[Tango-L] hypothesising

[Anton Stanley]

Since my association with Tango a mere 30 months ago, I have searched for an
authoritive definition of Tango. This list is testament to the difficulty of
this task. One of the most surprising discoveries was that about 50% of the
tango dancers I know, don't like tango music. So not surprisingly, most
peoples' lay
definition of tango lay in either the music, the steps or both. Limited by
my average intelligence, I have surmised that as steps can change and new
ones invented, that can't be the rock (maybe sand) on which tango is built.
So in my mind I have eliminated two of the "lay" definitions. Remaining is
the music. I'm left with a situation where a large number of tango dancers
don't like (even hate) the music to which a large number of tango dancers
are dancing. How can that be? Isn't it all Tango? Can Tango music engender
both a loving and a loathing amongst its practioners?  First we have to 
establish that it is all tango. So what is it about the music that makes it 
intrinsically Tango? The most forceful explanation that my simple mind can 
digest is given by Joaquin Amenabar*. Author of the recent publication 
"Tango Let's dance to the music!" Read the book for his
definition/explanation
 - it's not important for me to make my point. Which is, change the music 
beyond certain bounds and you change tango to something else. You may still 
call it tango, but in my opinion you're shifting it's paradigm by stealth. 
Why is there this pressure to change the model? Not surprising, if 50% of 
tango dancers not liking the music is true. I then ask, why did this 50% get

into tango? Maybe there is ambiguity in the way the tango persona is
presented 
to the public by our community. Whatever the reason, it's pretty clear that 
one size does not fit all. And I believe this is why positions between 
traditional and Nuevo is so fiercely defended. I enjoy most styles of music.

I'll get up and dance at a milonga to music that I know isn't tango, with 
great enjoyment. I have no issue with dancers employing Nuevo steps on tight

floors like at La Marshall, provided there's consideration for other dancers

and I like the music. Whilst there may be no bounds for Tango nuevo-steps 
except for courtesy to others, there should definitely be bounds for 
Tango nuevo-music, if the crevice in our community isn't going to keep 
growing. Again, what are the bounds?

*           Director of the tango orchestra "Orquesta Tipica de la Guardia
Vieja". Professor of Bandoneon at the City Of Buenos Aires' Higher
Conservatory of Music; at the University of Buenos Aires’ Lopez Buchardo 
National Conservatory; and at the Avellaneda School of Folk Music. Having
danced
Tango since 1994,he has taught Tango music – as applied to dance – in
Germany,
England, Italy, Austria, Turkey, USA, Australia and New Zealand amongst 
other countries.

Anton