[Tango-L] Social-ethical behaviours and protocol

[Anton Stanley]

In response to "it is fair to say that most people go to the milonga to
dance."

And ..............?
I'm with Trini. Why the urge to sanitise and purify human behaviour and
emotions. At every milonga that I recall attending, I see the most
attractive women receiving requests to dance every tanda irrespective of
their abilities, whilst others with superior skills spend much of the
milonga on their posteriors. And from my experience it's no different from a
Latin club, disco or ballroom. I've seen many published guides on how women
should present themselves at milongas to increase their desirability as
dance partners. I've sat at very traditional milongas in BA and marvelled at
the brazen way the guys on one side of the room scan the women seated
opposite. And who hasn't sat with a group of men at a milonga and felt
slightly embarrassed by the quite frank appraisal of potential female
partners. Haven't most of us experienced the delight of being on the
receiving end of an intense, welcomed cabaceo. I for one, can't comprehend
of anyone being unaware of the complex humanity that is being played out at
a milonga. To me it's seems no different than what's happening when they
walk back outside the doors, except for one critical factor. Right from the
beginning, my tango instruction included affirmation that tango was special.
That the connection between partners was not sexual. It was beyond that. For
me, passing through the doors of a milonga, is a comparatively safe way to
ride on the extreme edge of my emotions for a short while. But as with all
good things ... not without some risk. Hey, there's enough material in
milongas for a book. Or has somebody already done that?

Anton