[Tango-L] differing views of tango evolution

[Alexis Cousein]

On 28/04/2010 11:19, Jack Dylan wrote:
> I agree that there's no problems with porteño nuevoists; I danced for
> weeks in BsAs without seeing any nuevo. But, IMO, that's because
> they have their own places to go to satsfy their needs.

And because when they don't, they shed their "skin" that makes you
see them so obviously, too. Some adjust their dancing style
and morph into "non-nuevoists" completely, but they're still the
same person. And others dance smaller and with a selection of
patterns to suit the occasion, but still with undoubtedly
"nuevo" genes in the dance.

> And that's my
> whole point; separate Nuevo and Traditional Tango and the problems
> end.

In a situation where segregation actually works. The moral codes in
Argentina are a lot stronger than in other parts of the world...
there are a lot of cultures where an individual's sense of
entitlement is a lot larger.

>
> All that remains if for nuevo instructors, outside of Argentina, to educate
> their students that they don't dance nuevo in traditional BsAs milongas.

Well, it depends on how you define "dance nuevo". They certainly should
tell them to stick with the ronda in crowded milongas.


> I think one problem is that, while porteño nuevoists can also dance
> traditonal tango and are able to enjoy the popular, famous milongas of
> BsAs, foreign nuevoists can only dance nuevo. But that's their problem.
>
Exactly. And my point is that segregation won't fix this.

Of course, you may hold the view "their problem is not my problem",
but I find that slightly uncharitable (and as I said, I like many
different venues and I'd rather not have some of them populated
by nuevo wreckless drivers and others populated by traditionalist
windscreen wipers holding up the ronda).

Mind you, I think that if everybody is educated properly,
segregation will occur naturally to a certain extent (as
tastes differ). And that's OK, as long as it's organic and
there are enough bridges between the different communities.

Once there are no more bridges at all and the *networks* that
people have are truly segregated, then other problems occur,
because then you'll indeed have two different species. And
then no individuals will adapt to the venues, you'll simply
have two species competing for territory and resources.

And that usually becomes ugly very rapidly.

Our national government just fell for that very same reason:
politicians of the two main regions are younger and no
longer know anyone from the other region, and as a result
they can no longer negotiate at all with "the aliens"
and fail to find any common ground.

It's sad, really.