[Tango-L] obsession with nuevo

[Clif Davis]

Perhaps if one is in a bar, drinking an adult beverage, (or not), talking with others, maybe they are also drinking an adult beverage, maybe not, and music that appears to be tango oriented, and one finds someone who feels the same way, then perhaps, just perhaps, that is cultural validity enough. It's a bar dance, meant to be danced by people in bars who want to share a moment in the lost world of music and dance. No rules, no judgments, just music and dancing. What steps are done, who knows, who cares. I have often been asked, "what was that step you did back there..".. all I can say is I have no idea. I just do what I feel and let my heart guide my feet to do what my ears hear. It's a bar dance.... meant to be danced in bars, or the street or where ever the feeling hits to consenting people. 

Clif, the simpleton.

-----Original Message-----
From: tango-l-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:tango-l-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Trini y Sean (PATangoS)
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 3:29 PM
To: Tango-L
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] obsession with nuevo

--- On Mon, 12/1/08, Tango Society of Central Illinois <tango.society at gmail.com> wrote:

Cultural validity of the product is irrelevant in a marketplace where consumers are largely ignorant and indifferent regarding accurate representation of the cultural art form they are acquiring.

Ron
_______________________________________________

Sean here,

I suspect I could be labled an avid tango consumer. Yet I have to admit that I've never gone shopping for a "cultural art form". Maybe the largely ignorant consumers are smarter than you think. They buy what they like, not what you want them to like. (Or need tham to like to improve your market share?)

Very few American tango dancers are likely to become Porten~os. Tango in the US is not and never will be the same as tango in Bs. As. But at least one thing is probably similar. I suspect thare are as few Porten~os as there are N. Americans trying to buy a "cultural art form".

I dance a rhythmic close embrace style of tango to golden age music because I like it; not because I need some form of 3rd party "authenticity" validation. I have friends (I think?) who dance nuevo to all sorts of wierd alternative music, because they like it. I don't tell them what clothes to wear, what food to eat, or what car to drive. Why would I tell them what style to dance? If someone is rude or interferes with other dancers, whether through poor navigation (or by preaching authenticity ;) I might intervene and ask them to be more considerate of their fellows. But I'm not going to try and impose my preferences on them. 

Sean

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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