[Tango-L] When a man asks me to dance -

[Robin Tara]

The first question I ask myself is ³Do I know him and his dancing².  Then I
think of the music and how it suits his style and how it suits me. Am I
familiar with it? Does it matter with this partner? Then I accept or not.
 
There are Pugliese guys and d¹Arienzo guys and DiSarli guys.  There are
milonga guys and vals guys and nuevo guys. There¹s the guy who holds me as
if I were a treasure and the guy who sings as he dances. There are reasons
to dance with all of them, at the right time and in the right music.

Robin Tara

Tara Design, Inc.
www.taratangoshoes.com
Toll Free in US: 1-877-906-8272

18 Stillman St.
So. Portland ME 04106
207-741-2992-- 

> From: Igor Polk <ipolk at virtuar.com>
> Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 10:32:04 -0700
> To: <Tango-L at mit.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Classic alternative?
> 
> I do like to dance tango to good music other than tango.
> 
> Unfortunately, this music is not the music played mostly at alternative
> milongas.
> 
> You said "alternative music" is simplistic. The problem is that so called
> "alternative music" for tango does not have style. It is an eclectic mix. It
> is a byproduct of pop-music, it is "soap" music. Much of it functions well
> creating a good mood, but as the whole it lucks many thing. It is visible
> that many authors are trying to lift their music higher in musical
> qualities, but since it still stays the part of pop-music these efforts are
> bound to fail.
> 
> Music at alternative milongas is assembled to satisfy dancing styles of Neo
> Tango dancers. Like Homer. It supposed to be slooooww. Since this style of
> dancing is very young and just developing, there is no matching musical
> tradition, musical trend. So they just pick up pieces here and there which
> are more suitable for their dancing.
> 
> The best "Non-Tango Tango" ( that is how I prefer to call it) are swing,
> foxtrot, salsa, rumba, samba, indian music, anything which is the part of
> established musical and dancing tradition. I have found that Disco style
> music is great for non-tango too. Especially for those who like ( and are
> able to dance) rhythmic driving style of tango - orillero. I have danced to
> Cajun music - they watched in amusement asking what we are doing - they
> liked it.
> 
> It is difficult to preserve dancing skills from generation to generation.
> Music is much easier to preserve. That is why all this music: swing, samba,
> and so on is easy to dance the right dance to: it is preserving style once
> you start dancing to the music. If you are good, sooner or later you will
> dance the right dance to it. Because dance is in our body, not in the minds
> of teachers. There is no such thing for alternative tango. Alternative Tango
> ( Neo Tango - the name I prefer to call it, and now you understand why )
> does not have matching music style yet. And that is the real problem for
> them.
> 
> There is a problem with it located beyond musical qualities. Once ( in
> Denver ) a DJ started to play a set of great old foxtrots. What could be
> better for a milonga ! I invited one young lady. She said "Not to this music
> !". I said "Why - it is so perfectly danceable, driving?". "I hate it!!!"
> she said.
> 
> Igor Polk
> PS. Can you tell me why did she say so? I am interested to know, I am an
> immigrant: this is beyond my understanding yet.
> 
> 
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