[Tango-L] Speak up if you are uncomfortable - policies

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

Chris,

I think we have a different idea about community.  You are
also confusing a common business structure of an enterprise
with the idea of community.  In a lot of small communities,
tango gets started through people pooling their resources
to form non-profits.  Officers are often elected as a legal
requirement to share a balance of power.  That is how
things are often done in the States.  Perhaps things are
different in the UK.

What your describing as a community sounds to me like a
commercial enterprise - like walking into a department
store to buy something without any connection to the sales
people or the store.  I'm referring to a group of
individuals with sharing the same interests.  Here in the
Midwest, as in other parts of the US, the sense of
community is often strong with people caring about what
happens.  As such people emerge who care enough about their
communities to want to do something to help it grow.  These
people become community leaders, often without even
realizing it.  

In my case, I was simply the one assisting in classes, then
sending out emails and meeting people, then acting as host
at milongas and practicas.  Thirteen years after taking my
first tango class, I somehow wind up being the main tango
organzer in town.  What I've become is the main contact
person for tango in Pittsburgh.  I keep track of all events
happening in the area and make sure others know what is
going on.  As such, we've been able to develop 4 different
clubs and 4 music groups.  Each of these 8 organizations
have different niches, but it takes communication and
planning for everyone to get the support they need.  I
don't understand what you don't get about this.  

Perhaps you're not terribly involved with your community,
which is fine.  I love my community enough to get really
involved, enough to let my phone ring off the hook and let
my inbox fill up with requests and questions.  And I know
my work is appreciated by the "thank you's" and small gifts
people take the trouble to make for us.  Perhaps to you,
these things would mean nothing.  To me, it means that
people care and this is the type of community I have and
hope to continue to be a part of.  If you'd rather have
your community be no different than going to the mall,
that's fine.  To each, his own.

Also, thank you for your comments as they've allowed me
discuss these issues to help others.  I've gotten a lot of
private emails since this thread started from different
areas of the country.

Trini de Pittsburgh

--- "Chris, UK" <tl2 at chrisjj.com> wrote:

> > Actually, Chris, there are quite a number of nonprofits
> with elected
> > officials (presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries,
> treasurers) who 
> > are all community leaders. Their memberships have
> elected them to 
> > handle the affairs of the club.
> 
> Um, that's not a community - it what comes from /lack/ of
> community.
> 
> Real tango communities don't have so-called community
> leaders, and it 
> follows that so-called community leaders don't have real
> tango 
> communities...
> 
> ...hence their need to form clubs, hold elections and
> bestow 
> important-sounding titles upon one another. You can tell
> a real tango 
> dance community by the fact people would rather dance. ;)
> 
> --
> Chris


PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
  Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh’s most popular social dance!
  http://patangos.home.comcast.net/
   



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