[Tango-L] Is Your Tango Like Jazz?

[Huck Kennedy]

<russellranno at hotmail.com> Russell Ranno writes (why do
     I suddenly feel like Scooby-Doo?   :)   :
>
> Good One Steve,
> 
> This similarity between jazz and tango is the only
> reason I am dancing.  When Elvin Jones says you have
> to be willing to die with someone, he probably means
> it literally,

     You really think so?  Most musicians I know aren't
the gung-ho foxhole dive-onto-the-hand-grenade types.

> but of course he is also referring to the death of the
> ego personality, without which two will never be able
> to dance as one.

     Yes.  And along those same lines, when referring to
jazz, he's also probably talking about being willing to
take risks in the search of new heights, with dying on
stage (the music flopping in front of a paying audience)
being a distinct possiblity as an outcome.

     When Grateful Dead (not jazz per se, but bear
with me) would improvise, particularly during Drums
and Space, and especially in their earlier years, some
nights they'd pretty much flop, but other nights
they'd magically soar.  As a spectator, you'd buy your
ticket and take your chances.

     When dancing tango (at a milonga--obviously you
take risks at a practica, that doesn't count) with
women I'm familiar with, I like to take chances like
that from time to time, knowing that occasionally
we'll soar in something new and refreshing, but that
if we flop in the attempt, she won't be making
judgments like, "Well clearly this guy can't dance,
we just flopped," as a stranger probably would.

Huck