[Tango-L] Elitism

[Nussbaum, Martin]

re: Gordon's question: because the better dancers are already dancing
and the newbies are sitting, ready, willing, and "somewhat" able.  NYC
has the benefit of being a major tourist city, so we get many visiting
dancers, who only know the local teachers and DJ's that are in the
festival circuit, and they naturally gravitate to those leaders, or will
wait for them if they are already dancing.  NYC also attracts many
really great leaders and pros,  and the number of such leaders is far
greater than the number of equally talented followers,  so the
competition for the better followers is quite fierce for a non-pro like
me.   I use cabaceo, but in the rare circumstance where I verbally
invite, I often hear, "I am waiting -hoping -xyz will invite me, maybe
later."  I don't teach on the festival circuit, and I'm not a DJ.  I do
not have a "clique."  Nor do I want one.  I define a clique as a group
with a circle the wagon mentality, if any outsider dares approach, all
heads face inward in hushed tones to avoid having to meet the eyes of
the interloper.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Gordon Erlebacher [mailto:gerlebacher at fsu.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 2:11 PM
To: Nussbaum, Martin
Cc: tango-l at mit.edu
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Elitism


Why not dance with the better dancers for the first 40 min, then ask the
newbies? By that time, your abilities will have been noticed. But
surely, your scenario is only true in a venue where you do not know
anybody. If you have a "clique", they would dance with you, even after
your "newbie" dance? 

    Gordon



----- Original Message -----
From: "Nussbaum, Martin" <mnussbau at law.nyc.gov>
Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011 2:04 pm
Subject: [Tango-L] Elitism
To: tango-l at mit.edu

> There is another problem with elitism that hasnt been discussed yet, 
> and that is typecasting. I have had the following experience in NYC, 
> but it may be universal. Lets say some nights I'm feeling in a better 
> mood thanothers, feeling genenrous,  I want to spread good tango 
> karma, give back something to this dance that has enriched my life.  I

> see a newbie not being asked to dance. I ask her to dance. We do the 
> best we can, nothingflashy, just a simple dance. But now better 
> followers, especially those who are visiting from out of town  who 
> dont know me well, ignore my cabaceo, assuming that the previous 
> partner i had is "the best i can do." They didnt see me doing any fad 
> or fancy movement in the tanda. No attention grabbing open embrace jet

> down the lane motions that their friends gush over in rapt admiration.

> I confess, i used to be guilty of the gymnastics myself, but I've come

> to realize that's not the real fulfillment of tango, there is no 
> subtlety or emotion to it, and when i watch it done, usually poorly, i

> am bored to tears,  so my dance these days is much simpler and 
> quieter.  Anyway, after a tanda with a newbie,the clique followers do 
> not want to chance being seen dancing with me for fear of catching the

> same stigma, and then not being invited by theelite alpha dogs in the 
> room.  So they wont chance a tanda with me. I also agree with the 
> prior posts about cliques. Whether its a natural sociological 
> phenomonen or not, i dont know, but i do know that there are cliques 
> of people who only dance with those in their clique, or those 
> introduced by someone in their clique. People dance tango for 
> different reasons. For some, partners are chosen on the basis of 
> perceived social status, or dance career enhancement, rather than 
> merelyfor a nice tanda.
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