3515  Conflict in tango styles during the formation of tango

Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:26:00 -0600
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Conflict in tango styles during the formation of tango

Was there a conflict of tango styles during the formation of tango?

One opinion:
While the black dancers with their dance partners glided effortlessly on the
dance floor as a couple performing all sorts of moves, the native white guys
(blancos) and the mulattos (pardos) reversed the tango choreography when
they became the center or axis in the dance. The blacks while stepping back,
switched positions either to the side [refiloneo], or to the back of their
dance partners, whereas the native white guys stepped forward, and stepping
to the side of their partners were excuses to execute [para marcar] a turn
(giro) from the back to the front. In short, the native whites did not
execute turns or switched position to the back side of their dance partners.

To dance well was very important for the native white guys and mulattos to
avoid being object of ridicule. In this way they looked serious when dancing
tango that it has lead to observers then think that tango was a serious or
sad dance -- A sad thought which can be danced.

From Andres M. Carretero's book "El Compadrito Y El Tango", 1964

Best regards,

Bruno