11  Origin of "La Cortina" "Tener la lata"

From: SERGIO [SERGIO@NCINTER.NET]
Sent: Dienstag, 13. Februar 2001 06:27
To: TANGO-L
Cc: SERGIO
Subject: Origin of "La Cortina" "Tener la lata"

I was saying before in reference to Argentine Tango:
"...It also could explain the fulfillment, of those needs, like in a dream,
absolute communication, intimacy, romanticism, fusion of two people in one,
true love that lasts only as long as the music plays."

This brings us to a possible origin for the famous "Cortina". A piece of
music that separates tandas.
The cortina plays and everyone stops dancing and goes back to his table.
The following is explained by many old milongueros:

In the early times tango was danced in academias, pirigundines, brothels,
clandestine casinos and bars.
The organizer charged every man a certain amount for every six minutes of
dance and paid the women a certain amount for the whole evening.
Later on men had to buy chips that they had to give to the women in order to
dance with them.
The moment to end the tanda, pay the chips, go and sit for a while was
announced by the 'Cortina'.

Those chips were metallic (de lata = made of tin). "Tener la lata" (to hold
the chip or the tin) in slang means "to wait".
Le 'tuve la lata' por tres horas y finalmente pude verla.
I held the chip (waited) for three hours, finally I was able to see (talk
to) her.

The expression comes from the dancing halls were men waited for the ladies
to be available while holding the chips to dance.
Most Argentineans use the expression but do not know the origin of it.

I wish you do not have to hold the chip too long to find the lady of your
dreams.:0)

From: john [john@LOWRYHART.COM.AU]
Sent: Mittwoch, 14. Februar 2001 08:17
To: TANGO-L
Cc: john
Subject: Re: Origin of "La Cortina" "Tener la lata"

But maybe we should not build too much mystery around the Cortina. Right up
to the mis 60's in Australia, all dance music, even rock and roll, was
played in sets of 3 or 4 songs, of the same type. Each set, known as a
"bracket" wsa ended with a few bars of unrelatewd muisic, usually the same
signature piece for each band.
John

-----Original Message-----

From: SERGIO [mailto:SERGIO@NCINTER.NET]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 February 2001 15:27
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Origin of "La Cortina" "Tener la lata"


I was saying before in reference to Argentine Tango:
"...It also could explain the fulfillment, of those needs, like in a dream,
absolute communication, intimacy, romanticism, fusion of two people in one,
true love that lasts only as long as the music plays."

This brings us to a possible origin for the famous "Cortina". A piece of
music that separates tandas. <snip>