[Tango-L] Finnish Tandas

[rcgimmi@aol.com]

Thank you for the information on the origin of tandas!   



If you're not interested in tango "arcana" you can skip to the next email.  I'm providing the information only because some of the people on this list might find it interesting trivia.




In Finland, tandas usually consist of only two dances.  There are no cortinas between tandas.   And, there's no "cabaceo" that's done as an agreement to dance, either.




Almost all of the "lavas" (milongas) I have attended in Finland have illuminated signs on the wall that say, "Meisten haku" or "Naisten haku."  These respectively translate to "Men go get" and "Ladies go get."  The lighting of the signs changes approximately every fifteen minutes.  So, both genders get a chance to do the asking.  (My parents, who grew up in the 1930's, say that many swing dances in the US had this "feature," too.)




When a "tanda" ends, the women and men return to their respect sides of the dance floor.  People usually stand instead of sit.  (There's no point in sitting down if you're going right back out on the floor, right?)  When the music begins anew, there is a surge of dancers who cross the floor to "go get."  Although it's not the same as playing "Red Rover," it certainly has some of the feel of the game.  And, you WILL get asked to dance if you are standing in your group.  There's not much subtlety to this.  To the Finns, asking for a dance is asking for a dance -- it's not like asking for a marriage.




"John of Bristol" is the reigning authority on this topic on this board.  He speaks Finnish fluently and has been there 27 times.  John, if anything I'm saying here is incorrect,  please say so.