[Tango-L] Truth in Tango Advertising & Tango Detente

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

--- On Tue, 10/27/09, RonTango <rontango at rocketmail.com> wrote:

What do traditionalists need to do to let attendees know that at their milongas, one adheres to a line of dance, keeps feet on the floor, and generally respects the space of other dancers on the floor? I don't mean "I can zip around the floor with rapid and large movements and I will not collide with anyone" because this puts traditionalists into an unpleasant defensive driving mode (one foot on the break pedal, always looking in the mirrors). We don't enjoy playing tango police nearly as much as you think we do. We just want to dance in peace.

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Honestly, I don't understand this not being able to set the tone of the milonga or develop a reputation such that standards of behavior are not known.  I really don't.  Certainly not up to the point that it feels as if one is trying to keep people away.  

I've never had a problem like this.  Every once in a while (once a year, perhaps), I'll have to approach someone or their teacher about a navigation issue, but that's it.  Local teachers talk about the line of dance, but we don't typically need to do special classes or workshops on navigation.  I don't feel a need to separate out people who do social nuevo steps at our local milongas.

Milongas using Golden Age music are simply "milongas".  Milongas using alternative music are "alternative milongas".  

Perhaps the approach should not be that it is the "other people" that is the problem.  Perhaps the approach should focus on what the milonga organizer stands for, what his/her image needs to be, and that should be strong enough on its own.  I mean, would you dress in torn jeans and a t-shirt when you go into a BMW showroom?

Trini de Pittsburgh