[Tango-L] But does it make you cry?

[Caroline Polack]

Although I don't post much - I've been keeping up with the posts on this 
list.  There's been quite a bit of discussion over categorization of tango 
and tango music. Argentine versus non-Argentine, tango music versus 
alternative, close versus open embrace, the pros and cons, the merits and 
non-merits.

Yesterday, I danced with a non-Argentine who danced like an Argentine. And 
realized why I would never appreciate any kind of tango as much as good 
old-fashioned Argentine tango. Why? Because it makes me cry.

When I look at nuevo tango dancers, I've noticed they never seemed to look 
at each other, just at the floor or each other's feet, connected only by 
holding onto each other's arms. They usually have a singular expression on 
their faces that seem to suggest absence of emotion. Their focus seems to be 
more on physics of movement and athleticism rather than on anything that 
evokes emotionality.

When I look at dancers dancing to alternative music - I see them missing out 
on the depth of classic tango music for the alternative music that I tend to 
hear at milongas is rather slow and plodding electronica music with no half 
beats or syncopation. It's rather amusing actually to see people trying to 
dance to this kind of music - they usually look as though they were at a 
loss as to how to incorporate the intricacies of Argentine dance to the 
shallow monotony of electronica music.

I've yet to see older generations dance either neuvo tango or successfully 
to electronica music. That alone is rather revealing as to the universal 
appeal of Argentine tango as opposed to the exclusivity of neuvo and 
electronica to the younger generations. Imagine a 70 year old man dancing 
nuevo tango to electronica music. Let's be honest, one would have a hard 
time witnessing such a thing without thinking to themselves "how sad" or 
"how weird" or even "how age- inappropriate".

Yet if we witness that same man dancing the Argentine tango, we would think 
"how beautiful."

Only Argentine tango danced to Argentine music seems to bring forth a wider 
range of emotions and more intense connection than any other kind. It's the 
only kind that embraces all generations rather than be appropriate for a 
certain age group. The only time I've seen people moved to tears is when 
they dance authentic Argentine tango.  Maybe that's why it has been and will 
always be the most popular form of tango. So no matter how much people may 
debate the merits of other styles of tango, nothing will ever compare to the 
original.

Which might explain all the vehement disagreements on Tango-L, people keep 
trying to compare to the incomparable when frankly, it's not possible, it's 
in a class of its own.

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