2017 Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:02:16 -0800
From: Philip Seyer <philipseyer@ILOVEMUSIC.COM>
Subject: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
I was recently helping a couple about to be married prepare for a wedding
dance reception. They had picked out music they loved and wanted to dance to
it. None of the traditional ballroom dances would work: waltz was
definitely out because it was in quadruple meter. Rumba didn't work, neither
did nightclub two step. Then it came to me: Argentine tango! This worked
great and they learned it quickly although they had never done any partner
dances before. But the music was definitely not Argentine tango music.
Has anyone else had the experience of using Argentine tango dance steps to
non-Argentine tango music? What was it like?
You can see a short movie clip showing what I'm talking about here:
https://www.ilovemusic.com/argentine_tango.htm (click on the SECOND photo to
start the video)
The clip shows Ken Delmar dancing Argentine tango steps with Elaine Sirois.
They are dancing in a San Francisco nightclub as local musicians (guitar &
bass player) improvise some jazz tunes.
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:17:30 -0000
From: Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
[Warning: Outrageous claim follows]
I recently was listening to Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me a River' and I
thought it had huge tango potential.
Alex
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 18:45:16 -0500
From: Alberto Sanders <tangotango@EUROPE.COM>
Subject: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Hi
You can also check Mauricio Castro's performance in Buenos Aires at CITA dancing to
Chick Corea. I would say it was 2 years ago.
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Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 21:38:54 -0800
From: Rick FromPortland <pruneshrub04@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
The Norah Jones songs: "Come away with me" & "Don't know why" work very well.
The opening James Bond theme song is good too, Andrew plays a ska version on Wed nights here. The Spy Who Loved Me by Carly Simon should work as well...
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 02:21:59 -0800
From: David Hodgson <DHodgson@TANGO777.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Clubbed to Death by Rob D. is a lot of fun as well.
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 15:20:43 -0500
From: Alberto Sanders <tangotango@EUROPE.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Hi Philip
Yes you can find Mauricio Castro performance at:
www.tangodiscovery.com
There is a link at the bottom of the page left hand side.
I think it is one of the best tango performances ever. Where he flows with the music so well.
This performance had been recorded in Buenos Aires during the biggest tango festival of
the world and in salon Caning (one the oldest tango places still open today).
I'm giving this info for some other people besides you Philip, so they do realize that some
argument about what it is what, are kind of out dated. Tango has been dance to other music
for quite some years by now, and by some of the most talented and recognize tango
dancers of the tango world.
And by the way Mauricio doesn't call this tango nuevo any more,
he calls it "Power Improvisation"...
Even though in the performance in the page he is dancing very conservative (form his
opinion) , I have had access to other performances and it is the wildest dance ever !!
Not suitable for people with cardiac problems :)
Philip Seyer wrote:
> How check it out?
> Do you have a URL to share?
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Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 21:58:17 +0100
From: Christian Lüthen <christian.luethen@GMX.NET>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
that should be tango???
no tango rhythm/beat!
no tango heart/emotion!
absolutely no 'couple connection'!
On 25 Nov 2003 at 15:20, Alberto Sanders wrote:
> Yes you can find Mauricio Castro performance at:
> www.tangodiscovery.com
>
> There is a link at the bottom of the page left hand side.
[as usual with this pseudo-multi-media material: size is much to
small]
> I think it is one of the best tango performances ever.
tango?
perhaps tango steps, but tango rhytm.
> Where he flows with the music so well.
you say *with* the music ???? njet!
> This performance had been recorded in Buenos Aires during the biggest
> tango festival of the world
oh my goodness: once again one of this absolutely unnecessary and
disturbing superlatives: "the biggest tango festival of the world".
:-(
blame me that this posting now will be found by any dump internet
search engine in the absolutely wrong context ...
... but:
_ it's not size which matters, it's quality!!! _
> and in salon Caning (one the oldest tango places still open today).
what's so important about "one the oldest tango places" if it's
really revolutionary? this is abuse of the names (just to sell
something)! :-(
as you state that the video was recorded at canning during this
'biggest festival' I doubt that the real local tango dancers (apart
from the invite glory) were present that night but only "tangueras y
tangueros touristos"! so what's the impact on authenticy of your
statements 'biggest' and 'at canning': none!
