[Tango-L] There is only tango...

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

On 3/13/08, Alex <alex at tangofuego.us> wrote:
> There is no open or close embrace...no traditional or nuevo...no milonguero
>  or salon...
>
>  There is only tango...
>
>  Make this your mantra...


Labels can be counterproductive because the intended message of the
sender and interpreted meaning of the recipient may be different, thus
miscommunication occurs. However, to neglect differences that exist
within tango is an obfuscation of reality.

In Buenos Aires, there is 'tango de salon', the tango danced in the
milongas, and there is tango for the stage or exhibition. There are
also practicas (Villa Malcolm, Practica X), where 'nuevo tango' is
danced, that latter considered inappropriate for milongas.

Tange de salon conists of a nearly continuous range of stylistic
variations in posture, embrace, and manner of walking (with tango
milonguero representing a collected set of traits along this
continuum), but nearly all of this variation is characterized by a
maintained close embrace and fitting one's movements to fit the (often
limited) space on the dance floor. One very rarely sees a porten~o
dancing in an open embrace in the milongas of Buenos Aires. The music
played at milongas is classic tango music from the 30s, 40s, and
sometimes from the early 50s.

Forms of tango where the embrace is opened, often classified as 'tango
fantasia' or 'tango nuevo' are reserved for the stage or for
exhibitions at some milongas.

Outside Argentina these differences are not maintained. In fact, tango
reserved for exhibition or the stage is typically the predominant form
of tango danced in social gatherings called 'milongas'. It is also
quite common to find no one at a 'milonga' in the USA dance any of the
variations of 'tango de salon' at an event called a 'milonga'.

The music played at events called 'milongas' in the USA is often quite
different than that played in Buenos Aires. it is quite common to hear
'tango electronica' and other non-music (i.e., music lacking a tango
rhythm such as blues or European or Latin American folk music). Many
of these events are called 'alternative milongas', although some
'milongas' with this musical format are not advertised as such.

These changes, including bringing exhibition tango onto the social
dance floor and playing non-tango music for the intended purpose of
dancing tango, are inaccurate representations of Argentine tango
culture, i.e., an error in cultural transmission.

There is a tradition of freedom of expression and interpretation
throughout the US and much of Europe. Dancers are certainly free to
crate their own version of tango that is compatible with the character
of their culture. However, when the expression and environment of
tango has been altered to a significant degree, it is no longer
Argentine tango. it is something else.

Variation within tango should be understood within the context of how
that variation is expressed within the culture that created it. The
existence of tango variation in Buenos Aires does not provide a
license to reassemble the relationship between context and expression
of the art form and still claim it is an accurate representation of
the culture.

On the other hand, if Americans or Europeans are accurate in
communicating the environment of their events, that is something
different. For example

"Alternative Tango Party. Saturday 9 PM - 2 AM. A social gathering for
dancing nuevo tango. DJ X will play modern tango, nuevo tango, tango
electronica, and non-tango music for you dancing enjoyment.'

At least that would be accurate.

Ron