Mr 4 styles
Forum Master
and the electric slideeeeeeeee.................
Harlem Shake in the Tango World????
- Thread starter tangobro
- Start date
and the electric slideeeeeeeee.................
Nah, that flash-in-the-pan is passe.
and the electric slideeeeeeeee.................
Mr 4 styles
Forum Master
LOL pyg if it was new and fresh it would be like gangnam style
Oh my gosh. The mere idea boggles the mind.
The Harlem Shake done Gangnam style?
In all seriousness, though, now that Gangnam Style and the latter day Harlem Shake are out there, there are probably TONS of people thinking hard about how to create the next online dance sensation. The Harlem shake's buzz is not long for this world, IMO.
Now if only a partner dancer would come up with something that's fun, easy to do, and that is "sexy" enough to go viral. IMV, that would help our community. As a rule, I'm all for anything that gets people up and dancing. Don't care much what kind of dancing, as long as you're dancing. But, in the context of growing tango or even the larger partner dance community, Harlem Shake is fun, but it's not advancing the cause of partner dance.
On a tangentially related note, I really don't think that some very vocal proponents of tango historical purity have any idea of how off-putting their approach can be, to people outside the community. I think that, for the most part, they mean well. They think they're preserving an art form. I respect that. But don't preserve an art form to death. If one has to get a degree in musicology, study the culture of Buenos Aires, find just the right teacher, not enjoy show dance, take at least one trip to "Mecca," etc, just to be considered as a legitimate lover of tango then well. There are a lot of people who'll just hang it up and find a different dance that actually wants and welcomes new blood and (heaven forbid) new ideas.
Not saying that tango is not one of the most beautiful, sensual (not sexual. Sensual) dances I've ever seen. It is. But I just don't have time for the drama that seems to come along all too often. "I am doing it right. You're not doing it right. This is historically accurate. New things are 'not tango.' " Yikes. Reminds me of several major churches in the 20th century and a couple political parties right now. (Not wanting to start a discussion about either. Just citing examples that DF's audience would find instantly familiar.) The organizations I'm talking about had to/have to choose whether to open themselves to new ideas or accept obsolescence.
Maybe tango is not that way. Maybe there'll always be a core of the faithful who think that preserving the tango of the early 20th century is the only true faith and who are able to preserve it. *sigh*
The Harlem Shake done Gangnam style?
In all seriousness, though, now that Gangnam Style and the latter day Harlem Shake are out there, there are probably TONS of people thinking hard about how to create the next online dance sensation. The Harlem shake's buzz is not long for this world, IMO.
Now if only a partner dancer would come up with something that's fun, easy to do, and that is "sexy" enough to go viral. IMV, that would help our community. As a rule, I'm all for anything that gets people up and dancing. Don't care much what kind of dancing, as long as you're dancing. But, in the context of growing tango or even the larger partner dance community, Harlem Shake is fun, but it's not advancing the cause of partner dance.
On a tangentially related note, I really don't think that some very vocal proponents of tango historical purity have any idea of how off-putting their approach can be, to people outside the community. I think that, for the most part, they mean well. They think they're preserving an art form. I respect that. But don't preserve an art form to death. If one has to get a degree in musicology, study the culture of Buenos Aires, find just the right teacher, not enjoy show dance, take at least one trip to "Mecca," etc, just to be considered as a legitimate lover of tango then well. There are a lot of people who'll just hang it up and find a different dance that actually wants and welcomes new blood and (heaven forbid) new ideas.
Not saying that tango is not one of the most beautiful, sensual (not sexual. Sensual) dances I've ever seen. It is. But I just don't have time for the drama that seems to come along all too often. "I am doing it right. You're not doing it right. This is historically accurate. New things are 'not tango.' " Yikes. Reminds me of several major churches in the 20th century and a couple political parties right now. (Not wanting to start a discussion about either. Just citing examples that DF's audience would find instantly familiar.) The organizations I'm talking about had to/have to choose whether to open themselves to new ideas or accept obsolescence.
Maybe tango is not that way. Maybe there'll always be a core of the faithful who think that preserving the tango of the early 20th century is the only true faith and who are able to preserve it. *sigh*
Mr 4 styles
Forum Master
the Knights Temp err Tango
jantango
Well-Known Member
Years ago someone asked Rodolfo Dinzel for his thoughts about the milonguero style. Dinzel replied: It's a current fad, but it won't be around long.
I'm sorry to say, around here, his prediction was correct.
tangobro
Active Member
same here
tangobro
Active Member
As a couple of posters have indicated, there are 2 different things:
1) the Harlem Shake dance
2) The Harlem Shake video
Not sure how a discussion of the Harlem Shake dance fits in to a discussion about Argentine Tango, but the Harlem Shake video, as a meme, may invite some comparison with Argentine Tango as a meme.
Meme - "an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."
Wiki explanation of "meme" here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
For the questions about the distinctions between the two here is
a sober and enlightening discussion of the Harlem shake video:
(said with tongue firmly in cheek)
1) the Harlem Shake dance
2) The Harlem Shake video
Not sure how a discussion of the Harlem Shake dance fits in to a discussion about Argentine Tango, but the Harlem Shake video, as a meme, may invite some comparison with Argentine Tango as a meme.
Meme - "an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."
Wiki explanation of "meme" here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
For the questions about the distinctions between the two here is
a sober and enlightening discussion of the Harlem shake video:
(said with tongue firmly in cheek)