[on those special CITA nights paying guest had to pay up to some 40
pesos (15 dolares) per night this year ... at places where a regular
milonga (on the regular non-tourist-days when the locals go) would
cost 5 to max. 7 pesos. guess which nights the locals will be there
... and on which nights the 'touristos' will be (splendidly) isolated
in the mighty wondercage? {hmm, please, stay there. :-( } ]
> Tango has been dance to other music for quite some years by
> now, and by some of the most talented and recognize tango dancers of
> the tango world.
I love dancing *tango* to non-tango-music. and even dance sort-or-
tango to non-tango-music. and even dance sort-of-tango to tango-
music. :-)
you only state the top of the iceberg: there's currently a big new
young generation of dancers evolving in bs.as. ... but still: it will
be the old style milongas which will attract us / the tango crowd
continuingly in the future .... 'La Catedral' is nice and a lot of
fun ... but not 7 days a week.
> And by the way Mauricio doesn't call this tango nuevo any more,
> he calls it "Power Improvisation"...
all right, that's fine: no tango therefore. but then it also should
neither be praise as nor sold as tango!
> Even though in the performance in the page he is dancing very
> conservative (form his opinion) , I have had access to other
> performances and it is the wildest dance ever !!
probably much more interesting! [I'd *really* be interested to watch
it.]
> Not suitable for people with cardiac problems :)
as well as real milonguero tango is.
and not suitable for any other person / couple dancing on the same
dancefloor at the same time! wasn't tango a social dance???
[this is actually a cross-link to Clay's subject the other days about
floorcraft: after such a performance and such teaching ... social
dancing afterwards becomes dangerous! :-( ]
to come back to my first paragraph:
I can feel no connection in the couple at all (apart from that she
just has to follow ... *just to*). no communication at all ... she's
used as an object, not an subject. disculpe, but compared to what I
have seen on thes video you linked I have seen much more tango'ier
modern dance performances ... where there was still a connection in
the couple. [ie. Homer and Cristina, from the Bay Area: connection in
the couple, going *with* the music ... and still *tango*! it's not
just the imprint 'argentian born' which guaranties quality! it's not
just the location (canning etc.) ... ... ...
tango without musicality, connection and communication ... I doubt
that this is still 'tango'!
christian
btw: intesting video ... probably nice to look and look and look to
... to learn / collect some more steps. *bg*
christian@eTanguero.net
https://www.eTanguero.net/
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 01:00:34 +0100
From: "Kohlhaas, Bernhard" <bernhard.kohlhaas@SAP.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Hello Philip,
> From: Philip Seyer [mailto:philipseyer@ILOVEMUSIC.COM]
> I was recently helping a couple about to be married prepare for a wedding
> dance reception. They had picked out music they loved and wanted to dance to
> it. None of the traditional ballroom dances would work: waltz was
> definitely out because it was in quadruple meter. Rumba didn't work, neither
> did nightclub two step. Then it came to me: Argentine tango! This worked
> great and they learned it quickly although they had never done any partner
> dances before. But the music was definitely not Argentine tango music.
> Has anyone else had the experience of using Argentine tango dance steps to
> non-Argentine tango music? What was it like?
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area there is an "Alternative Milonga" every Wednesday
and the music there consists of more modern tango recordings, tango nuevo as well
as non-tango music.
Since I have DJed that milonga on two occasions, let me make some comments
regarding dancing to non-tango music. I think there are two questions
implied here: Whether it is possible to do it and whether this is something that
should become a bigger part of the tango community, i.e. having milongas playing
(more) non-tango music.
In principle you can do tango/vals/milonga steps to almost any kind of music,
if the speed of the music is in a certain range. In tango the basic step is
on every other beat (usually on count 1 and 3) and the beats in between
are only stepped on when doing quick steps. The speed on some of the
non-tango music is so, that your basic step is on every beat, which gives
it a different feeling.
Out of the vast pool of non-tango songs you CAN execute tango steps to
a lot of them, but there are only very, very few that feel at least somewhat
suitable. Some genres seem to have more suitable songs than others, i.e.
Fado, Jewish/Klezmer music, and that is probably because they are closer
to tango in their overall mood than other kinds of music.
Regarding whether playing non-tangos should be done (more) in milongas:
I would be very cautious to use non-tango music during a "traditional
milonga", except perhaps for the very occasional "odd" tanda, i.e. instead of
a salsa break and when I DJ a "traditional milonga" I usually refrain from it.
The "Alternative Milonga" in SF is an experiment in a way and it is labeled as such.
And the variety of music does make it somewhat less smooth than a traditional milonga,
where the music is more homogeneous, but that is the price to pay.
