191  Truth, justice, and the tango way

Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 16:09:18 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Truth, justice, and the tango way

Huck Kennedy wrote:

>Well then I and many of my friends must be schizophrenic, since we are
>attracted to both styles!

As am I.

As an avid social dancer, who enjoys dancing on crowded floors and makes
adjustments to do so, I find it bothersome when others cannot or will not
make similar adjustments. Collisions can result from a lack of skills in
any style. Perhaps it is too easy for us to identify the lack of social
dance skills with a given style. When someone bumps into us who dances a
style that is different from our own, it may be all too easy to think,
"It's someone dancing that damned _____ style taught by so and so"
--particularly if we find so and so annoying. When someone bumps into us
who dances style that is the same as our our own, we may dismiss it as an
accident or simply think, "beginner" or "idiot."

Nonetheless, those who are working with elaborate figures may be more a
hazard on the social dance floor than those who are working with smaller
elements of the dance. In order for most of us to use the material in an
elaborate figure for social dancing, we must work with it, master it, learn
its small elements and find new entrances and exits. Neglecting to
practice, puts us in the position of having to execute the figure as it was
taught. When we are dancing with smaller elements, we are able to make
decisions about direction more frequently, and present less of a hazard to
those around us.

With best regards,
Steve (de Tejas)

Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 23:22:32 -0600
From: "Bruno E. Romero" <romerob@CADVISION.COM>
Subject: Truth, justice, and the tango way

I believe that there is place for both styles -- the close and open
embrace -- to coexist since the AT music styles offers many options. A
dancer who knows both styles -- open and embrace has a better chance to
adjust his/her dance to the various music from different AT orchestras. At
the milongas is obvious to the dancers, viewers with a sense of rythm that
each AT music being played (depending of course on the taste of the dj) has
a different flavor and calls for a different way to dance. As an option for
both dance styles to coexist on the dance floor, when we dance traditional,
canyengue, milonguero style (close embrace) shouldn't we be dancing using
representative steps from these styles and when we dance modern tango
should't we be dancing using more modern steps (open embrace). Furthermore,
if we begin a traditional step we should be able to complete it before
starting a modern step (as a respect for the dance) and be cautious of not
mixing both traditional with modern steps.

It is obvious that when we dance any particular AT style we are referring to
a particular time for the music and we should adjust our dance style
accordingly. For example, it seems that the canyengue or milonguero style
(close embrace) blends very well with the music from the 1940's (Canaro,
D'Arienzo, Tanturi, Fresedo, M. Calo, etc.), and the more modern AT dance
blends better with steps that have been incorporated from other dances
(Classical, Modern )to the music from 1950's and onwards (Pugliese, M.
Mores, Piazzola, etc.). The walking steps made with longer steps and more
elegant posture in an open embrace has a place for the music of Di Sarli, F.
Sassone, O. Pugliese and that the walking steps made with short steps is
better suited for music of D'Arienzo, Tanturi, Canaro,etc., Shouldn't this
be a better approach for both styles to coexist without building resentment
from tango enthusiasts towards any style in particular -- open or close
embrace.

Bruno

tangocalgary@cadvision.com

Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 06:33:08 -0700
From: Mark Sussex <doktordogg@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Truth, justice, and the tango way

--- "Bruno E. Romero" <romerob@CADVISION.COM> wrote:

> Shouldn't this
> be a better approach for both styles to coexist
> without building resentment
> from tango enthusiasts towards any style in
> particular -- open or close
> embrace.

There has been a lot of controversy on this list about
stylistic chauvinism. Honestly, the only time I have
encountered resentment over styles is on this list!
People I know from milongas often have preferences
they champion, but it's always fun-spirited.

It's interesting to debate stylistic choices. The
richness of the available options keeps people dancing
for years without their interest flagging.

Which style is the One True Tango? Ultimately, so
long as you aren't knocking into your friends on the
floor you can dance any style you wish and you only
need to garner the approval of one person... someone
to dance with.

Mark