[Tango-L] Let's save the social dance!

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 9:45 AM, Jack Dylan<jackdylan007 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> From: Mario sopelote at yahoo.com
>
>> >  How can we get the two (Social + Show) under the same roof and co operating
>> with each other????????
>>  >
>
> We can't and why should we? Social dancing is for sharing the dance floor with
> many other couples and improvising figures to suit the space available.
>
> Show Tango is for dancing a performace in front of an audience with, usually,
> no other couples on the dance floor.
>
> Social and Show tango, by definition, are not to be danced at the same time.
>
> Show dancers should respect the social dance floor and leave their show
> dance routines for the right time and place.
>
> Jack
>

Jack,

Very well stated. But ... EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

The problem is that performance dances derived from social tango
(e.g., nuevo) are not taught as performance dances. The instructors do
not say 'this is for performance'. Instead classes and workshops are
taught in conjunction with 'milongas'. The silence about
appropriateness leads to performance on the milonga dance floor.

Nuevo dances will argue that large movements that do not necessarily
follow the line of dance are appropriate if there is sufficient space.

Fine. I do not like to dance tango milonguero in a cave. It does not
feel like tango unless there are other couples dancing nearby.

I see a simple solution, but it requires agreement and cooperation
among dancers.

Nuevo and tango de salon events should be kept separate. Nuevo dances
can be held on large floors where the density is low. Milongas (for
tango de salon / tango milonguero) can be held in smaller venues.
Dancers should respect the type of dancing that is suggested by the
advertisement of the event.

To further avoid confusion, the terminology in advertising an event
should be consistent. A 'milonga' should be reserved for tango
milonguero or, more broadly tango de salon (the range of variation of
social tango danced in Buenos Aires milongas).

Nuevo dances should develop their own name, but let me suggest one
that was mentoned on another list: NUEVILONGA. This name is not only
accurate, but it is really cool!!

It would also help if instructors stopped called what they teach
'tango' when it is not what is danced in the milongas of Buenos Aires.
Call it 'nuevo'. Just think how cool that sounds. Everyone wants to
dance what is new and current.

Ron