5361  [OT?] New dance, same old issues.

Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:41:18 -0700
From: <doug@swingfusion.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] [OT?] New dance, same old issues.
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>

I have danced Tango for only one year, but have danced Balboa (an original
swing dance out of the 1930's) for many years. The parallels, and
especially the discussion topics, are amazing and probably say more about
human nature than dance, but just for the heck of it here is a quick list
off the top of my head:

Both were developed in pre-WW II times with aspects reaching back to the
turn of the century.
Both are danced to large bands (Big Swing Bands/Orquesta Tipicas).
True believers in both dances only want to dance to recordings made in the
30's and perhaps into the 40's by the original Bands/Orquestas.
Modern efforts to fully recreate the sound of the era fail due to lack of
appropriate musical talent (or whatever - but they ain't the same).
Both are characterized by a close embrace basic dance.
The history and specifics of the dance styles are murky.
Dance masters in both are passing far too fast.
The masters (70-85 yeas old) are generally one dance generation removed the
originators/'true masters' (a 15 year old dancer from 1935 would be nearly
90 today)
True believers decry the new developments in the dances (if the
masters/portenos didn't do it, it isn't really Balboa/Tango).
The only way to learn is dance with the masters/portenos. Although many may
be close, modern teachers don't quite have it.

For those of you curious about Balboa, the following clip is of Willie
Desatoff and Ann Mills dancing at a club in LA perhaps 30 years ago? I have
forgotten the exact date but could recall it if pressed. Willie passed a
couple of years ago but Ann, who is over 90, is still dancing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=bMBzJ8BaBr4

Doug

"You can flame me now or flame me later. But y'r gonna flame me."

Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:54:45 -0800
From: meaning of life <kushi_bushi@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] [OT?] New dance, same old issues.
To: <doug@swingfusion.com>, <tango-l@mit.edu>


doug, thanx for posting the video, i imagine that must be what dancing on the moon looks like, because obviously normal friction and gravity do not affect their feet. WOW!!!!!!!!

as for your comment on "more about human nature", you should read the traditional martial arts discussion lists. same words, same issues. same arguments, same trolls. i usually just run a search and replace, and can interchange tango with martial arts. i sometimes have to change the year a few centuries or so, but otherwise NO DIFFERENCE.

i don't know what they are arguing about when I AM RIGHT, all they have to do is ask ME :-)

dance on and thanx for your contributions, i really appreciate your questions and comments.


The Tangonista
Sponsered by P.E.T.A. (People Expressing Tango Attitude)
NOTICE - no cats were injured in the making of our music

> From: doug@swingfusion.com
> To: tango-l@mit.edu
> Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:41:18 -0700
> Subject: [Tango-L] [OT?] New dance, same old issues.
>
> I have danced Tango for only one year, but have danced Balboa (an original
> swing dance out of the 1930's) for many years. The parallels, and
> especially the discussion topics, are amazing and probably say more about
> human nature than dance, but just for the heck of it here is a quick list
> off the top of my head:
>
> Both were developed in pre-WW II times with aspects reaching back to the
> turn of the century.
> Both are danced to large bands (Big Swing Bands/Orquesta Tipicas).
> True believers in both dances only want to dance to recordings made in the
> 30's and perhaps into the 40's by the original Bands/Orquestas.
> Modern efforts to fully recreate the sound of the era fail due to lack of
> appropriate musical talent (or whatever - but they ain't the same).
> Both are characterized by a close embrace basic dance.
> The history and specifics of the dance styles are murky.
> Dance masters in both are passing far too fast.
> The masters (70-85 yeas old) are generally one dance generation removed the
> originators/'true masters' (a 15 year old dancer from 1935 would be nearly
> 90 today)
> True believers decry the new developments in the dances (if the
> masters/portenos didn't do it, it isn't really Balboa/Tango).
> The only way to learn is dance with the masters/portenos. Although many may
> be close, modern teachers don't quite have it.
>
> For those of you curious about Balboa, the following clip is of Willie
> Desatoff and Ann Mills dancing at a club in LA perhaps 30 years ago? I have
> forgotten the exact date but could recall it if pressed. Willie passed a
> couple of years ago but Ann, who is over 90, is still dancing.
>
> https://youtube.com/watch?v=bMBzJ8BaBr4
>
> Doug
>
> "You can flame me now or flame me later. But y'r gonna flame me."
>
>
>

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