Tango Diaries

[JournalInTime]

We do not have any dedicated tango studio.

Wow, that would be weird here!

Every week, I dance a total of five times at two dedicated tango studios, while my coaching is at a third dedicated tango studio where I go to dance only when I have a lift, as it's a bit far. Indeed, there are two others that I go to only when I have a lift. There's a new studio within walking distance that I go to when my schedule allows. And there's one more three blocks from me, on my street; I rarely go because it isn't to my taste. Those seven aren't all of them, even, just the ones I bother to check out.

Only once it happened was for two years when Ney Melo opened one.

(Aside: He was here for a while, too. I served him at the bar of the milonga where I worked!)

Rather than studio driven, the influx of dancers here is instructor driven and to small extent university driven. University driven includes more people who are not affiliated with the university but living in surrounding areas.

There are teachers here who try university classes periodically, with only moderate success. There are also instructors without "home bases" who give classes wherever they can find space. And one teacher uses a community center. But collectively, these groups are not influential, and account for few dancers. For all intents and purposes, they might as well not exist.

I wonder if your sample is biased since you were working at a studio and asking that question. What about those that didn’t enter tango through studios? But I don’t know Montreal and your scene.

Our scene is aggressively studio-based. I haven't worked at a studio for 8 years, and things are even more studio-based than they were then. Many independents and space-sharers gave up during the pandemic shutdowns; now most everything is nucleated around studios.

Far more people learnt it somewhere than locally.

That is probably true. Canada is a physically huge country, but it has just three major cities: Toronto with 6.2 million residents in its metro area, Montréal with 4.2 million, and Vancouver with 2.7 million. The three account for over 30% of Canada's population, and Montréal alone accounts for 10%. The country as a whole is 75% urban. When you add immigration, 90% of immigrants end up in cities, and my city is #2. So, big cities like mine are attractors that concentrate wealth, population, immigration, and special interests.

Paris is Kizomba capital of the world. Most Kizomba influences spread out of France for the last 10 years. More than Portugal where it all started. Though it is described as an Angolan dance, Kizomba from early on (late 2000s) was an European creation (out of Portugal and Angolans living in Europe) as much as Bachata Sensual is also a European creation out of Spain (has little in common with Bachata as born and popular in Dominican Republic and PR).

Kizomba is huge here. Several of the devoted tango studios I talked about pay their bills by renting the studio to kiz events on nights with no tango booked. The city was ranked third in North America for kiz, and we have three international festivals coming this year.

Personally I don’t know any ballroomers though for a brief time I did take lessons in a premier ballroom studio.

I know a couple. It just isn't a big deal here. The aforementioned kizomba is estimated as having 5 to 10 times as many adherents as all ballroom styles put together. African- and Latin-originated styles, and new styles based on them, are generally what "go out to dance" means here.

 

[ArbeeNYC]

We don’t realise that compared how niche activity tango dancing is.

Outside of Argentina, it's very niche.

 

[ArbeeNYC]

You weren't dancing at the turn of the century. Did you even know what tango was back then?

Which century?

 

[Miradamiranda]

I’m adding a category 9: from the music. I was quite familiar with modern tango music, not just Piazzolla, but mostly. I also had a musician friend who played tango really well - I have no idea what pieces he played (solo accordion) at casual gatherings. I think it was leaning towards a mix of virtuoso musette and tango, his repertoire. Then, when I later observed social tango dancing in 1996, I was confused about the music they were dancing to, not being able to connect the old tango classics with my image of what tango music was.
My next angle quite some years later was through a friend, but it didn’t work out, I got side-tracked into salsa for some years.
Then I got exposed through a dance studio where there was a tango practica following our salsa Rueda class (in 2005). I stayed to watch and was shown my first steps. I didn’t stick with it, only getting serious much later after many attempts, starting and stopping so many times I can’t answer the question how long I’ve danced.

I didn’t get exposed to stage tango or on the screen till much later.

