[Tango-L] What Do You Think?

[Alex Long]

Hola List!

Wading in here on the tail end, with nothing profound, just one
observation...on the heels of Trini's last message about "cutting the apron
strings"...

It seems the Nuevoists desperately want to call what they do "Tango", when
it looks and must feel less and less like Tango. As do the
blues/fusion/tango folks, the Swango folks, the salsa/tango folks, and the
list goes on. Hell, there might even be some Texas Two-Step/Tango going on
in this neck of the woods. Even the Ballroom world seems to be trying to lay
claim to "Argentine Tango". In the media and the market place, those magical
five letters T-A-N-G-O seem to sell products and services - through imagery
and public perception. The mystery of tango in people's minds carries with
it something very powerful. There's a website [http://www.yourtango.com]
that has absolutely nothing to do with tango the dance, there's a
trucking/transport company, there's a chewing gum, a soft drink, cookies, a
car, software, there used to be an airline, and the list goes on and on. The
bottom line is Tango, the word, sells.

What would Nuevo be without its roots in traditional tango? A beautiful
dance that someone would have to come up with a name for, I suppose.

The Traditionalists/Purists also desperately want to be protective and need
to be possessive of "their" tango. The early roots of tango, its history,
culture, sensuality, beauty, difficulty, and mystery are not aspects to be
taken lightly or disrespected, in the Purist's view. Tango the music. Tango
the dance. Tango the culture. The mystery of tango. They are all one and the
same. If I can speak for other Traditionalists, "Tango Tango"
seems/wants/needs to be protected somehow, so people remember. So some will
always remain true to the roots of Tango. So more will experience the
feeling of the one, the true Tango. Now I'm preaching to the choir.

Anyway, it just struck me a day or so ago - everyone seems to be wanting to
lay claim to "El Tango". For what it's worth, an observation, but also not
wanting to get mired in the Trad v. Nuevo debate...

Also, a special thanks from me to Keith Elshaw for some great observations,
as always, and especially for coining the term "Tango Tango", at least in my
mind.

Alex
http://www.alextangofuego.blogspot.com