[Tango-L] chatting between songs, was: Buenos Aires Milonga traditions outside Buenos Aires

[Robert Dodier]

Shahrukh,

thanks for your interesting observations. It's always nice to hear
from people in different places.

My $0.02 about talking before the dance begins is based on my
experiences in North America, at regular milongas and festivals.
What I've seen is that festivals have bigger crowds and more
social energy, and that just makes people chatty. What I think I
see is that people are ardently communicating nonverbally while
the dance goes on, then when the song ends, they keep on
communicating -- they just switch to a verbal mode. Then it takes
a while for everybody to switch back to nonverbal mode.

At regular milongas, there typically just isn't the critical mass of
social energy to spark the conversation. Most people just go
back to dancing as soon as the music starts. But sometimes
people do get chatty, which, as a DJ, I take as a very good sign.

As to what people should do, it seems like "when in Rome" is
enough advice.

All the best,

Robert Dodier
Boulder, CO