[Tango-L] What Do You Think?

[Keith Elshaw]

May I share some thoughts?

If there were no new people coming-in to tango in a flow, we would be back
to the dark ages from the 50's to late 80's when all there was was tango
por export (that video was a version from today of that).

But, isn't it pretty much a given that when big, flashy shows are touring,
local activities get a boost? When nothing big is going around, things
settle back into recruitment harder-to-do.

So, when a Forever Tango or TangoX2 or whatever is happening, everybody
benefits. If only from the opportunity to dress-up and go out for a
special tango evening.

(I mean -  if for instance Miguel or Osvaldo Zotto come through town - why
wouldn't you avail yourself of the opportunity to watch the Best? Great
dancers are inspirational).


The dancers always teach as much as they can, so all-of-a-sudden you have
a few couples doing business with the local scene. Bringing money into it,
too. Studio rentals and all that.

When the big dancers teach, they show fancy things for a variety of
reasons. It's easy for them. It's what they know. It's what they think the
market wants. It's the way it's always been. Etc.

Of course, advanced dancers who love social tango tend not to be a big fan
of this way. We'd like people to see and learn tango tango (instead of
stuff they'll never be able to do unless they want to do shows).

So, I think a lot of teachers who love tango tango have come this way over
the years. There are some fine professional dancers/teachers from the US
and Europe as well as Argentina who bring learners into the close embrace
and show them simply how to move as opposed to "doing things." Showing
them how to actually dance in the ronda instead of thinking and trying
stage dancing.

The nuevo thing I see as a relative of tango por export as regards the
travelling teachers. It's something they perceive as what the market
wants. And as they travel around and do workshops, they are generating
help for the local market.

Local teachers and schools really benefit from this. It's just good
business to bring in teachers, of course.

And naturally, the local teachers tend to teach the same way and things.
That makes sense, too. from their perspective.

So - there has always been a pretty high churn. Lots of people drop out.
Men first. And we all know what that leads to.

The ones who stay and get good usually reach that point about the time
they realize taking classes isn't for them anymore. They just want to go
dancing a lot. And go visit B.A.

This is the core support for local milongas. The people who always come
out and love listening to the music if the dj is good.

The legacy of the way people are introduced to tango has a lasting effect
on the people who never actually get to the point of just dancing and
forgetting learning things you'd actually never do on a crowded dance
floor.

Lot's of bumping and elbows and now feet flying high, etc. Often not great
music flow. People not KNOWING often that the music isn't good; so for
people who can dance, those types are just going through the motions.
Blissfully unaware that things could be better. They haven't been shown.

So the good dancers start staying home more often. This seems to
inevitably happen as time goes by. Then, when they go out to dance because
they miss it, they find the place has a great many people who've recently
started tango all having fun with the same lack of awareness as the last
crop.

I'm doing the dangerous "generalizing" thing. Can't be helped in having a
discussion.

We all have biases. The world is big enough to accommodate  them all.

I declare mine: I love the social tango. I love a crowded dance floor. I
love the music and get steamed - because there is SO MUCH GREAT MUSIC -
when dj's play guck or don't have a feel for flow and energy management.

I try to make the heart of the scene beautiful dancing experiences as
opposed to the teaching/churning part others take care of very well.

When I teach, I tell them I'm not "teaching." I want to shut-off the brain
memory and get their muscle memory and emotions turned-on instead. Get
them into a relationship with the music. Have a conversation with each
other inside that. Do it all in harmony with all the other dancers on the
floor.

I show them right away what I was - and most people are - only shown after
they've been dancing a while and take privates: body position and walking
smoothly and rhythmically. It's easier for a person to learn the proper
way once than to always have to keep re-learning in a new way.

Of course, that can mean less money coming in. Which is why I don't do it
as a "business." I personally am not trying to create future income by
feeding things out in little bits so they'll keep coming back. Grading
them so they can go to the "next level" and all that.

Because, in the main, I see that as perpetuation of tango-por-export as
much as anything else.

Just me. I want to communicate the love of the social tango experience.

There's room for people like me, too.

Maybe one day I'll put a video of myself on YouTube. Not likely. I don't
dance for other people. I dance to be in the cocoon with my partner and
the music.

I think a lot of teachers would do well to understand that their students
intuitively are looking for this experience.

The churn happens because something isn't unfolding as they desire
(without being to articulate it).

I wish more tango tango was shown.

More men would stick; more women would have fun.

My sense is that what I describe is happening all around the world. It
might be a bit subterranean; but people who really love tango (not mainly
for business) are always going to move in this direction.

Go for it, guys! Build a local social scene, not a teaching business. Lots
of people will be cheering you on.

Cheers,

Keith Elshaw
ToTANGO.net