 

[pianistamediano]

I mean, maybe it is, but I can't recall ever having seen any of it before I came to tango. (Then again, I haven't owned a TV for 25 years, so perhaps that explains it.)

I reckon the BBC still insists on sending you letters every month to pay for your TV licence!

 

[TTanguero]

I reckon the BBC still insists on sending you letters every month to pay for your TV licence!

Probably a longer story than is of interest to a tango forum!

 

[JournalInTime]

An actual diary entry, which is sort of a rant . . .

There is a milonga I attend every Sunday night. It doesn't have the highest-level dancing in town, and this is most visible in the floorcraft. One evening, a former teacher of mine was the DJ, and he covertly asked me, "Is it always this chaotic?" A visiting DJ asked me the same question on another occasion. Anybody who dances at more than a few places notices the issue, which is tied to a perfect storm of the level of dance of those who can attend at that time and place, the room's shape, the way the associated school teaches, and other factors. However, I remain a regular because I like (most of) the people, even if they sometimes bump into me.

At one point while dancing there two Sundays ago, my (tiny, respectful) partner and I had about 60-75cm of space around us on all sides. There was no gap I wasn't using, nor was I tailgating; I was very, very close to the couple in front of us because the couple behind us was also that close. The leader in front of me backed into us while we were standing still, in a pause . . . once, twice, three times, or more. Suddenly, his partner left the floor, and he turned to me and grumbled, "You bumped into us so much that you made the lady leave!" I let him rant because he looked to be about 80 and not stable on his feet; I saw nothing good coming of talking back, and I doubted that such an ancient dancer would change his ways in any event.

Last evening, the woman who had left the floor was dancing with another, more competent leader who was in front of me on a floor that had about 75% as many couples on it. After the tanda, this woman says, "I like dancing in front of you better when you keep your distance." I just stared. I knew she was referring to the previous week, and I was astonished that she was blaming me for the doddering old guy's terrible backing up into stationary couples – and to be fair, I was amazed that she was thanking me when it was her current partner who had been advancing and avoiding collisions. I'd been dancing the way I always dance, and wasn't expressly keeping distance, beyond equalizing distance ahead and behind.

When I took a break, I watched this woman dance. First, she accepted invitations from men who were on the "famously bad floorcraft" list. Then she danced with eyes closed during the busiest bit of the evening – a time so chaotic that I felt that taking a break was merited. On top of that, she didn't collect at the knees or ankles, and stepped around her partner in such a big orbit that even with a good leader, she'd have inconvenienced people with her stumbly walk.

Are some followers really so utterly clueless about which partners they should avoid for bad floorcraft at busy times, who's to blame in collisions, and their complete lack of effort to help avoid such collisions, that they decide, "The problem is all the other people, not me!"? Is getting to dance with any leader, however terrible, more important than dancing well? I'd have said "no," but now I'm starting to wonder just what percentage of chaotic floorcraft is caused by followers' actions and choices.

Anyway, I won't be inviting that woman to dance, ever. Maybe the other leaders with good floorcraft have already decided that, which is why she dances with the terrible leaders. I suppose this could be seen as a cautionary tale to any follower who assumes that their current leader couldn't possibly be to blame for a collision, and who doesn't take the floorcraft of people who invite them into account before accepting to dance on a crowded floor.

 

[TTanguero]

Are some followers really so utterly clueless about which partners they should avoid for bad floorcraft

Mostly, yes – IME mentioning the standard of floorcraft at a milonga to a follower is met with either blank looks or shrugs. It's only when they start leading that light dawns.

 

[JournalInTime]

Mostly, yes – IME mentioning the standard of floorcraft at a milonga to a follower is met with either blank looks or shrugs. It's only when they start leading that light dawns.

Eurgh. Well, I want to teach someday. Maybe I even will. And if that happens, floorcraft will be a subject . . . and not just for leaders.

