3306 Americans, Europeans and Tango
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 08:37:22 -0600
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Americans, Europeans and Tango
Maybe those of us who grew up outside Argentina or Uruguay don't and
cannot appreciate all the cultural fine points of tango, and maybe we are
not preserving it as it was danced in the golden age. An older generation
of milongueros made the similar accusations against some of today's
masters, and frankly, those of us who dance tango are not responsible for
preserving, recreating or even honoring the culture that claims tango as
part of its patrimony. We are dancers--not historians, cultural
anthropologists, or even apologists for our country's policies.
As dancers, we create what is in our own hearts and experience. If there
is a travesty, it is fancying ourselves participating in the Argentine
culture through dancing tango. As much as we may love doing so, dancing
tango makes us no more Argentine than driving a BMW or Lexus makes us
German or Japanese.
With different cultural experiences, it is quite possible that styles of
tango will diverge, such that incompatible styles will develop. That
happened with ballroom tango. Someday, the extreme nuevo style of Chicho
may break into a completely separate way of dancing--particularly as its
dancers do not seem much interested in dancing with people who have more
sedate approaches to tango. One of the differences between today and the
early 20th century, however, is that we are living in a global society
where communication and travel brings people together who share
experiences. Argentine masters travel the globe teaching Argentine tango,
and half of the tourists to Buenos Aires are reported as being their for
tango. That globalization, which Tango-L is part of, will lessen the
likelihood of divergence.
With best regards,
Steve
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:08:37 -0800
From: Derik Rawson <rawsonweb@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Americans, Europeans and Tango
Dear Stephen:
If the statement below is true, why are these people
teaching tango?
> Maybe those of us who grew up outside >Argentina or
Uruguay don't and cannot >appreciate all the cultural
fine points of tango
To me it is one thing to be a tango dancer and quite
another thing to be a tango teacher. I do not expect
a dancer to be fluent. I do expect a teacher to be
fluent. A teacher does not have to be Argentine, but
they should be fluent.
Derik
d.rawson@rawsonweb.com (le bete noir")
PS- I am "le bete noir", which is masculine, but in
French the correct spelling is "la bete noire". The
word "beast" is feminine, so I guess beasts are women
instead of men....lol.. I misspell words in English
too. I do not teach French or English grammar, but I
am fluent in both languages and I can communicate. I
probably did this subconsciously on purpose. "La bete
noire" just did not seem to fit the situation, so I
took artistic license. I am totally wrong for
misspelling the word, and I accept responsibility for
my mistake.
--- Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG> wrote:
> Maybe those of us who grew up outside Argentina or
> Uruguay don't and
> cannot appreciate all the cultural fine points of
> tango, and maybe we are
> not preserving it as it was danced in the golden
> age. An older generation
> of milongueros made the similar accusations against
> some of today's
> masters, and frankly, those of us who dance tango
> are not responsible for
> preserving, recreating or even honoring the culture
> that claims tango as
> part of its patrimony. We are dancers--not
> historians, cultural
> anthropologists, or even apologists for our
> country's policies.
>
> As dancers, we create what is in our own hearts and
> experience. If there
> is a travesty, it is fancying ourselves
> participating in the Argentine
> culture through dancing tango. As much as we may
> love doing so, dancing
> tango makes us no more Argentine than driving a BMW
> or Lexus makes us
> German or Japanese.
>
> With different cultural experiences, it is quite
> possible that styles of
> tango will diverge, such that incompatible styles
> will develop. That
> happened with ballroom tango. Someday, the extreme
> nuevo style of Chicho
> may break into a completely separate way of
> dancing--particularly as its
> dancers do not seem much interested in dancing with
> people who have more
> sedate approaches to tango. One of the differences
> between today and the
> early 20th century, however, is that we are living
> in a global society
> where communication and travel brings people
> together who share
> experiences. Argentine masters travel the globe
> teaching Argentine tango,
> and half of the tourists to Buenos Aires are
> reported as being their for
> tango. That globalization, which Tango-L is part
> of, will lessen the
> likelihood of divergence.
>
> With best regards,
> Steve
>
>
Derik Rawson
d.rawson@rawsonweb.com
https://www.rawsonweb.com
713-522-0888 USA Landline Direct to Portable Cell Phone
281-754-4315 USA Landline Voice/Fax
d.rawson@cal.berkeley.edu
d.rawson@haas.alum.berkeley.edu
rawsonweb@yahoo.com
Europe/Asia
rawsonweb@compuserve.com
Paris, France
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 16:18:28 -0600
From: "Christopher L. Everett" <ceverett@CEVERETT.COM>
Subject: Re: Americans, Europeans and Tango
Christ in a wheelchair, you either dance tango well or you don't. If
you dance it well, you must be dancing it like an Argentine.
Claiming that fluency in Argentine culture is required for dancing Tango
well is as dumb as claiming that fluency in urban Afro-American culture
is required for playing basketball well. If you believe that, then the
famous Argentine basketballer Manu Ginobili is of the blackest people
alive.
--
Christopher L. Everett
Chief Technology Officer www.medbanner.com
MedBanner, Inc. www.physemp.com
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 16:46:45 -0800
From: Derik Rawson <rawsonweb@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Americans, Europeans and Tango
Dear Chris, With all due respect, basketball did not
come out of Africa and tango did not come out of
Europe. Fluency in tango does begin at the original
source. After that one can grow in whatever direction
one chooses, Argentine or not. A foundation built on
sand is not a good thing. Always consider the source.
Derik
--- TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU <ceverett@CEVERETT.COM>
wrote:
> Christ in a wheelchair, you either dance tango well
or you don't. If
> you dance it well, you must be dancing it like an
Argentine.
>
> Claiming that fluency in Argentine culture is
required for dancing Tango
> well is as dumb as claiming that fluency in urban
Afro-American culture
> is required for playing basketball well. If you
believe that, then the
> famous Argentine basketballer Manu Ginobili is of
the blackest people
> alive.
>
> --
> Christopher L. Everett
>
> Chief Technology Officer
> MedBanner, Inc.
>
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 17:15:47 +1100
From: Gary Barnes <garybarn@OZEMAIL.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Americans, Europeans and Tango
Why not? people in Argentina teach soccer - and very well too, judging
by their playing. They do not seem to feel the need to eat curry, now
an essential part of soccer culture in its home ground.
Culture often transcends a fixed place of origin.
If it didn't, tango would not have started.
People might choose a particular historical or geographical reference
point for their tango - but that does not make it the only tango, or
even the only Argentine tango.
Gary
({Warning: irony alert} I guess I dance Australian Tango. Anyone
wanting to discuss this with me, or express a view on it, must of
course be familiar with eating kangaroo, have an intimate knowledge of
Australian Rules football, and speak Australian English. Otherwise,
they have clearly not done their homework, and I will greet their
posts with abuse. )
On 19/03/2005, at 8:08 AM, Derik Rawson wrote:
> Dear Stephen:
>
> If the statement below is true, why are these people
> teaching tango?
>
>> Maybe those of us who grew up outside Argentina or
> Uruguay don't and cannot appreciate all the cultural
> fine points of tango
>
>
>
