[Tango-L] differing views of tango evolution

[Alexis Cousein]

On 27/04/2010 12:37, RonTango wrote:
> so they keep their opinions separate and to themselves (or shared
 > only with those who agree).

Apparently not, unfortunately.

>
> The invasion of Nin~o Bien by nuevoists and creating havoc on the floor is not a matter of freedom of expression;

As I said earlier, anyone not respecting local customs at a milonga is
not (merely or necessarily) a "nuevoist", but someone in need of a
swift kick in the butt.

> it is a matter of lack of respect for the codes of the milonga,

Couldn't agree more.

> Using terms like 'apartheid', which has a horrid history and thus one
 > should be very careful in invoking it by analogy,

I *am* careful. What Jack is advocating is complete separation (and
not by consensus).

 >Having separate environments for dancing, clearly labeled, allows 
different
>preferences  for dancing to flourish without direct confrontation.

Apparently not - Niño Bien's style is well known,
and it was still disrupted.

Unfortunately for this model, there are no enforcible
laws preventing "nuevoists" to invade a milonga.

So I'd rather want to advocate education instead: teach people to
do as the Romans when in Rome.

But you can't do that if you don't allow people to learn how Romans
do. Separation is only going to exacerbate the problem, because it
sweeps the problem under a rug and doesn't fix it.

The problem: "nuevoists" (and non-neuvoists) should lean floorcraft
and civility. Period.

Being a "nuevoist" is no excuse for not adapting to a crowded
dance floor (what should organisers of "practicas" do when they
have a "nuevo" audience? Install a quota system to avoid too
people on a dance floor when the practica is successful?)

They may *use* it as an excuse, but it's a sorry one.

>
> In invading a milonga and disrespecting its codes of navigation and
 > use of space in general is imposing one's value system upon others
 > who have a different value system,

Nowhere am I advocating this.

The difference is that you are imposing your values on their turf.

I am doing no such thing. For the record, I didn't invade that milonga,
I wasn't there, and I am certainly not going to play apologist for
anyone who disrupted a milonga.

I just don't condone the knee-jerk reaction and grumbling about
"nuevoists" and how they should stick to "their" corner *either*.

I don't want "nuevo" to lose its connection to tango and become
something akin to, say, Finnish tango. The world will be poorer
without the cross-pollination between traditional tango (as
defined conservatively) and those who are trying to do things
with it (while staying connected with it).

And if, say, I want to dance to some 1950 Piazzolla, I don't
want to be surrounded by hordes of idiots who can't navigate
and are rude.

I suspect it's a European culture thing. I don't like pigeonholes,
and if there's one thing that irritates me about the radio landscape
in the US when I'm over there riding a car is the extreme
segmentation the music landscape (where you'll have one radio
station catering exclusively to the needs of those who love
rap music by people under 1.50m who like to wear white clothes
and say "yo" on average 3.59 times per song. The rappers who
say yo 4 times per song on average get another radio station).

> Imagine what would happen in Practica X if 50 traditionalists invaded and
 > escorted off the floor anyone who did not move in the ronda or lifted
 > their feet off the floor.
>
Well, they don't. And if they did, they would need just as swift a kick
in the butt as anyone disrupting a milonga with a more packed floor.

On the other hand, I have seen people moan that the milonga they went
to was not catering to their individual needs, to the organiser no less.
Practica X has to much of an aura for anyone to try, but similar
settings are not so fortunate.

And I see that behaviour from slef-professed nuevoists and
self-professed conservatives alike, sadly (the last time
someone complained that there'd been too many d'Arienzo
tandas I inserted an extra long extra one, with d'Arienzo
music spanning three decades. So there).