[Tango-L] Tourists & Janis - another perspective

[WHITE 95 R]

>From: Nina Pesochinsky <nina at earthnet.net>

>
>Hello, everybody,
>
>It seems that everyone took so very personally what Janis had
>written.  I have a different take on it.  I assume that most of the
>dancers who had replied and were personally offended have at least
>one place in the world where they are not considered to be
>foreigners.  I do not have such a place, and so here is my view:

I don't know about others, but I did not take it personally. I rather 
thought it was a critical sounding generalization of tango tourists as a 
bunch of rude, arrogant, ignorant boors.

>
>Sometimes, it is a great disadvantage to be immediately spotted as
>being a tourist/foreigner.  This usually is a clear disadvantage in
>any new situation where you have not had the time to assess the
>place, the action of the people and their manners or attitudes.  You
>are spotted before you realize where you are in regard to other people 
>present.
>
>If you are in a part of town of any city in the world that is known
>for unpredictable or dangerous situations, there is a clear
>disadvantage in standing out from the crowd.
>
While this is true, it should not be the rule at milongas. What a sad thing 
it would be if we all had to be so much in guard when trying to enjoy our 
tango predilection....

>What Janis has described can build some awareness of certain
>signs.  If dancers can become aware of some of these behaviors that
>give them away without their consent, they can control it.  I think
>that it is much more advantageous to choose to be spotted as a
>foreigner/tourist or not instead of it happening by default.

There is almost no way that an American or European tourist can pass for a 
local at milonga in BAires. No matter how well you research and memorize all 
the codes, rules and regulations, you will almost always be noticed as a new 
face, a stranger... It's very difficult to blend in so well that you are 
taken for a local. My native tongue is Spanish, I'm very much of Spanish 
ethnicity. Still, people all over latin countries immediately know I'm not 
one of "them". My accent is just a little (or a lot) off, my affect, 
clothes, etc. Mark me as an "gringo". Sure, this can be a disadvantage in 
some cases, but why should it be so bad to be just who we are? I think 
people of good will all over the world will treat us with kindness and 
respect if we do the same thing. Even if we make some big social mistake, it 
is likely to be forgiven precisely because we are strangers and don't know 
everything.


>The trick is not to be personally attached to any of the behaviors
>that Janis has described and not take the description as a mortal offense.

Quite true, I agree with this. I would also add that once one has made 
friends and contacts at the milongas, etc. Things will go much better, 
regardless of how well you can do the cabeceo or what kind of clothes you 
wear.


Manuel

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