[Tango-L] Socio-ethical behavior

[Charles Roques]

Although it appears to mean that, milonguero does not "just" mean someone who spends a lot of time at the milongas.   I think that is a definition that many non-Argentines, especially N. Americans, assume from it's more or less literal translation.  The Argentines I have known over the years I have danced (app. 13 yrs. now) some of whom have passed on, and my teachers, have said that it is never applied to non-Argentines and not even to the younger Argentine dancers, whether they attend every night or not.  It is usually applied to older dancers there who, yes, have gone out nightly for years, but is also something of a titular designation to distinguish not only frequency of attendance but also a certain level of expertise and respect, especially today. I am aware that in the past the distinction was also somewhat negative but it has become a historical term, not just a loose term for a frequent dancer.  I stand by my description based on my knowledge of the the history of tango.  Like other aspects of tango "interpreted" by outsiders, such as the protocol being discussed in this same thread, its true meaning is being lost.
cheers,
Charles
 

--- On Fri, 8/13/10, Charles Roques <c.roques at mchsi.com> wrote:

> btw the term milonguero and milonguera are almost never
> used outside of Buenos Aires, or at least shouldn't
> be.  They refer to the older longtime dancers who have
> reached a certain status in the clubs there.  Never for
> an American or foreigner.

I can't really go along with this. "Milonguero" just means
someone who spends a lot of time at milongas. In the old
days it wasn't so complimentary, maybe you can spend a lot
of time at milongas because you don't have a job, you're
sponging off your friends or something. We may as well use
the word purely as a description. If you spend a lot of time
at milongas, for better or worse you're a milonguero.