[Tango-L] Origin of Tandas

[Huck Kennedy]

tangosmith at cox.net <tangosmith at cox.net> wrote:
> Personally, I've always been a little ambivalent on the tanda structure and
> am probably even more so now, understanding that it is actually an
> anachronism.

    The tanda structure is not an anachronism.  Like other Argentine
codigos, it evolved over time to what it is today because it serves a
very useful purpose.

    "Milongas" (I hesitate to even use the word) without tandas,
where the so-called DJ just plays any old selection after another, a
tango here, a waltz there, a D'Arienzo here, a Pugliese there,
willy-nilly, are AWFUL.

> On the other hand, I have no problem observing the tanda as
> an expression of the culture,

    The tanda structure is not observed as a gratuitous expression of
culture.  It is observed because tandas work, on so many levels.

> but as others have noted, I do believe that
> tandas work against the integration of beginners.

    Life does not revolve around catering to beginners: Just ask any
major league baseball rookie.  But go on.

> Given tandas,
> experienced dancers who might dance with a beginner for one song instead
> avoid them altogether rather than getting "stuck" with them for four dances

    ?!?  So ask the beginner to dance when there are only one or two
songs left in the tanda.

> (exceptions are of course made for attractive young women!).

     Most of us aren't that pathetically desperate.

> As a result, many beginners find the milonga experience frustrating.

     So let's ditch codigos finely honed over years of evolution so
beginners won't be frustrated, as life revolves around catering to
people with ten weeks invested in something in favor of those with ten
years, right?

Huck