[Tango-L] Traduction tango codes

[randy cook]

Dear "Citizen Milongueros,"

I hear echoes of the Paris Commune of 1871 in the work of this Frederic Megret.  It isn't merely an essay on codes of the milonga, but of the role of the citizen in a ideal democratic society.  Perhaps this is what we should aspire to be, both on and off the dance floor!

Many thanks,
Randy Cook 


--- On Sun, 10/25/09, Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> From: Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [Tango-L] Traduction tango codes
> To: "Tango-L List" <tango-l at mit.edu>
> Date: Sunday, October 25, 2009, 4:58 PM
> 
> Dear friends this work on "Milonga codes" written in French
> by Frederic Megret
> Mc Gill University, has over 35 pages. I translated page 12
> that refers to the subject we were disussing. 
>  
> When I finish reading the original I might add to this
> initial translation.
>  
>  
> Requirement for a certain individual behavior: (page
> 11-12)
>  
> Beyond the demand that you should know the dance, there are
> unwritten milonga codes, a call to a certain personal
> behavior, that one could describe as (more or less) " to
> know one's place"; for instance, as an example, never dance
> at a milonga anything that you do not know perfectly well. 
>  
> One should have a feeling of the role one is to play. In
> this respect there is no place for an excess of narcissism
> or of humility.
>  
> It is bad manners for instance to dance to attract
> attention, to show off; or even worse to look at oneself
> dancing in the mirror. This type of behavior is 
> considered to be vulgar, but it will also, eventually damage
> the reputation of your partner. It shows lack of respect for
> a certain ethic tanguera which is minimalist.
>  
> The "best" is the enemy of the "good". In this respect here
> one is situated at the opposite extreme of other social or
> sport dances and their ethics of competitiveness and
> performance.
>  
> Even if the elements of competition can be latent in tango,
> they must remain secondary in order not to affect the spirit
> of the milonga.
>  
> A good dancer will know how to find an equilibrium between
> a modest tango and certain moments of shine the same as the
> music itself has slow and dynamic periods.
>  
> The dancing floor is not a stage, and those that are
> sitting are not the public, it is important to dance first
> for your partner and eventually and in second place for the
> outside; in third place for oneself.
>  
> To forget oneself is the best road to tango extasis.
>  
> On the other hand it is important to consider oneself as a
> dancer. It is not useful or appropriate, for instance to
> apologize after each mistake.
>  
> This turns the dance into an unpleasant experience.
>  
> When you denigrate yourself again and again this translates
> into lack of confidence, something that is incompatible with
> dancing tango.
>  
> Turning to another subject, beyond self complacency or
> morality, Milonga defines its subject not as a client or
> consumer but as somebody we could call a citizen
> milonguero.
>  
> It is expected that not only he will not be an "offender"
> but that he will provide his stone to the edifice of the
> milonga.
>  
> In summary what is demanded from a milonguero, up to here,
> other than the "rituals of preparation"(1) is to 
> minimally know how to dance and not to be presumptuous.
>  
> Best regards, Sergio
>  
> (1) rituals of Preparation for the milonga is another
> chapter.
>      
>         
>           
>   
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