[Tango-L] Tango Diversity under one big tent: Nuevo & milonguero happy together?

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

We repeatedly hear how in its evolution tango has diversified and that
we should celebrate this diversity and all forms of tango should
coexist peacefully under one big tent. Milonguero and nuevo can share
the same dance floor, maybe nuevo in the middle where there is more
space and milonguero along the outer edge. Music can be mixed, too,
with classic tango and electrotango and non-tango music all played, a
little bit of something for everyone, so that everyone can be happy.

Comments such as these usually come from nuevo dancers, not tango
milonguero dancers. Tango milonguero dancers typically prefer a
milonga where only classic tango music is played and it is not unusual
for them also to prefer the company of only other tango milonguero
dancers at a milonga, with whom they share a similar interpretation of
the music, relationship with the partner, and use of space. This
attitude is often seen as intolerant, unfriendly, and an antithesis to
tango community growth. The preference for tango milonguero and
classic tango music is seen as dogmatic and resistant to the
inevitable evolution of tango, as it is occurring in Buenos Aires
today.

Why are these tango milonguero dancers so intolerant and dogmatic?
What can be done to correct this problem?

Tango is a dance and a type of music, but it is more. Tango is a
culture. The culture of tango, within in which the dance and music
intermingle, is alive today in the milongas of Buenos Aires. Here
tango is danced in a close embrace, using small steps, closely
connected with classic tango music, the way it has been danced for
over half a century. A connection with the past does not mean tango is
some anachronism that is out of touch with the modern world. No, it IS
so much in touch with contemporary life; its persistence indicates its
continuing relevance to the lives of porten~os and obviously, to
thousands of people from outside Argentina who come to Buenos Aires to
experience this culture. This tango IS contemporary Argentine social
tango, alive today in over 100 milongas weekly in Buenos Aires. In
contrast, nuevo is an evolutionary experiment, about 15 years old, an
offshoot from the tango mainstream. Nuevo is danced in fewer than a
dozen tango events (typically called practicas) weekly in Buenos
Aires. In their relative distribution, there is an overabundance on
non-Argentines at nuevo events, and a much higher representation of
porten~os at milongas. Nuevo (and alternative music) do not
characterize tango in Buenos Aires; they represent a small fragment of
tango culture, in terms of events, locations and especially the number
of Argentine people who are part of this phenomenon.

Most importantly, in Buenos Aires contemporary Argentine social tango
and nuevo occupy separate niches. They do not occupy the same dance
floor. There is no electrotango or non-tango music played to attract
or satisfy the tastes of nuevo dancers at milongas in Buenos Aires. It
is not part of the contemporary Argentine social tango culture.

Outside Argentina, it is different. Dancers of tango milonguero, who
prefer the environment of the contemporary milonga of Buenos Aires,
find it difficult to create an atmosphere of music and contemporary
social Argentine tango dancing, ideally with some aspects of the
milonga culture (tandas, cortinas, cabeceo, ronda). Even at festivals
that focus on instruction in contemporary social Argentine tango,
nuevo dancers who do not attend workshops readily flock to milongas
and execute space consuming moves at rapid speed that do not respect
the ronda. There is no refuge from nuevo dancers who do not understand
and respect the culture of contemporary Argentine social tango.

In many places outside Argentina, respect of tango culture is seen as
dogmatic and intolerant. Failure to recognize and follow the core
characteristics of contemporary Argentine tango culture is seen as
democratic and in celebration of tango diversity.

There is nothing inherently wrong with nuevo. However, its culture is
different from the culture of contemporary Argentine social tango.
There is nothing wrong in separating them into different niches, i.e.,
separate events. Each can have its own atmosphere. Dancers can attend
these different events and respect the environment intended by the
event organizer. Just as they do in Buenos Aires. Some people may go
to both types of events, adapting their dance to the environment they
are entering. Doing this respects the unique characteristics of both
and allows each its environment to flourish. It reduces the conflict
between people who have different interpretations of tango.

Ron