4775  But does it make you cry?

Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:24:25 -0500
From: "Caroline Polack" <runcarolinerun@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] But does it make you cry?
To: tango-l@mit.edu

Although I don't post much - I've been keeping up with the posts on this
list. There's been quite a bit of discussion over categorization of tango
and tango music. Argentine versus non-Argentine, tango music versus
alternative, close versus open embrace, the pros and cons, the merits and
non-merits.

Yesterday, I danced with a non-Argentine who danced like an Argentine. And
realized why I would never appreciate any kind of tango as much as good
old-fashioned Argentine tango. Why? Because it makes me cry.

When I look at nuevo tango dancers, I've noticed they never seemed to look
at each other, just at the floor or each other's feet, connected only by
holding onto each other's arms. They usually have a singular expression on
their faces that seem to suggest absence of emotion. Their focus seems to be
more on physics of movement and athleticism rather than on anything that
evokes emotionality.

When I look at dancers dancing to alternative music - I see them missing out
on the depth of classic tango music for the alternative music that I tend to
hear at milongas is rather slow and plodding electronica music with no half
beats or syncopation. It's rather amusing actually to see people trying to
dance to this kind of music - they usually look as though they were at a
loss as to how to incorporate the intricacies of Argentine dance to the
shallow monotony of electronica music.

I've yet to see older generations dance either neuvo tango or successfully
to electronica music. That alone is rather revealing as to the universal
appeal of Argentine tango as opposed to the exclusivity of neuvo and
electronica to the younger generations. Imagine a 70 year old man dancing
nuevo tango to electronica music. Let's be honest, one would have a hard
time witnessing such a thing without thinking to themselves "how sad" or
"how weird" or even "how age- inappropriate".

Yet if we witness that same man dancing the Argentine tango, we would think
"how beautiful."

Only Argentine tango danced to Argentine music seems to bring forth a wider
range of emotions and more intense connection than any other kind. It's the
only kind that embraces all generations rather than be appropriate for a
certain age group. The only time I've seen people moved to tears is when
they dance authentic Argentine tango. Maybe that's why it has been and will
always be the most popular form of tango. So no matter how much people may
debate the merits of other styles of tango, nothing will ever compare to the
original.

Which might explain all the vehement disagreements on Tango-L, people keep
trying to compare to the incomparable when frankly, it's not possible, it's
in a class of its own.

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