[Tango-L] Better? Worse? Just different

[Myk Dowling]

On 21/04/11 23:12, Sharon Pedersen wrote:
> It's interesting to me to compare the tango situation to the situation
> for contradance, which is danced entirely to live music and has a
> thriving population of dance bands who play very well for dancers.
>
> I wonder what makes the difference?
 From my experience, it's that Contra dance bands are more likely to be 
playing for the love of it, rather than trying to make a living. But my 
experience is all in Australia, so YMMV.

Had the chance over the weekend to play Contra music for a packed hall 
of dancers, and then for a seated audience of roughly four thousand. I'm 
still buzzing!
> Contradance to me is a dance which is inextricably linked to its
> music.  However, I did recently see a flyer for an "alternative music
> contradance," which leaves me thinking very much "ugh!".
I wonder what kind of alternative music they thought would suit Contra 
dancing? We play rags and reels and jigs and such like.