[Tango-L] TANGO 2000 ............For DUMMIES (Australia)

[Vince Bagusauskas]

Myk in Canberra said:
>Separate milongas is really not a solution to any problem I'm aware of.
>Certainly not where I live.


I have to agree.

In my 8 months in Melbourne, I would say a third of the classes over the 4 
or 5 schools cater for nuevo students at the intermediate/advanced level. 
Most of the tango dancers do nuevo at milongas.  There is at least one well 
patronised Saturday milonga that advertises to play a mix of nuevo with 
traditional stuff.  The popular Sunday practica (jeez we even had a couple 
dancing with a baby in arms today! :-) ) always has a splash of weird nuevo 
music.  Even the wonderfully eclectic Martin plays nuevo after midnight at 
the Thursday milonga.

In Canberra, the two biggest tango schools teach nuevo styles and have nuevo 
practicas, including a lot of alternative music.  From what I understand, 
the latest nuevo milonga was as a result of dissatisfaction in the musical 
direction at the older tango venues and from my reports Myk, the numbers 
were higher than what the older venues have been able to attract of late. 
Why the schism?  Can't they cater for all tastes as they do in Melbourne?

When I was living in Canberra, I was told by women how the some men were 
predictable in their dancing.  In Melbourne, I have heard similar.  Also, 
better men (in my eyes) are tagged as being minimalistic in their style or 
are known to repeat the same steps over and over.  Does this mean that women 
can get bored and want the diversity of nuevo steps?  From what I have heard 
yes: they want interesting combinations and musicality too, and not just to 
traditional tango: if the guys are up to it.

However, even if there was no nuevo music ever played again in Melbourne, 
nuevo would still be danced at each and every milonga as this is what 
happens now.   I believe this is what tango dancers in Australia really want 
and the idea that a milonga can replicate what happened in BsAs in the 1940's 
has truly had it's used by date.  Laughingly, I have also heard 1st hand 
from certain organisers that nuevo is not danced in BsAs, from people who 
have been there.  Really?!!!

This nonsense that only nuevo dancers are rude is hogwash.  Even those 
dancers who I would say do strictly salon style dancers and do it very well, 
I have seen only recently dominate the dance floor, darting in and out of 
the line of dance with big showy steps.  Frankly I find that more annoying 
than the nuevo dancers "showboating" as you expect that. But not enough to 
lose any sleep over.  But I sot of can understand why some men can have 
their ego rubbed the wrong way seeing such displays and then want to tell 
the dancers off.

Finally, there is nothing particularly hard about getting off this list. 
When I was still getting the daily emails, there always a link on how to 
unsubscribe from the list.  It only took basic navigation skills to change 
my reading preferences.

Thanks to the reader who alerted me to this latest thread to give my 2cents 
worth.