[Tango-L] Reports from Buenos Aires: Navigation et al.

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 12:08 PM, Jay Rabe <jayrabe at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Ron, enjoyed your perspective. Please expand on last comment:

>> I believe it is also correct to say that the quality of tango dancing
>> in the US has deteriorated over the last several years.

> From my limited experience here in Portland and a couple of other West Coast
> areas, I think dance skill is continuing to improve. At the same time there
> is currently a high influx of new dancers, which unavoidably bring down the
> community average skill level until they get more experience.
>
> But I'm interested in hearing why you think US tango quality has
> deteriorated.
>

I believe the overall quality of dancing at milongas in the US has
decreased over the last several years for the following reasons:

- The number of people dancing tango has increased. Anytime there is
an increase in population size, with entry at the bottom skill level,
the average skill level decreases.
- As the average skill level decreases, there is also less motivation
to improve because there are more dance partners who are less
discriminating in who they dance with.
- I have heard in some communities there has been an increase rate of
exit of experienced dancers from the community. The reason given is
that the predominant style of tango has changed. This seems to apply
mostly for tango fantasia dancers who have not adapted to the rising
tide of nuevo.

Skill in dancing tango is indicated by balance, partner connection,
connection with the music, and navigation, not by the number of
figures you have memorized. Factors that have worked against acquiring
these skills that have been more prevalent in recent years have been
the following:

- As tango popularity has increased, the number of milongas has
increased. From the reports I've heard, although the number of people
dancing tango in many communities has increased, the number of
milongas has increased such that the average attendance at milongas
has decreased. This has resulted in less crowded floor conditions at
many milongas, thus decreasing the opportunities for learning
navigational skills under crowded conditions. For example, in Chicago
about 10 years ago there were 3 milongas per week and it was common to
have milongas with over 100 people. Now there are about a dozen
milongas per week in Chicago (down from about 20 per week a few years
ago), with milongas having more than 100 people being rare, and 30-50
being commonplace. (This is based on personal experience and reports
from Chicago dancers. Someone living in Chicago could perhaps refine
these numbers somewhat.)

- The increase in frequency of non-tango and tango fusion music at
milongas has disconnected tango movements from the music.

- Tango nuevo: The emphasis on learning steps and figures, associated
with the introduction of tango nuevo into the US, which offers new
movement possibilities, has led to more dancers walking through steps
disconnected with the music. The large space used by some of these
figures and the lack of configuration of these figures to the line of
dance has resulted in poorer definition of a line of dance, i.e.,
poorer navigation.

There may be parts of the US where there are other factors operating
to improve skill level, but this is what I have observed and learned
in discussion with others in several parts of the US.

Ron