Only the talented ones are remembered
Guardia Vieja, Tango Milonguero, and Tango Salon as styles of music
- Thread starter Bailango
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Only the talented ones are remembered
Relevance?
I doubt if you, or I, will be remembered. So what?
That was the music of the time, and AT was an expression of that. Did they cross-train in ballroom, or rock 'n roll, or jazz? People still copy their moves today.
OK, we're looking at shortcuts to that 'talent' today. Any, or, all, of the methods may help someone get started, pending my time machine and rejuvenation.
opendoor
Forum Master
And for exactly this reason, they are not role models we look at for inspiration!
And consider what that produces...
I haven't looked at "radio logs" or what was going to be on the radio at what time on what day in newspapers from Buenos Aires, (I have spent considerable time looking at what was broadcast on the radio around the time West Coast Swing became a thing) but I'll go out on a very sturdy limb and write that there was probably a plethora of tango, etc broadcast in the evenings. Radio was a primary way of providing entertainment for decades.
And regarding the dancing of AT, the practica allowed learning from experienced dancers in an apprentice like arrangement to facilitate entry into the social environment of the milonga or the many other social functions that had dancing as the main attraction.
opendoor
Forum Master
I am well aware that too much individualization weakens the common basis of tango.
Tango Distance
Well-Known Member
Dancing with other leaders as a significant part of their education would be a way to directly pass musicality and other knowledge to the next generation.
Knowledge transfer now is often much less direct. You have one-to-many instruction in a group class, and then you try to solidify this new knowledge with other beginners. Even if you do privates, and get 1-to-1 knowledge transfer, you likely get 1 person of this kind of direct knowledge transfer. In the old Tango days I imagine each aspiring leader had several (maybe many?) leader experts work directly with him.
In practicas, I have started asking leaders to show me things, and critique me -- it's a good counterbalance to only practicing with those who primarily follow.
There are, let's say, boundaries, where one aspect transitions into another. Separated, they're ok, even mutually helpful. But, to my observations of poor floorcraft, it seems to be those whos 'individualisation' mostly ignores their partner and takes them, 'prancing', over the dancefloor. Some can be contained to the middle.
Individual style is one thing, but you need to be aware of others in a group setting.
I've always found that useful in workshops (but I lead primarily). Group lessons can be different. It depends on your partner at the time. And I've had really helpful feedback. My wife and I usually discuss how we're doing when practicing at home. She's better at analyzing steps, and feet and body positions, so it's helpful.
A key aspect, sometimes, is to change the style of the move depending on the orchestra - which may depend on its era. Or even adjustment for the other dances in AT.
IIRC there's certainly recorded evidence in interviews with old maestros of them discussing their moves over a drink snd awareness of how others danced.
pianistamediano
Forum Master
I definitely remember Tango and Chaos mentioning various instances of this, including one particularly hilarious anecdote where an old milonguero got on his knees and had his head close to the floor to try and figure out a particular move!
I have some recollections both of an interview with Portalea and some meeting with Petroleo, Zotto, and maybe Mingo Pugliese where they discussed moves. There are others.
I disagree. The tango community celebrates historical figures that were very individual, even polarizing.
Yes it does - for their performances (as now). The 'performance' industry has grown as individuals have seen it as a way ahead for them. What else do you do instead if you've spent years training? Of course some think a performance now detracts from their idea of a milonga. It was expected that 'maestros' would show their skills, which would be applauded. Do you do that as part of the milieu on the dancefloor? However they developed their skills dancing with others, and from those experiences. Some still join in rather than standing aloof as individuals.