1623  Tango & bordellos

Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 15:02:26 -0300
From: Alberto Gesualdi <clambat2001@YAHOO.COM.AR>
Subject: Tango & bordellos

Antonio Cervila Junior mentioned in his posting the evolution of Tango within the bordellos . Although it is true that bordellos existed and exists in Buenos Aires actually , it is a part of the foggy and cloudy origin of this dance. Fantasy and historic information not always are together.

Although there were some tango scripts with explicit references to sexual activity , they were almost from the late XIX century and the early XX century .
When the population of Buenos Aires have a boost of male inmigrants in the 1920's , it is interesting to note that bordellos and prostitution increased dramatically , but no effect had this change on the tango scripts, which , to the contrary , begun to describe the social environment that was changing dramatically . Economic problems, cruel women , the holy mother , the houses and their yards , and the characters that appeared in this growing Buenos Aires , were included into the scripts. But not an overwhelming reference of bordellos, or famous prostitutes ,except some references to dancing places .

The historic truth is that originally dancing Tango was forbidden in public places. But the Secretary of Public Works of the Town Hall of Buenos Aires, Jorge Newbery , when received the good new that the Pope in Rome through the Vatican, have stated that to dance Tango was not a condemned sin , rush to print copies of that document, and begun opening dancing places . In a subtle way , the Vatican help the Tango to sneak out from the bordellos to the open light :):)

The prostitution rush , change by the end of the 204s in Buenos Aires and their outskirts. Bordellos were forbidden due to the pressure of socialist party , and prostitution changed to a more subtle presence, as in other parts of the world.

One more thing about bordellos in Buenos Aires early XX century, as they are described in historic books. People have to wear formal dress to be admitted , and fights with knifes were forbidden inside the place, duelers have to go outside to settle their differences. Local thugs help the Madame of the bordello to clean unwanted guests out to the street when they became too noisy or abusive, and the general atmosphere was social . Business were conducted also, and many local politicians prefered to held private meetings on bordellos, to prevent being discovered shaking hands with member of other political parties. Atmosphere was , in short , gentle and discreet . Sex was performed inside private rooms.
Love .... there was no love inside , maybe that was one of the reasons that Tango could not flourish on that places. One famous army coronel was quoted as saying once " I do not make love ..... I buy love pret a porter "

Warm regards
Alberto Gesualdi




Usuario: yahoo; contraseqa: yahoo
Desde Buenos Aires: 4004-1010
Mas ciudades: clic aqum.