And while I enjoy that variety, I am also glad that there are lots of traditional
milongas in the area, where I can go and dance tango to my favorite orchestras of
the Golden Age. And during those milongas I realize that - despite all the interesting
and good modern tango or non-tango music - my favorite orchestras to dance tango to
are still Caló, Canaro, D'Agostino, De Angelis, Di Sarli, Fresedo and Troilo
(just to randomly name a few).
Bernhard
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 22:07:17 +0900
From: astrid <astrid@RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Alberto Sanders wrote:
> Yes you can find Mauricio Castro performance at:
> www.tangodiscovery.com
> There is a link at the bottom of the page left hand side.
> I think it is one of the best tango performances ever. Where he flows with
the music so well.
> This performance had been recorded in Buenos Aires during the biggest
tango festival of
> the world and in salon Caning (one the oldest tango places still open
today).
I suppose, you mean Cosmotango?
I do not agree with Christian about "no tango rhythm/beat". IMO the music
is, yes, a bit different in rhythm from tango, but in atmosphere, quite
similar. Not a bad choice at all. The movements look nuevo to me, he does
flow well with the music, but what leaves something to be desired is the
walk. The first time round I watched the video clip without music, and then
it becomes even more obvious: the walk looks not really like tango but a bit
like sports. The girl looks like, sometimes she almost has to run to follow
the man's lead. The walk lacks that flavour some tangueros develop when they
have been dancing for a long time. No, it is not "one of the best
performances ever", in that point I agree with Christian.
> Even though in the performance in the page he is dancing very conservative
(form his
> opinion) , I have had access to other performances and it is the wildest
dance ever !!
> Not suitable for people with cardiac problems :)
As I said, tango is not meant to be an airobic sport.
Astrid
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:30:02 +0100
From: Ecsedy Áron <aron.ecsedy@OM.HU>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Dear Alex,
IMO Potential is OK: rythm, mood and lyrics of the song fits, but in the original form it is not danceable (tango I mean). It would need a =
serious rearrangement in at least the percussion used (R'n'B style related elements are also very kinky if you dance tango to it).
However, if you only keep the melody line, basic rythm and the lyrics, you'll end up with a not too special tango. If you look at different =
versions of well known tangos you'll see that in many cases arrangement, the quality and style of performance is more important than the score =
itself. This is even more true for the most of contemporary popular music. If you take that away you won't have too much left. The only =
appeal to use a song like this as a tango, that it creates a bridge from popular music to tango music for people not (yet) interested in tango.
Best wishes,
Aron
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alex [mailto:alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM]
> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:18 PM
> To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
>
>
> [Warning: Outrageous claim follows]
>
> I recently was listening to Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me a
> River' and I thought it had huge tango potential.
>
> Alex
>
> ----------
> Lastname" to LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU.
> ----------
>
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 22:19:00 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
Hello Alex and Escedy,
"Cry me a river" performed by Diana Krall is one of my favorite alt. tango
songs along with her renditon of "Let's face the music and dance" and "Do it
again". I play these all the time at our milonga. "Do it again" fits
perfectly between two other popular alt. tangos: "Seduces me" by Celine Dion
and "Habanera" by Paul Schwartz.
I have about 50 alt. tangos and one alt. milonga, which I occasionally
incorporate in our weekly milonga. People like it as long as alternative
song is prepared by preceding tango and released by subsequent tango. Here
is perfect example of well incorporated sequence, reversed case where tango
is framed by alternative songs: Demare "Palomita mia" - Cesaria Evora "Mar
Azul" - Julio de Caro "El arranque" - Bau "Bia" - Demare "Soy del 90". If
you listen to it you will notice that "El arranque" and "Bia" have very
similar melodic and rhythmic phrases. I am not especially fond of de Caro
style howerver so framed "El arranque" shines. Then again there is a lot in
common between Tango and Morna music.
Cheers, Oleh K.
https://3clicksdesign.com/tango.htm
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
style howerver so framed "El arranque" shines. Then again there is a lot in
common between Tango and Morna music.
Cheers, Oleh K.
https://3clicksdesign.com/tango.htm
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 17:00:05 -0000
From: Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
Hi Oleh
Oh, meant 'Cry me a river' by Justin Timberlake. I think there are several songs with the same title, and that the one you refer to is not =
this one. Madonna's 'Ray of light' also have a couple of tracks I'd love to sink my teeth into...
Best, Alex
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 22:10:25 -0800
From: Rick FromPortland <pruneshrub04@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
I've been nosing around an Alternative Tango music directory & been checking out
the following songs, which sound quite splendid for dancing Tango...
