[Tango-L] Nuevo Milonguero

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

On 4/9/08, Trini y Sean (PATangoS) <patangos at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>  It seems to me that we may now be at a crossroads.  The
>  close-embrace "movement" began as an answer to more
>  show-style teaching methods (complicated patterns,
>  open-embrace, etc.).  As close-embrace became better
>  appreciated, taught, and practiced in the U.S., it started
>  to incorporate some nuevo elements.

It could be that some instructors, when visiting Buenos Aires, cannot
resist the powerful magnet of Villa Malcolm and their dancing evolves
out of inspiration.

Or it could be that they are seeing their market share decreasing due
to the nuevo epidemic. Thus, nuevo milonguero has sprung upon the US
tango market.

>  However, the close-embrace
>  that I see most of the time is different from the style
>  that I see the milongueros do.  The milongueros do a lot of
>  basic steps but add a lot of footwork for musicality.

People seriously interested in studying tango should observe the
milongueros dance before they are all gone. No one expresses
musicality like they do. it would be a great loss to tango if new
generations of dancers do not learn this art.


>  But
>  now that close-embrace (in whatever form) has become more
>  of the norm, are we now interested in it becoming more
>  showy?

If marketed that way, it will become the norm.

> I've noticed that it's the beginning women who want
>  to do the showy steps (boleos, volcadas, leg wraps), and
>  the men oblige them.  And I can see it heading back to
>  where we started - show tango.

Only if instructors of close embrace tango allow it. If they believe
in the tango they dance, they will teach a dance that focuses on
connection and musicality. However, in a  culture that feeds on
'Dancing with the Stars', they are going to need a day job.

Ron