[Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if you don't like tango?

[AJ Azure]

As I said, there are good an bad bands. There is considerably more work to
good swing or salsa than just laying down a rhythm. How much of the three
styles have you in fact played and arranged? Ask yourself that before you
comment on the level of complexity in doing any music.

There's that elitist attitude rearing its' ugly head.

Ask yourself how much of the current vacuum is the musicians and how much is
this unwelcoming attitude?

Some musicians certainly play for themselves but, many and all he ones I've
had come through my group love it when people dance to what they're doing.

As for the whole compartmentalizing tango from swing and other related
styles thing, it amazes me how people think there's this line of
segregation. The 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. have always had a combo of music. Sure
people went out for a night of only  tango dancing but, there were certainly
groups who mixed it all up in one evening. This genre vacuum and rigidness
is a modern self handicapping not part of the tango or any music / dance
tradition. In fact Hawaiian music was popular even in Argentina back then.
Rigidity does no one any service in the long run.

You'll never really find a group you like if you first assume you won't like
them.


_A

> From: Anton Stanley <anton at alidas.com.au>
> Reply-To: <anton at alidas.com.au>
> Date: Wed, 05 May 2010 17:21:09 -0300
> To: <Tango-L at mit.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if you don't like tango?
> 
> Commenting on the below post, I would love to dance to and support live
> tango bands playing what I perceive to be excellent tango music, comparable
> to the great orchestras of the past. Orchestras which gained greatness
> through rising to the top of their profession. Often competing for the
> privilege from amongst 200 or more orchestras. Seems to me a little
> presumptuous to offer oneself as a worthy substitute, simply on the basis of
> being the only orchestra or one of very few in the city. Maybe if all it
> entailed was creating a steady, recognisable rhythm aca swing or salsa, I'd
> be foot-tapping like an enraptured trooper. Unfortunately, my perception of
> live tango bands/orchestras, has been that they largely play for their own
> entertainment and not for the tango dancers. Yes I have experienced
> exceptions, foremost of which I place groups formed around Joaquin Amenabar,
> to which I would willing dance every day and pay all I could afford for the
> pleasure. If I am living in a "vacuum of the orginal artists", it's because
> there's a vacuum of tango artists today. Like everyone, I encourage by
> applauding any live tango orchestra when they play at a milonga. But mostly
> it's simple encouragement.
> 
> Just my opinion
> Anton
> 
> "Swing dancers don't have the same issues because, they
> continuously support and welcome live music. They don't treat the music as
> only living in a vacuum of the original artists. They do in fact straddle
> between the old and the new. They also take the opportunity live music
> allows to challenge them as dancers by requiring spontaneity. Maybe it's
> because, I  play live music but, I just don't see why this aspect is largely
> and sadly ignored."
> 
> 
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