4834 How to spot the tourists in Buenos Aires milongas
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:53:33 -0300
From: "Janis Kenyon" <Jantango@feedback.net.ar>
Subject: [Tango-L] How to spot the tourists in Buenos Aires milongas
To: "Tango-L" <Tango-L@MIT.EDU>
They arrive wearing a backpack.
They change their shoes at the table.
They wear black t-shirts and cargo pants.
They arrive after a class wearing the same clothes and no deodorant.
They are shy about making direct eye contact in order to dance.
They walk across the floor to meet their partner.
They accept verbal invitations at their table.
They ask men to dance.
They don't observe dancers before they dance.
They begin dancing as soon as the music starts.
They expect or try to dance every tanda.
They dance consecutive tandas with the same man.
They add embellishments to excess.
They prefer quantity over quality of partners.
They will suffer through a tanda just to be dancing.
They dance with their eyes closed.
They don't carry a handkerchief to use between dances.
They share the table with their partner and wonder why locals won't look at
them.
They attract the worst dancers.
They hire a taxi dancer without knowing if he can dance.
They know they are beginners and believe the milonga is for practicing.
They are hustled for classes by men who can't dance.
They arrive early and leave within a short time if they haven't danced.
They are the only ones doing the 8-step basic.
They don't feel the music or know the orchestras.
They believe they have the right to videotape and photograph dancers in the
milongas.
They think that every man in the milongas is a milonguero.
They don't learn or follow the rules of the milonga.
They attend CITA and go to the milongas to show off their new moves.
Janis Kenyon
Buenos Aires
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 10:53:04 -0400
From: Keith <keith@tangohk.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] How to spot the tourists in Buenos Aires
milongas
Hi Everytbody,
Why do some people feel the need to ridicule others? Does Janis' message
have any point other than to embarrass and humilitate the people who visit
Buenos Aires to learn Tango and dance in the milongas? I've recently returned
>from a 6-week visit with my wife and, although it was our sixth trip since
1998, we're still obviously tourists. So this message is aimed at me, my wife
and the many of our friends who have also visited Buenos Aires. Come to think
of it, many of the people on Tango-L also visit and, since we don't live or
work there, we're all tourists.
Well, at least we now know what Janis thinks of us - we dress badly, we're
rude, uncouth, sweaty, smell bad, dance badly, don't know the music and we're
stupid. Well, at least we bring our dollars so we're doing something right.
I'd like to know if this is only Janis' opinion or is this what many of the
milongueras in Buenos Aires think about us? If it is, I'll just stay home.
Here I can dance with young, slim, beautiful Asian girls who are full-of-life,
appreciate the efforts of the leaders and, once they get over their initial
shyness, are some of the best followers you can find anywhere in the world.
Other than because she's a mean and spiteful woman, with an overly-inflated
opinion of herself, why would Janis take the time and trouble to sit down
and compose such a message? It certainly tells me a lot more about her than
is does about the tourists she's supposedly talking about. Janis, get over
yourself; you're just a social tango dancer who's lucky enough to be able
to live in Buenos Aires. You're not god's gift to the world of dance.
Keith
On Sab Mar 17 18:53 , "Janis Kenyon" sent:
>
>They arrive wearing a backpack.
>They change their shoes at the table.
>They wear black t-shirts and cargo pants.
>They arrive after a class wearing the same clothes and no deodorant.
>They are shy about making direct eye contact in order to dance.
>They walk across the floor to meet their partner.
>They accept verbal invitations at their table.
>They ask men to dance.
>They don't observe dancers before they dance.
>They begin dancing as soon as the music starts.
>They expect or try to dance every tanda.
>They dance consecutive tandas with the same man.
>They add embellishments to excess.
>They prefer quantity over quality of partners.
>They will suffer through a tanda just to be dancing.
>They dance with their eyes closed.
>They don't carry a handkerchief to use between dances.
