[Tango-L] [OT?] New dance, same old issues.

[doug@swingfusion.com]

I have danced Tango for only one year, but have danced Balboa (an original
swing dance out of the 1930's) for many years.  The parallels, and
especially the discussion topics, are amazing and probably say more about
human nature than dance, but just for the heck of it here is a quick list
off the top of my head:

Both were developed in pre-WW II times with aspects reaching back to the
turn of the century.
Both are danced to large bands (Big Swing Bands/Orquesta Tipicas).
True believers in both dances only want to dance to recordings made in the
30's and perhaps into the 40's by the original Bands/Orquestas.
Modern efforts to fully recreate the sound of the era fail due to lack of
appropriate musical talent (or whatever - but they ain't the same).
Both are characterized by a close embrace basic dance.
The history and specifics of the dance styles are murky.
Dance masters in both are passing far too fast.
The masters (70-85 yeas old) are generally one dance generation removed the
originators/'true masters' (a 15 year old dancer from 1935 would be nearly
90 today)
True believers decry the new developments in the dances (if the
masters/portenos didn't do it, it isn't really Balboa/Tango).
The only way to learn is dance with the masters/portenos.  Although many may
be close, modern teachers don't quite have it.

For those of you curious about Balboa, the following clip is of Willie
Desatoff and Ann Mills dancing at a club in LA perhaps 30 years ago?  I have
forgotten the exact date but could recall it if pressed.  Willie passed a
couple of years ago but Ann, who is over 90, is still dancing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bMBzJ8BaBr4

Doug

"You can flame me now or flame me later.  But y'r gonna flame me."