In dense crowds, followers must step as close as they can to their leaders without stepping on feet, collect on every single step, not use high adornos, keep eyes open for collisions, and meet a bad leader's intention to back up or widely orbit against the line of dance with an active pause that aborts the movement. Doing all of that will cost them a few invitations from leaders who like close-eyed followers who do as they're told with a bunch of kicky-flicky . . . but those would be invitations from clueless leaders best not danced with in a crowd, leaders I'll suggest should go on a "Don't accept invitations when crowded" list, if not a "Don't accept invitations ever" list.

 

[pianistamediano]

The leader in front of me backed into us while we were standing still, in a pause . . . once, twice, three times, or more. Suddenly, his partner left the floor, and he turned to me and grumbled, "You bumped into us so much that you made the lady leave!" I let him rant because he looked to be about 80 and not stable on his feet; I saw nothing good coming of talking back, and I doubted that such an ancient dancer would change his ways in any event.

Ah, yet another devotee of the 8-count basic. We should also have a health and mobility assessment system in place like they have for senior drivers above a certain age Unless there is adequate space on the pista, it's just not safe for them or the dancers around them.

On top of that, she didn't collect at the knees or ankles, and stepped around her partner in such a big orbit that even with a good leader, she'd have inconvenienced people with her stumbly walk.

I mean, that's just a sign of mediocrity and laziness.

On the subject of eyes closed though, while I do appreciate an attentive follower, I'm not too bothered if they close their eyes for the whole tanda as long as they stop trying to take over the dance and let me define exactly the space we move in and our physical vectors relative to other couples. A competent follower will have absolutely no trouble finding more than enough space for their own expression in any and all situations anyway.

Are some followers really so utterly clueless about which partners they should avoid for bad floorcraft at busy times, who's to blame in collisions, and their complete lack of effort to help avoid such collisions, that they decide, "The problem is all the other people, not me!"? Is getting to dance with any leader, however terrible, more important than dancing well? I'd have said "no," but now I'm starting to wonder just what percentage of chaotic floorcraft is caused by followers' actions and choices.

In general, yes, unless that leader is so bad as to repeatedly place her in the way of other dancers — they don't feel the effects of bad floorcraft, except when their leader is tensed up because of a stressful floorcraft situation. Most followers just want to dance, and usually the imbalance is enough that their desire overrides considerations of floorcraft. Add the general inclination towards large flourishes and movements, and well... I think the importance of floorcraft is diminishing over the years, pistas everywhere are turning into large spaces for people to do their solo performances right next to each other.

 

[JournalInTime]

Ah, yet another devotee of the 8-count basic.

Which doesn't need a back step on 1. I was taught the 8CB as shift weight right (NOT back step), sidestep left, forward, forward, collect to lead the cross, forward, side, collect again. I never dance it as a pattern, but I don't see where the back step gains you anything a good weight shift doesn't. Learning to lead clear counts without steps is an essential skill to be mastered ASAP.

pistas everywhere are turning into large spaces for people to do their solo performances right next to each other.

Yes. I have a running argument with a guy about that. He feels it's absolutely valid and that circulation is an artificial constraint on his expression. Clearly, lots of guys I'm not arguing with also believe this.

Fortunately, last night I also had the pleasure of dancing behind a teacher and DJ who was dancing with another teacher and competition champion. They danced the wildest of vocabulary, including show steps, with complex musicality and in the same crowd. At no point did anything they did annoy me. It's totally possible to express oneself freely in tight spaces if one bothers to make an effort.

 

[Bailango]

The leader in front of me backed into us while we were standing still, in a pause . . . once, twice, three times, or more. Suddenly, his partner left the floor, and he turned to me and grumbled, "You bumped into us so much that you made the lady leave!" I let him rant because he looked to be about 80 and not stable on his feet; I saw nothing good coming of talking back, and I doubted that such an ancient dancer would change his ways in any event.

I am least confrontational but I would have definitely told him that he was backing to stationary couple. Someone needs to make him aware whether he changes his habit or not.

Are some followers really so utterly clueless about which partners they should avoid for bad floorcraft at busy times,

Not just some. Most of the followers are clueless about leader’s bad floorcraft unless he has caused them to be harmed.