>They share the table with their partner and wonder why locals won't look at
>them.
>They attract the worst dancers.
>They hire a taxi dancer without knowing if he can dance.
>They know they are beginners and believe the milonga is for practicing.
>They are hustled for classes by men who can't dance.
>They arrive early and leave within a short time if they haven't danced.
>They are the only ones doing the 8-step basic.
>They don't feel the music or know the orchestras.
>They believe they have the right to videotape and photograph dancers in the
>milongas.
>They think that every man in the milongas is a milonguero.
>They don't learn or follow the rules of the milonga.
>They attend CITA and go to the milongas to show off their new moves.
>
>
>
>Janis Kenyon
>Buenos Aires
>
>
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 14:01:37 -0300
From: Deby Novitz <dnovitz@lavidacondeby.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Tourists in Buenos Aires
To: tango-l@mit.edu
I like them. Not all of them. I would be in big trouble if I didn't.
I rent two rooms in my apartment to them. Tourists are people and there
are some who act like animals but then there are Argentines who act like
animals too.
Tourism was thrust upon Argentina by the devaluation of the peso. The
country was not set up for the massive influx of tourism that the
government was promoting. Although Argentina was a country built by
immigrants, they were not used to having so many foreigners descend on
them at one. What happens is that you get some people who love the
foreigners and others who do not. It was a big surprise to me when I
moved here that people simply did not like me because I am foreign.
There are milongas here in Buenos Aires that do not like foreigners or
tourists. They retaliate by seating you in the worst part of the
milonga and at times have told people there is no room that everything
is reserved, just to keep people from entering. These milongas are in
the minority. They figure if they make your time unpleasant you will
not come back. They fail to see you as a paying customer. They are rude
and a disgrace to our tango community.
Most of the milongas welcome everyone. I don't know how most people
feel about tourists. I can tell you that most of the dancers I dance
with could care less if you are a tourist or an Argentine if you do not
know how to behave. A bad mannered person is a bad mannered person
regardless of where they are born. I think though there are many
tourists who come here and do not behave properly, more than the bad
mannered Argentines. It is easy to forgive someone for ignorance, but
not for arrogance.
For example, I have had to explain to women that they cannot ask a man
to dance. That it simply is not done. I explain about men coming to
the table, men with the cabaceo so that they truly understand the
codes. It is acceptable to me that someone does not know all the
history and all of the codes, but accepts them. They do not have to
like them, but they should respect them. On the other hand there are
the women who tell me they think it is stupid. I have to hear how "at
home" they can ask whoever they want to dance. They then tell me that
they don't care, they are going to ask men to dance. That to me is rude.
Most foreigners learn to execute steps that include moves that take up a
lot of space. They are used to dancing in open spaces, they are used to
showing off. The majority of the milongas here are small floors that
are packed. There is no room for that kind of dancing. The foreigner
who comments on this and respects they cannot do ganchos and high boleos
is acceptable. The ones that bully their way onto the floor kicking the
hell out of everyone in their way, is not. You would think that common
sense would prevail, but unfortunately it does not.
For me it is a people issue. I don't care where someone comes from, if
they are living here or visiting here, does not matter. I think people
need to respect each other. At times it does get difficult here when it
seems like the tourists visiting do not respect the customs and pepper
every sentence with "That's stupid" or "I won't do that" or "I do what I
want." Worse for me because I have to explain it and/or translate it to
Argentines.
However, there are some great people who come here to visit. I have
made great friends with people from England, Australia, USA, Spain, and
Italy. The fact that they are tourists is irrelevant. The fact that
they are great people is. That's my opinion and we all know I have many
of them.
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Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 13:45:14 -0400
From: "WHITE 95 R" <white95r@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] How to spot the tourists in Buenos Aires
milongas
Hi Janis,
You forgot to mention some other things:
They arrive with wonder, enthusiasm and stars in their eyes
They arrive with love of tango
They arrive with hope to have a great time
They arrive with their hard earned cash to spend in BAires
They arrive armed with nothing more than their desire to experience the
tango Mecca
They arrive with their own sense of manners, their own customs and
experience
They arrive with more good will than ill will
They arrive tired, confused and hungry.
