[Tango-L] What is tango ? - to be continued . .

[bettina maria fahlbusch]

And, every definition is a limitation. As it is based on subjectivity.
Firstly, Tango is not "ballroom"  and has never been and Tango that is
danced in Ballrooms (not in Argentina anyway) is not really Tango.
Tango originated in the streets, stayed there for the most pasrt and
then had its place in the Milongas, that are no Ballrooms. From there,
in its most advanced art form,  it found its place onto the stages of
the world.

 Second, there is no such manual existing that limits it in any way,
that justifies really a definition, more than just the fact of the
basic few steps, the embrace and the music as the very cornerstones.
The rest is still invention. The reality is, it is a dance between 2
people, that,  offers the freedom for improvisation and imagination
between those two.

Finally - as food for thought - I personally do ask why everyone
thinks it is "Argentine" : much of the music originates of the Black
culture that was "imported" slave labor there at the time (rhythm),
the bandoneon came from Germany (that much for the soul of a german
that invented those kind of strings), and those compadritos for the
most part were Italians and Spaniards (passion and nostalgia)  . . .
Most women in those bordellos were "imports" from Russia, Italy, Spain
and so forth. There were actually only few "real" Argentines, as still
today those Argentines are missing a true identity as they are
Immigrants for the most part (over 70%).

So to be technically accurate - maybe Tango was a true world dance? A
mix of many elements that assembled themselves in that part of the
world. Even Gardel was Uruguayan. Astor Piazzolla was born of Italian
Immigrants but moved to NY at the age of 4.
Yes it happened to take place at the Rio de La Plata in Buenos Aires.
Maybe now, Tango takes its place where it belongs, back all over the
world?

Finally - there are as many "styles" as individual couples dancing
when you look at the dance floor. Every close definition is a
limitation to that what Tango is.