[Tango-L] "Alternative" Music....

[Nina Pesochinsky]

Hi, Miles,

I have no problem with people dancing tango moves to whatever music they want.

I do have a problem when they call it "Argentine Tango" because there  
is nothing Argentine about it.

One major difference between foreign and Argentine tango dancers is  
that for Argentines, tango is about the music and for foreigners it is  
about the movement.  This is the reason WHY dancing with Argentine men  
is so very special.  Putting movements to whatever music might be a  
nice intellectual exercise, but it is not tango and no Argentine  
dancer, including social and professional dancers will ever call it  
that.

What makes tango music special and unique is its formation - many  
intertwined voices of instruments and many overlapping rhythms.  It is  
music that makes tango tango, not the movements.

Historically, it was the orchestras that changed the music and,  
subsequently the dance has changed, particularly Julio de caro and  
Miguel Calo.  The movements of the dance, such as the turns, followed  
the changes in the music.

Many foreign dancers do not understand that the dance, in this case,  
follows the music and perceive Argentine tango being about the moves,  
and that is where the confusion arrives.

Again, people can dance to whatever music, but it is not Argentine  
Tango.  Maybe someone should invent a name for this dance that is  
danced outside of Argentina to all other music.  That way we can carry  
on a discussion without constrantly debating the definitions.

Best regards to all,

Nina





Quoting m i l e s <miles at tangobliss.com>:

> Nina,
>
>  >Alternative music for tango is an invention of feverish foreign
>  >(non-Argentine) minds.  Tango is a dance that is danced 2x4.  But if
>  >you dance it to anything other tango music, meaning tango music that
>  >is POLYPHONIC is its formation, it is NOT tango, but some other dance,
>  >originated outside of Argentina, that is only based on Argentine Tango
>  >moves.
>
> Ok...so why is it NOT Tango ?  Let me be clear in my question here
> Nina.  I respect your opinion but I think you're not allowing for the
> dance to grow and to change.  Keeping the dance tied to one specific
> genre of music when that music is no longer being created on a
> regular basis the way it was about 50 years ago (again remember I'm
> just a neophyte, what do I know), then I think you're not allowing
> for the possibility that the dance will change accordingly (and it is
> changing).  Look at what happened with Tango itself, it is the child
> of a much older dance, Canyengue, where the music is somewhat similar
> to what we would consider 'milonga' today.  Whereas today's Tango is
> more refined and as is the music the accompanies it.  So is it
> stretch of the imagination that 10 years from now...what we consider
> alternative music will become a staple diet of tango music ?  And
> that the dance you are dancing it to is in fact Tango ?
>
>  >If you ask Argentines what they consider to be "alternative" tango
>  >music, some who think of music will say "Piazzolla".  Others who think
>  >lyrics will name singers and songs from Rock Nacional genre, because
>  >those lyrics are just like las letras de tango.
>
> And if memory serves Piazzolla was a 'rebel' in his day as well, and
> most didn't consider his music 'tango' music either.
>
> And now its a staple diet of 'golden age' tango music.
>
> Best,
>
> Nina
>
>
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