Di Krenitse (The Well - Klezmatics
Ovnt Lid - Crepuscule - Klezmatics
Vek Nisht (Don't Waken) - Klezmatics
Dance Me To The End Of Love - Leonard Cohen
Another Night In Rented Rooms - ????
Des Veux Amants - Jacques Brel
Diz Que Tem - Carmen Miranda
Eine Kleine Sehnsucht - Ute Lemper
Half And Half - Arthru Green
Hija De La Luna - Montserrat
Mavilim - Nilufer Le
Oscarina - Mary Lea
Strange Weather - Tom Waits
Takes Two To Tango - Louis Armstrong
Via Con Me - Paolo Conte
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:08:08 -0800
From: peterwesser <peterwesser@OREGONDUCKS.ORG>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
WHY?
It's a genuine question.
Peter
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 17:53:11 -0300
From: Alberto Gesualdi <clambat2001@YAHOO.COM.AR>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
peterwesser <peterwesser@OREGONDUCKS.ORG> wrote:
WHY?
It's a genuine question.
Peter
I DONT KNOW
It is a sincere answer
Alberto
?Buscas un auto?
!Mas de 4000 clasificados todos los dmas!
Usados - 0 km - Vendi el tuyo
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 14:16:12 -0800
From: David Hodgson <DHodgson@TANGO777.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
BECAUSE
Is a good answer as well.
David~
peterwesser <peterwesser@OREGONDUCKS.ORG> wrote:
WHY?
It's a genuine question.
Peter
I DONT KNOW
It is a sincere answer
Alberto
?Buscas un auto?
!Mas de 4000 clasificados todos los dmas!
Usados - 0 km - Vendi el tuyo
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 13:47:13 -0800
From: Rick FromPortland <pruneshrub04@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
WHY NOT??
Its good for your soul...
Good for opening hearts & minds...
Variety is the spice of life...
Why only dance with the same partners all the time?
Why only read a select few authors?
Why only watch movies of a few directors?
Why eat the same food all the time?
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:12:18 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
The music compels me.
Oleh
>From: peterwesser <peterwesser@OREGONDUCKS.ORG>
>Reply-To: peterwesser <peterwesser@OREGONDUCKS.ORG>
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music
>Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:08:08 -0800
>
>WHY?
>
>It's a genuine question.
>Peter
Set yourself up for fun at home! Get tips on home entertainment equipment,
video game reviews, and more here.
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 04:25:39 -0000
From: Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
I once danced wih someone who told me "That's not a tango step!". I told her "I take risks. Do you?".
Alex
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 09:47:50 -0600
From: Hector <maselli@GATE.NET>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
On Friday, November 28, 2003, at 10:03 AM, Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM> wrote:
>I once danced wih someone who told me "That's not a tango step!". I told her "I take risks. Do you?".
"No, I take lessons," she said."Why don't you?" And she walked away from the royal turkey with the ostrich's gait.
Hector
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 16:37:58 -0000
From: Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
And he thought: 'Never to take lessons with her teacher...', and shrugged
his shoulders...
Alex
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2003 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music
> On Friday, November 28, 2003, at 10:03 AM, Alex
<alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM> wrote:
>
> >I once danced wih someone who told me "That's not a tango step!". I told
=
> her "I take risks. Do you?".
>
> "No, I take lessons," she said."Why don't you?" And she walked away from
the royal turkey with the ostrich's gait.
>
> Hector
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 02:40:49 -0000
From: Alex <alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
I made the very valid point that some non-tango music can be danced as
tango --without giving up on those things that Sergio mentions. I'm not
saying that I do this all the time, but that it can be done if the music
inspires you and you feel like it. I know that the tango-police out there,
in dancefloors ('that's not a tango step') and internet lists, won't
sympathise with this view. They fancy themselves as the custodians of the
temple. This happens in every other art form too. And even in tango: I read
an interview with Piazzolla in which he mentioned once when he had a gun
pointed to his head during a radio interview --because a lunatic thought he
was 'dishonoring' tango. This is a real story.
Bottom line, if I hear a pop song or anything that for whatever motive
compels me to tango, I do it for no other sophisticated reason than because
I feel it *inside* and I want to.
Alex
----- Original Message -----
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 03:46:50 -0800
From: David Hodgson <DHodgson@TANGO777.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
Hey Alex don't go down that path or get sucked down that direction my
friend....please.
If I may offer another direction.