They arrive with whatever clothes they are used to wearing at home
They arrive with whatever tango knowledge they got at home.
I can understand that some tourists are more like the "ugly American", but
it's unfair to paint all of us who visit BAires with such a broad brush.
Nobody is perfect Janis, no the tourists or the locals. I think the tango
tourists in general are quite anxious about fitting in and getting into the
scene. They do not go there with the desire to make enemies or insult
people. Many of them are generous and pay exhorbitant prices for the same
thing that a local pays a lot less. Some times tourists get gouged and taken
advantage of. Sure, there are many boors who travel abroad and many locals
who are wonderful, welcoming, loving and generous. But the reverse can also
be true. No need in my estimation to write such condemning words....
Manuel
visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com
>From: "Janis Kenyon" <Jantango@feedback.net.ar>
>Subject: [Tango-L] How to spot the tourists in Buenos Aires milongas
>Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:53:33 -0300
>
>
>They arrive wearing a backpack.
>They change their shoes at the table.
>They wear black t-shirts and cargo pants.
>They arrive after a class wearing the same clothes and no deodorant.
>They are shy about making direct eye contact in order to dance.
>They walk across the floor to meet their partner.
>They accept verbal invitations at their table.
>They ask men to dance.
>They don't observe dancers before they dance.
>They begin dancing as soon as the music starts.
>They expect or try to dance every tanda.
>They dance consecutive tandas with the same man.
>They add embellishments to excess.
>They prefer quantity over quality of partners.
>They will suffer through a tanda just to be dancing.
>They dance with their eyes closed.
>They don't carry a handkerchief to use between dances.
>They share the table with their partner and wonder why locals won't look at
>them.
>They attract the worst dancers.
>They hire a taxi dancer without knowing if he can dance.
>They know they are beginners and believe the milonga is for practicing.
>They are hustled for classes by men who can't dance.
>They arrive early and leave within a short time if they haven't danced.
>They are the only ones doing the 8-step basic.
>They don't feel the music or know the orchestras.
>They believe they have the right to videotape and photograph dancers in the
>milongas.
>They think that every man in the milongas is a milonguero.
>They don't learn or follow the rules of the milonga.
>They attend CITA and go to the milongas to show off their new moves.
>
>
>
>Janis Kenyon
>Buenos Aires
>
>
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Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 14:32:43 EDT
From: TimmyTango@aol.com
Subject: [Tango-L] tourists in Buenos Aires
Keith
Although I may share your opinion of Janis Kenyon, I still have to say she is
only trying to make people aware what it is like in a BsAs Milonga.
Like her, I also want to speak on the correct subjects at hand, but use the
wrong words to convey my message. I failed my Dale Carnegie course.
What I think here, is or what she may mean is
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When in Buenos Aires, learn the ways of the Argentines. Janis and I are both
purists, and want to keep tango the way it was in the 40s and 50s.
When the tango was at it's greatest. Tradition is very important to many
people and new things frighten them.
Think of a Buenos Aires Milonga as going to a friend's house for dinner.
This is their house, not yours. You want to respect your friend's home and
the rules they have while you are there, and I'm sure you want to be invited
back a second and third time. So Janis is only letting people know what the rules
of being an Argentine at a milonga is like, but I'm sorry to say, in a way
that insults many people.
There are many other Americans now living in BsAs doing the same service that
Janis is. Privately, I'll send any one the names of my favorites. Joanne and
I have used Janis's service once a couple of years ago, and find others of
better value.
One area Janis can improve is. She gives a lot of information over the
Internet for FREE. But when you see her in person in BsAs, the same information now
comes with a price.
Timmy in Cleveland
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https://www.aol.com.