"tango" as music ...or... "tango" as a dance

[chrisjj]

I found interesting Samina's comment

he had far more dance experience than that ... he states that he grew up around tango...

He's talking about tango (music) not tango dancing.

In Argentina (and most of Europe), tango means the music - dancing is called "dancing" whatever the type of music is e.g. "dancing [to] tango". So e.g. a tanguero is someone who loves tango, with not even an implication that they dance. Boys and girls that grew up around tango heard it everywhere - radio, gramaphone etc. They did not grow up around the kind of tango dancing done in places where only adults were allowed.

Only in places like the USA (and sometimes Europe) does tango means the dancing people do to tango (or to er... non-tango). Hence e.g. "tango classes" means usually just dance classes.

Here's a comprehension test for fun ! From a recent London tango blog:

January 22, 2010
What Makes a Tango Memorable?
There have been a few tweets going around about memorable Tangos, mostly from women. One lady tweeted that it seems as if only the women remember memorable Tangos. I replied, tongue in cheek, that if a woman remembers a good Tango, it is because she may have had many bad or indifferent ones.

 

[samina]

IAE, the dancer in question not around to dispute your view, i don't have a personal view on the subject, and i cannot speak with any direct knowledge about the nuances of what is and what is not meant when "tango" is said. so, i'm pretty much outa the loop on this discussion.

 

[dchester]

IAE, the dancer in question not around to dispute your view, i don't have a personal view on the subject, and i cannot speak with any direct knowledge about the nuances of what is and what is not meant when "tango" is said. so, i'm pretty much outa the loop on this discussion.

In the US, tango has two meanings. It can mean the music, or it could mean the dance. Similarly, milonga has three meanings, the dance, the music, or the event. The classic example is that I could dance a milonga, to a milonga, at a milonga.

 

[samina]

well, the guy said his father was a tanguero, so i would assume he also was referring to having grown up around the dancing as well... meh, whatever.

 

[Peaches]

Can't say as I've run across that distinction between BsAs people and non-BsAs people...