I yell across the dance floor to the woman walking away. "Hey Chekia....That
is Pugliese that just played.....if you did not notice".
I go to my wine sitting on the bar. I smell it's fragrance and depth. I say
a quiet thing to the winemaker....................who ever that my be.
Simply thank you.
David~
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2003 6:41 PM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Dancing Argentine tango to other music
I made the very valid point that some non-tango music can be danced as
tango --without giving up on those things that Sergio mentions. I'm not
saying that I do this all the time, but that it can be done if the music
inspires you and you feel like it. I know that the tango-police out there,
in dancefloors ('that's not a tango step') and internet lists, won't
sympathise with this view. They fancy themselves as the custodians of the
temple. This happens in every other art form too. And even in tango: I read
an interview with Piazzolla in which he mentioned once when he had a gun
pointed to his head during a radio interview --because a lunatic thought he
was 'dishonoring' tango. This is a real story.
Bottom line, if I hear a pop song or anything that for whatever motive
compels me to tango, I do it for no other sophisticated reason than because
I feel it *inside* and I want to.
Alex
----- Original Message -----
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 13:19:34 -0500
From: A Coleman <gurps_npc@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
Can someone please explain to me Hector's email below?
The women seems to think that taking lessons is in some way a sign that she
knows more about tango and then she insults the guy by saying that he should
take lessons as well. Half the guys I know would respond: "With all the
time I spend teaching other people to Tango, I do not have as much time to
take lessons. I usually get more out of practicing than hunting down
someone that knows more than me and paying them $100 to teach it to me."
But this would just be responding to stupid insult.
Why does she think that taking lessons makes her any better or an authority
about tango? It makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. Teaching tango or writing books
about tango would make her an authority - but any moron can take lessons.
Now, if she had said "Yes I take risks, but sometimes when you takes risks
you fall flat on your face. For example dancing with you was a big
mistake." and walked away that would make more sense. She would still be a
stuck up arrogant person telling other people how they can dance and to what
music they are allowed to dance, but it would at least have made some
logical sense.
Do not tell me how me or other people how to dance. Do not tell them what
music they are allowed to dance to. If you do not like dancing with them,
don't dance with them. If you do not like watching tme dance, then avert
your eyes. If they are interefering with your dance, move away from them.
If you run the milonga then you could kick them out, but do not be surprised
if you lose a lot of patrons by doing that. Even then, shut up about
telling them what is "acceptable" or "ok" or "allowable" to dance. Even
shut up about what they are allowed to call their dancing. Be happy that
you are not the "Tango King", with the right to do all that telling. Because
frankly, considering the amount of flaming and rancor that comes out on this
list, if you WERE the "Tango King" one of us would have assasinated you long
ago.
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 09:47:50 -0600
From: Hector <maselli@GATE.NET>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
On Friday, November 28, 2003, at 10:03 AM, Alex
<alejandro.delmonte@NTLWORLD.COM> wrote:
>I once danced wih someone who told me "That's not a tango step!". I told her "I take risks. Do you?".
"No, I take lessons," she said."Why don't you?" And she walked away from the
royal turkey with the ostrich's gait.
Hector
Need a shot of Hank Williams or Patsy Cline? The classic country stars are
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 12:07:09 -0800
From: Rick FromPortland <pruneshrub04@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music.
Gosh, I dunno, this real Argentine Tango dancing club doesn't sound like much fun or very friendly. Sounds more like worried, rigid & kinda mean. I think I'll pass...
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 09:53:20 -0600
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Dancing Argentine tango to other music
I have been a bit skeptical about whether dancing tango to alternative
music really should be considered tango. But watching some exhibtion
dances at the Fandango de Tango in Austin during Thanksgiving weekend,
left me believing that the good dancers with the right alternative music
can still retain the feeling of tango.
The five teaching couples combined to give 16 exhibition dances Saturday
night. Among the performances, Pablo Pugliese and Shiwa Noh danced tango
to a jazz-tinged rendition of Bach and Julio Balmaceda and Corrina de la
Rosa danced milonga to alternative music. Their performances were all
tango and maybe a little more. I was happy to be there to witness them,
because it really changed my mind.
I think if we define an art form too narrowly, we run the risk of turning
it into a stale museum piece. If we define it too broadly, it loses
meaning. Artists are always pushing at these boundaries, and in the
process our definition of an art form changes.
With best wishes to all,
Steve
Stephen Brown
Tango Argentino de Tejas
https://www.tejastango.com/
