[Tango-L] Aron, I have a question about "nuevo" #2

[ECSEDY Áron]

I believe that today's tango (along with Argentina!) is becoming more
'globalized' culturally. I do not try to take anything away from
Argentines though. I mentioned influence. With time it will change into
something that is no longer something that is exclusive to Argentina.
Actually, Argentina is becoming something that is no longer only
Argentine. Also, Argentina was always very multicultural compared to,
say, Tahiti. Argentina is a place. It's culture was already a mix when
tango emerged, but for at least a few decades it's natural state was
more or less the same type of mix, but afterwards I can't think of a
single decade when some aspect of tango was not _influenced_ by
something outside of Argentina. With the tango economy driven by people
outside Argentina, 99% of them never even getting near South America,
the influence of local cultural elements will be stronger. That's simply
unavoidable.

As for the content of nuevo, I think the word itself is a misnomer. It's
not the tango that is new in it. It is the way people approach tango.
The name itself was probably a simple marketing trick, but it stuck. The
same way Americans use the word 'kleenex' for tissue paper. It was meant
to convey something specific (the brand), while it was only something
general (tissue paper) for the simple purpose to drive people to buy
that specific product. Obviously, nomen est omen, so some people
included 'new' (or at least odd) stuff, so nuevo can live up to it's
name. But this process is still undecided, it is not general, or at
least not yet. Most nuevo teachers go back to the roots and use the
'technology' only as a way to get people moving. Of course the
possibilities are there to use them any way, so there will be people who
use it this way. I don't say 'misuse', as one of the general ideas in
nuevo that it does not imitate any specific style, so you are free to
develop your own. And by the way, this approach is very historical...
the reason I said 'museum' is because of this very historical aspect of
tango: the right of the individual to develop the style of its own is
being taken away or at least severly limited by 'tradition' that
supposed to be followed 'as danced in BsAs'. Tradition is a nice thing,
but I never heard about old milongueros imitating all other older
milongueros to be the best dancer around. They all invented things. The
same way the young in BsAs invent things. Wear cargo pants. Have a
crooked posture. Whatever. Some of it was (and is) accepted. Some of it
was (and is) not. The same happens 'nuevo': some 'nuevo' dancers invent
things that are not accepted by the community. These will 'die out'.
Others are accepted and are used (and maybe you don't even consider them
'nuevo' anymore - just a decade ago the term included several things
that are considered regular 'salón' now, and now it also include things
that were not defined at that time).

Cheers,
Aron

-- 
Ecsedy Áron
***********
Aron ECSEDY

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