[Tango-L] Buenos Aires - Milonga Codes

[sherpal1@aol.com]

So very perfect Sergio!!!!....such harsh  criticisms and comments on  the 
list about such a beautiful social, cultural custom.  If this  aggression is 
in your head, what must your dancing be like...the dancers in BA  are not 
machines that try to crank out as many dances as possible in one evening  or 
matinee...not only don't they start dancing as soon as the music starts, they 
 dance far fewer steps to each song, there is really far less movement than 
in  our US milongas...all this leads to LONGEVITY with out tire or injury.  
It  is a very valuable strategy deployed to enable dancers to dance all 
night.  
 
And a really good milonga has its own character and pulse and everyone  
through their sensitivity has the shared sense about when the floor is going to 
 start moving.  People who want more chat, pull themselves out of the dance 
 lanes so as not to interrupt.  And the chatting in my opinion is a bit  
humorous from a foreigner's point of view, usually following the lines of: 
Where  are you from, when did you arrive, when are you leaving, where do you 
stay, what  is your name, where else do you dance.  If they recognize you from 
a  previous trip(and they always do since they have great memories of dance 
styles)  they will say : when did you arrive, when are you leaving, etc, 
etc...IF you  only learn how to speak enough spanish to answer these routine 
questions, you  will be a big hit!!!
 
I don't know why people travel if not to learn and absorb some of the most  
wonderful customs and culture of another country...other people might just 
have  it right...and if you incorporate these principles in your own life 
and  experiences, you may have a better time than you think you are having 
now.   Sherrie
 
 
In a message dated 5/22/2012 2:08:53 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com writes:


Every code has an important reason to exist, some times more  than one; 
that reason may only exist in Argentina and in this case the code is  not 
understood or necessary abroad .  If you are a lady who comes to the  milonga 
alone, you have to be perceived as unattached for  men to ask you  to dance.  
You show this condition by entering the milonga alone or in  company of other 
women, greeting briefly some friends, men and ladies; a kiss  on the cheek 
is no problem. You sit alone or in company of other ladies. You  do not talk 
to a particular man. You accept the dance with cabeceo and stand  up 
waiting for the man to come close to your table or walk towards him and  meet 
halfway. When a tango ends and while you wait for the next one to start,  this 
is the only chance you have to chat with that particular man. The  
conversation could be an invitation to a cup of coffee after the dance or  about the 
weather.  In case of a date, both the man and the woman wish to  keep the 
"unattached condit!
ion" (for the time being) and therefore they  leave the milonga alone as 
they came. They meet later in certain place  described during the "chat". 
Another reason for the rest (talking or not) in  between pieces of music, is 
that a good tango dancer has the need to wait for  a moment to get the feeling 
of the music before he starts to dance. The same  as when he arrives to the 
milonga, he must sit and relax for a while,  absorbing the ambiance, 
studying his posibilities in reference to possible  dancing partners, perhaps 
having a drink, etc., before he starts  dancing.  The conversation we are 
discussing is very brief, a few  seconds, the duration depends on when the couple 
in front of you starts  moving, it does (it should) not disrupt the ronda at 
all. Best regards,   Sergio                      
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