I have told some followers I know about their dancing with leaders with bad floorcraft. Some of them will admit it sheepishly with a but…….

Followers definitely are a part of the problem.

who's to blame in collisions, and their complete lack of effort to help avoid such collisions, that they decide, "The problem is all the other people, not me!"? Is getting to dance with any leader, however terrible, more important than dancing well? I'd have said "no," but now I'm starting to wonder just what percentage of chaotic floorcraft is caused by followers' actions and choices.

Choices - 70%

Actions - 30%?

The worst are the followers who dance big. I sympathize with their leaders. When I see a follower doing that, I am extra careful. If i get a follower week is like that, I avoid leading anything that will give her opportunity to go big. I am praying for the tanda to end and hold her firmer in the embrace so she has limited space for her threat surface!

P.S. I can follow or lead eyes closed and still be aware of the space of the ronda, who is dancing around me. It is like driving on highway. You don’t expect the driver infront of you to break hard or suddenly slow down against the flow of traffic. That will cause near collisions or full on collision.

 

[Bailango]

Mostly, yes – IME mentioning the standard of floorcraft at a milonga to a follower is met with either blank looks or shrugs. It's only when they start leading that light dawns.

This!!!

 

[Bailango]

Ah, yet another devotee of the 8-count basic.

What has 8 count basic got to do with it?

I do use a single backstep often when dancing. Size of my backstep is dictated by the distance and how crowded the floor is. If it is very crowded my backstep is almost in place or six inches behind the toe of other standing foot.

 

[JournalInTime]

I am least confrontational but I would have definitely told him that he was backing to stationary couple. Someone needs to make him aware whether he changes his habit or not.

For neurological and psychological reasons, I try to minimize emotional labor in life: If the old dog is not learning new tricks, then nothing I say will matter to him. Me investing the time and effort ("spoons") to choose my words carefully and speak up – and then deal with the social fallout of being overheard telling an old man who has danced for much longer than I have that he's bad at a crucial aspect of the dance – would be a disproportionately high price to pay for zero change on his side of the table. I can't afford it.

The worst are the followers who dance big.

Yes. There is a persistent myth that dancers have better-than-average body-kinesthetic intelligence and proprioception. Certainly, the gifted gravitate to dance and are more common there, but plenty of ungifted decide to dance, too. Dance training can help with this. However, leaders get more training in these areas due to being tasked with collision-avoidance by tango's social codes, so it's often followers who lag, and closing the eyes adversely affects the situation, as vision may not be the basis of these things but has been shown to enhance them to a great degree.

Also, artistically, there's this vision of tango being a tightly spiraled leader pivoting on a point while the follower flies around through more space, often raising the leg significantly higher off the floor. Lots of non-show dancers of mediocre skill think this has something to do with social dance. Here I actively fight the trend: I share movement equally with my partner, so I'm orbiting them as often as they're orbiting me. When space allows and I decide to be showy, I even add boleos, ganchos, patadas, planeos, rondes de jambe, battements, etc. on my side of the dance, forcing my follower to respect my balance on one leg and be the motor of circular movement. I've noticed that when I stop doing these things due to tight space, many followers mirror me and also stop doing these things.

P.S. I can follow or lead eyes closed and still be aware of the space of the ronda, who is dancing around me. It is like driving on highway. You don’t expect the driver infront of you to break hard or suddenly slow down against the flow of traffic. That will cause near collisions or full on collision.

On the dance floor, I can deal with hard stops ahead. I can find something to do in a traffic jam. It's the idea that you can return to abandoned space, or send your follower into it, that I find maddening. It just isn't that hard never to step back, and to make all turns progressive or mutual rather than big follower orbits, when space is at a premium. When space isn't at a premium, people can go nuts and I won't care . . . as I said above, I do it myself! My "minimum safe radius" for using my escenario vocabulary is 2.5 metres on all sides, or a circle 5 meters in diameter with me in the middle; tighter than that and one good-sized step into an extended leg is possible.