Should I Care When Someone Says "That's Not What They do in Argentina"?

Lilly_of_the_valley said:
Endeavor we undertake is still called Argentine tango.
Click to expand...

It is all tango to me, and the label "Argentine" is more marketing these days than anything else.

Lilly_of_the_valley said:
When somebody states that learning about tango in Buenos Aires will bring nothing valuable to their tango community, that makes me wonder...
Click to expand...

Not what I said...I said this:

tangomonkey said:
I think people who use BsAs (more specifically, their opinions and beliefs about BsAs) as THE basis for what is right and wrong aren't adding any value to the tango community. Just my opinion...
Click to expand...
 
Lilly_of_the_valley said:
Endeavor we undertake is still called Argentine tango. When somebody states that learning about tango in Buenos Aires will bring nothing valuable to their tango community, that makes me wonder...
Click to expand...
I think that learning about Tango in Buenos Aires will help that individual dancer. I just don't think that saying, "that's not how it's done in BsAs" is a rationale (or motivator), especially for people in the US who never have been there.

FWIW, I've been to BsAs (and intend to go back), but if someone tells me to try something different with only the reason of, "that's not how it's done in BsAs, I typically respond with, I'm not in BsAs. Now if someone asks me to try something, but instead justifies it by saying, "this may help/improve how you do, X, Y, or Z", then I would be much more likely to try it.

Just to be clear though, in no way I am saying that going to BsAs wouldn't help, because I know what it did for me (and I do plan to return).
 
tangomonkey said:
It is all tango to me, and the label "Argentine" is more marketing these days than anything else.
Click to expand...
Then what is happening in Buenos Aires might be irrelevant for you indeed. Since people will continue traveling to and visiting from there, there will be talks and stories about it in the tango community. Just tune them off, I guess.
 
dchester said:
I think that learning about Tango in Buenos Aires will help that individual dancer. I just don't think that saying, "that's not how it's done in BsAs" is a rationale (or motivator), especially for people in the US who never have been there.

FWIW, I've been to BsAs (and intend to go back), but if someone tells me to try something different with only the reason of, "that's not how it's done in BsAs, I typically respond with, I'm not in BsAs. Now if someone asks me to try something, but instead justifies it by saying, "this may help/improve how you do, X, Y, or Z", then I would be much more likely to try it.

Just to be clear though, in no way I am saying that going to BsAs wouldn't help, because I know what it did for me (and I do plan to return).
Click to expand...

I agree. There is a specific reason why some things are done a certain way. It is supposed to contribute to a better dancing and better experience overall. Knowing and understanding those things helps. Whether we are willing or/and able to adopt them as individuals or in our respective communities, and to what extent, is another interesting question.
 
tangomonkey said:
It is all tango to me, and the label "Argentine" is more marketing these days than anything else.
Click to expand...
This post could be interpreted a couple different ways. "American Tango", is typically used to refer to ballroom tango, which really is a completely different animal from the tango dance that came from Argentina. There also (in the US at least) another "ballroom tango" dance called International tango.

This is why most people use the term Argentine Tango, to differentiate from the ballroom dances. Of course there are other debates about what I would call subsets of Argentine tango, (like nuevo), where people argue about if that is really tango (a silly argument, IMO). However, I think there is general agreement that "ballroom tango" is a different dance from Tango (AKA Argentine Tango).

My two cents.
 
dchester said:
This post could be interpreted a couple different ways. "American Tango", is typically used to refer to ballroom tango, which really is a completely different animal from the tango dance that came from Argentina. There also (in the US at least) another "ballroom tango" dance called International tango.

This is why most people use the term Argentine Tango, to differentiate from the ballroom dances. Of course there are other debates about what I would call subsets of Argentine tango, (like nuevo), where people argue about if that is really tango (a silly argument, IMO). However, I think there is general agreement that "ballroom tango" is a different dance from Tango (AKA Argentine Tango).

My two cents.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

When I'm around ballroom dancers, I call what I do Argentine tango (and what they do just tango). When I'm around other AT dancers, I call what I/we do just tango (and what ballroom dancers do "ballroom tango.")
 
dchester said:
I think that learning about Tango in Buenos Aires will help that individual dancer. I just don't think that saying, "that's not how it's done in BsAs" is a rationale (or motivator), especially for people in the US who never have been there.

FWIW, I've been to BsAs (and intend to go back), but if someone tells me to try something different with only the reason of, "that's not how it's done in BsAs, I typically respond with, I'm not in BsAs. Now if someone asks me to try something, but instead justifies it by saying, "this may help/improve how you do, X, Y, or Z", then I would be much more likely to try it.

Just to be clear though, in no way I am saying that going to BsAs wouldn't help, because I know what it did for me (and I do plan to return).
Click to expand...
Ditto. Learning good dancing is learning good dancing. It just seems silly to me to import social norms and customs and everything else to the far reaches of the globes, because "that's how it's done in BsAs."
 
I am fortunate to live in a city with many good teachers, and visiting ones too. There is at least one milonga every night of the week, within a 45 minute drive. And the tango community has many excellent dancers. I am not saying nothing can be learned by visiting BsAs - that would be dumb. But I (meaning MYSELF) do not feel the need to go there.


Anyway...not the thread's topic...
 
tangomonkey said:
I am fortunate to live in a city with many good teachers, and visiting ones too. There is at least one milonga every night of the week, within a 45 minute drive. And the tango community has many excellent dancers. I am not saying nothing can be learned by visiting BsAs - that would be dumb. But I (meaning MYSELF) do not feel the need to go there.
Anyway...not the thread's topic...
Click to expand...


It would be interesting to ask people you consider excellent dancers in the community, how many of them have traveled for tango to other places, including Buenos Aires.
Everything is relative. Have you visited any other tango communities, outside Vancouver? Seattle, Portland, San Francisco are within reach. Would you care to find out how things are there, what connections, if any, these communities have with Argentina?
 
Lilly_of_the_valley said:
Have you visited any other tango communities, outside Vancouver? Seattle, Portland, San Francisco are within reach. Would you care to find out how things are there, what connections, if any, these communities have with Argentina?
Click to expand...

Just Montreal. I could see myself tangoing in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco - provided I get to spend a week or so in California wine country :D. Haven't done that for a long time. Well, maybe I just changed my mind about BsAs. A trip to Mendoza wine country sounds pretty good too.
 
tangomonkey said:
Just Montreal. I could see myself tangoing in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco - provided I get to spend a week or so in California wine country :D. Haven't done that for a long time. Well, maybe I just changed my mind about BsAs. A trip to Mendoza wine country sounds pretty good too.
Click to expand...

Great idea, sightseeing, tango, and wine.
If you need any info about San Francisco Bay Area tango life, shoot me a message.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Dance Ads

Advertise on Dance Forums Reach dancers, teachers, studios, event organizers, and dance-friendly brands. View ad options
Back
Top