[Tango-L] Tango styles and labeling

[ECSEDY Áron]

Dear Anton,

If you check tango-l archives you'll find expansive data on ballroom tango.

However, my guess is, that we don't discuss it, as it has a large number 
of other fora which does that, and also because it became a separate 
dance almost a century ago, and evolved into a different style. A very 
standardized dance, where mostly the name suggests the stronger familar 
connection.

Today, most of what forms the basis of it has a very little to do with 
(even today's) tango. It is using the technique, concept and form of 
other ballroom dances, but doesn't use some basic concepts introduced by 
tango (such as the embrace, improvisation, little upper body / more leg 
movement, greatly differing assymetrical steps of m/w, non-even musical 
interpretation etc.)

Of course, as all discussions concerning dance-styles and ancestry, it 
is just a point of view to find connection or dismiss it altogether (as 
tango also has ancestors which are common to other very different dances 
such as swing -  but there is no debate on mixing them, I guess), so it 
is up to you to see.

Btw:  there is no such true category as Argentine Tango. To my 
knowledge, the word was used to add exoticism to the exported genre, 
then after some time, it was used to separate the non-exported form of 
tango from the exported forms. Today it stands for anything that is not 
a ballroom-derivative tango, routinely putting all tango-genres 
(tango,vals,milonga,canyengue) and all their subgenres (escenario, 
salón, nuevo, apilado, styles of decades/teachers/barrios in S.A. - 
Todaro's, Susana Miller's, 30-40s/50s styles, Villa Urquiza etc.) under 
the same label.  It is really just how those people use the term who 
dance these.

Nevertheless, nuevo has no less connection to the traditional genre (s) 
than many single traditional styles to each other. The only difference 
that you are really comparing styles which were created in quick 
succession in the first 50 years of the 20th century, while nuevo 
emerged almost 40 years later, during which a huge change in lifestlye, 
cultural customs and social environment took place, and lacked the early 
eras complete and general support and dependence on tango as a popular 
genre.

Cheers,
Aron

Anton Stanley wrote:
> I would like the assistance of list members to help me become a Tango
> pacifist. But first I need to understand why we don't include "Tango"
> which most of us in the tango community label Ballroom Tango, on our
> list of tango styles. We have "Argentine Tango", "Traditional or
> Classic" and of course "Nuevo". Why is the Tango danced in ballrooms
> around the world not included by us. Is it too different? Is it not
> tango? Or is it simply too controlled? Which one is Tango? Are they all
> tango. Is Ballroom Tango too Nuevo? Or not Nuevo enough? If Nuevo Tango
> is tango evolution why retain the classic tango? For what purpose? Can
> dance and culture be severed? Should it be? Why? Should Classic Tango
> reflect the culture and tastes of today's Buenos Aires? Should we then
> call it Nuevo? Or is today's Nuevo Tango such a reflection?  Or is tango
> simply a reflection of individuals' taste. Maybe my best course is
> simply to assume the posture of what's it matter anyway? Better stop
> before I infringe list rules on brevity. I assure the list I take these
> questions seriously and am not trying to be a S.... A... as anyone that
> knows me will tell you. 
>
> Anton
>
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>   

-- 
Ecsedy Áron
***********
Aron ECSEDY

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