[Tango-L] Rampant serious misunderstandings about "Gustavo"

[Tango Tango]

Brian.

Italian men cry because they miss their mommies.


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1945801,00.html


Neil


On 7/23/07, Brian Dunn <brian at danceoftheheart.com> wrote:
>
> Dani, you wrote:
> >>>
> On the other hand, Brian, as much as I thoroughly agree with you about
> Gustavo, I have to say the following to you:
> I get annoyed about peoples' ideas, which often flies in the face of the
> natural concept of what tango (in fact, almost any partnered dance but
> more
> so tango), in my opinion is... machismo vs femininity. The man is the
> predator, the woman is the prey, as has been since time immemorial (which
> is
> undoubtedly the reason why seeing women leading irritates me so much). To
> hear what should be a machismo tanguero talking of "sitting with tears in
> our eyes watching them dance" really turns my stomach. Men (even more so
> in
> the tango world) should be men... not wimps (American equivalent, I
> believe,
> is "wussy" or something).
> <<<
>
> Hey, Dani, relax.  I agree with you about men and women in some ways that
> might surprise you, even if I'd extend and modify your metaphor
> considerably.  "Sitting there with tears in our eyes" was a phrase
> motivated
> by watching my wife Deb ruin her makeup.
>
> On the other hand, I seem to recall lots of tough Italian guys in the
> "Godfather"-vein of our popular mythology who let themselves go
> emotionally
> at an opera, for example.  In these popular portrayals, these guys seem
> like
> fellows that I wouldn't want to call a wimp, except maybe over a phone
> from
> an untraceable location. I'd say context is important in evaluating
> whether
> tears convey strong passionate emotion or "wussy-hood".
>
> In any case, I wish I'd been there in Rome with you!
>
> Abrazos,
> Brian Dunn
> Dance of the Heart
> 775 Pleasant Street
> Boulder, CO 80302 USA
> 303-938-0716
> www.danceoftheheart.com
> "Building a Better World, One Tango at a Time"
>
>
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