[Tango-L] How do yoou know it is tango

[Sergio Vandekier]

Somebody sent a private E-mail with the following message: (re. to my prior note) "How do you know they are dancing tango".
 
"I wonder how good any of them can lead in a social setting anyone
> else. I don't find their dancing that elegant anyway... it's not that
> tango actually. :)"
 
My answer:

 
           You are entitled to have your own taste and opinion. You do not like the way they dance, that is fine, your own particular taste.
 
I do not have any problem with that. I am sure that there are other people that share your impressions and feelings the same as there are many that really like the way they dance as well.
 
I agree with you : You can learn a choreography and perform on stage without knowing how to lead.  I performed on stage in Argentina in a tango show with only one week of training,   when I started to dance tango regularly (with Victor and Monica Ayos).  It was great!  
 
I doubt that this is the case with Miguel and Augusto.  
 
I think that tango has many styles, stage tango is one of them.  This last form of dancing tango is as much tango as social tango. 
 
They are different, they have different purposes; that is all.  
 
Out of the multiple tango styles that exist people may select one that they like to cultivate, or what is more frequent, by fate, they were exposed to only one style, and look at any other form of the dance as something estrange, "non-tango", an aberration. 
 
Tango is a very rich dance, it has many styles: you may adopt one or more of those styles, go to dance were those styles are cultivated and enjoy yourself.   
 
Other people may like to do Nuevo or stage or cultivate different styles to use in different circumstances, and this is fine as well.
 
You may decide that you wish to cultivate the form people dance downtown Buenos Aires, grest!  Others may want to do
Nuevo, Stage, Villa Urquiza, or whatever style they like. I do not see any problem with that. Do you?
 
You should not assume that because someone dances Stage tango he does not know how to lead or how to dance socially.
 
Best regards, Sergio
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