4177  Argentines are really great

Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 13:51:35 -0700
From: Michael Knowles <binkster@binkster.net>
Subject: [Tango-L] Argentines are really great
To: tango-l@mit.edu

> From: Derik Rawson
> The Argentines are really great dancers because they
> start dancing tango when they are 6 years old, and
> they learn it mostly from their close friends. They
> have their own tango. Argentines do not look like a
> teacher. That is bad. They look like themselves. They
> are individuals, not programmed robots.

How long are you going to flog that dead horse, Derik? There are
millions of Argentines including MANY who can't dance a lick. Others who
dance very well didn't start until later than 6. Still others copy their
teacher. Jeez. Where I work the boys in black t-shirts would say you
have a 'chub' for Argentines.

When I was in BsAs last week I saw a lot of dancers at milongas who were
skilled. More were *not* skilled, or were flaunting their skill in an
asocial way such as cutting in and out of dance 'lanes' on the floor and
charging in front of other dancers in order to execute a trick move
{cough cough El Turco cough cough}. Most of the natives I saw who were
not skilled were at some early stage of learning. Others lost (or never
had a) connection to the music and their partner, performing steps
instead of dancing together. Basically, there are as many kinds of
Argentines as you can imagine. Or more. ;)
--
Michael 'Bink' Knowles
binkster@binkster.net
www.binkster.net

Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:45:58 +0900
From: "astrid" <astrid@ruby.plala.or.jp>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Argentines are really great
To: "Michael Knowles" <binkster@binkster.net>, <tango-l@mit.edu>

> > From: Derik Rawson
> > The Argentines are really great dancers because they
> > start dancing tango when they are 6 years old,

. Basically, there are as many kinds of

> Argentines as you can imagine. Or more. ;)
> --
> Michael 'Bink' Knowles

As a matter of fact, there even are Argentines who have lived in Japan for a
number of years, at some point hit hard times with their business, then took
tango lessons, and later declared themselves to be tango teacher who has
danced tango for 15 years or so. One of them takes credit for having been
born in San Telmo, for having been submerged in tango from before he learned
to walk. The first time I met him in Tokyo, in a tango workshop, he could
not even lead a salida, but he does not remember that now.
Having said that, they are still nice guys, you just can't believe their
inflated resume'.

Astrid