by orchestras and musicians to define authentic
argentine tango...

Here is his message to the Tango Colorado (TC) Yahoo Group:

Back to the future 
Posted by: ruddy 
Sun Nov 18, 2007 2:22 pm (PST) 

Hola Naifas y Garabos of TC,

the tango historian Luis Adolfo Sierra in his book "Historia
De La Orquesta Tipica" (published in 1966) narrates how back
in 1911 the seminal tango orchestra of Vicente Greco found
itself in a quandary. One of the first recording labels in Argentina,
Casa Tagini, wanted to publish Greco's repertoire of tangos.
The problem was that, up to that point, there was no differentiator
among the orchestras that animated the dance halls, carnivals,
and other dance events throughout the area. These orchestras performed
a variety of music including valses, maxixes, polkas, tarantellas,
pasodobles and, of course, tangos. They were all known for what they
were, i.e., orchestras, bands, rondallas, trios, etc., with no
identifier as to what they played. The advent of orchestras which
specialized in playing only tango music (like Greco's) required that
a label indicating so be invented. Thus, Greco came up with the
brilliantly descriptive Orquesta Tipica Criolla that later got
shortened to just Orquesta Tipica.

Orquesta (orchestra) was self-evident, Tipica (typical) as a
characteristic, and Criolla (native). In other words musical groups
that played native music from the Rio de La Plata region.
In time, Orquesta Tipica, was adopted by most tango orchestras as
a public badge that stated loud and clear what kind of music they
played.

The reason why I bring up this little story is that last Tuesday,
Nov 13th, the following email was delivered to all TC DJs:

> Hello,
> 
> This is a quick update regarding changes in the DJ guidelines. The board 
> has changed the guidelines to include nontraditional (alternative)music 
> through out the practica rather than limiting this to the end of the 
> evening. This comes from the results of the surveys which indicate the
> majority of the membership wants this change. Please add alternative
> tandas while still being sensitive to the "mood" of the room, adjusting
> your selections when appropriate. If you need any guidance in selecting
> alternative tandas, I'll be happy to forward lists of popular alternative
> tandas from other DJs.
> 
> Thank you for your help with this and good luck!

As a member of the (apparent) minority that prefers to hear tango
music at tango events billed as milongas or tango practicas, I have
a request and a proposal to all my fellow DJs. 

My request is that if you intend to comply with the aforementioned
guideline it would be nice if you were to go on record stating so in
advance. That way I and fellow minority members can plan our evenings
accordingly.

My proposal is that henceforth here in Colorado we should adopt the
example set down for us lo so many decades ago and start adding the
label Tipica to traditional dance events. E.g., Milonga Tipica or
Practica Tipica to indicate that traditional tango music will be
ruthlessly and generously played. That way we can all avoid the
embarrassment/aggravation of paying for an event ill-suited to our
tastes and sensibilities.

Best regards to y'all.
--
ruddy
(with tongue deep in cheek.)



"Tango Society of Central Illinois" <tango.society at gmail.com> wrote....

Message: 8
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 15:58:52 -0600
From: "Tango Society of Central Illinois" <tango.society at gmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] What is tango?
To: Tango-L <tango-l at mit.edu>
Message-ID:
	<cff24c340712081358l27211784kdd863aec400900e9 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Is this tango?

[A]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqeIbOgvdtc

How about this?

[B]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxZoV3t61c

- from approx 3:00 - 6:00 (ignore commentary)

Is this tango?

[C]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-T6OiM7pSY&feature=related

and finally this?

[D] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuIIj4HiAh0

They are all called 'tango'.

Is this confusing or not?

Ron