ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Maybe, but not social tango. And if people today are taking their cues from such videos, they are never going to learn tango. They will learn to mimic escenario dancers maybe, but that's about it.
Tango Diaries
- Thread starter Bailango
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ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Hardly representative. For one thing, you've got a tiny slice of history from which you cannot deduce much at all. For another, on a crowded floor, where are people going to go?
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
When done well, it can be beautiful. And there are subtleties that can be introduced to make it interesting or better suited to the music. Dance to anything from the late 1920s, early 1930s, like Canaro or OTV and you have to walk. Watching couples trying to dance to that music by rotating like furies is painful.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
Depends. When it moves, as it should, you can walk. When it doesn't you can do something else. Doesn't have to be complicated. In the inner part of the pista here, there's almost no true circular movement because couples are often pretending to be escenario dancers. There is some, at times, but it's certainly not continuous.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
It would if everyone knew how to walk and at least tried to match the music.
There is a lack of evidence that Tango was ever danced on the spot - during the golden age (35-55). All evidence and oral history (recollections of dancers from GA when recorded in 1980s/90s) points to it being a progressive dance though the type of movements and progression patterns differed in north, central, and south of BsAs of that era.
If I recall the history minute, the V-hold or embrace was absent during GA in all three (north, central and south) according to those who actually danced in that period. It was in 90s revival that V came about.
Stage dancing in any era never reflects social dance styles. Records of tango being staged go as far back as 1907.
There is almost no record of how Tango was actually danced when it first exploded into popularity in 1910s. That period is most challenging today - no more than a few isolated sources (which are anecdotal).
opendoor
Forum Master
I disagree. Following the revival in the 1990s, a parallel hold was taught. V-hold only emerged in the 21st century with the Villa Urquiza style, which later was popularized by the world championships.
You seem to agree then. My point was that the old guard from golden age didn’t use V hold from the reports available.
I found these. Might have been already posted.
Film from 1921. It was silent era. The music was added by the poster.
This gentleman has clips of early tango footage (1913-1920). I dont think videos had sound track in that era. Music probably added later?
The same gentleman as above has this excerpt of 1933 film depicting tango dance scenes. 7:41 shows line of dance. Shot in a movie. But might be good representation of how it might have been danced socially around that time.
Not posting the 1951 Valentino film clip because that to me a showpiece with whip and all.
Film from 1921. It was silent era. The music was added by the poster.
This gentleman has clips of early tango footage (1913-1920). I dont think videos had sound track in that era. Music probably added later?
The same gentleman as above has this excerpt of 1933 film depicting tango dance scenes. 7:41 shows line of dance. Shot in a movie. But might be good representation of how it might have been danced socially around that time.
Not posting the 1951 Valentino film clip because that to me a showpiece with whip and all.
de-lurking from the non-tango world with a note on these videos: Walter Nelson does indeed lay in music on his clips of early dancing. (he's a friend)
back to lurking
Miradamiranda
Well-Known Member
Re: Ronda; This weekend I was at my first encuentro. The kind of top notch event that people fly into from all over. An honor to be there. (Thank you, @itwillhappen.) I counted 11-12 countries among my partners. The organizer took a microphone at one point to compliment there were 3 clear lanes present. But, more than once I was completely disoriented in the 3rd lane because I couldn’t tell what direction my partner was bringing me. Frankly, I got more stalled and bumped into than most marathons and festivals and milongas I’ve been to. A tanda of 4 songs would bring you at most halfway down the long side in the outer lane. At least I couldn’t blame it on any showoff flying dagger stillettos or lacking competence. The only thing to blame was the space size to people ratio.
(Btw my recent statement about British dancers can now be nullified.)
It was nice that people knew the codigos and were experienced dancers. But I missed having more space to do a proper walk, for example.
(Btw my recent statement about British dancers can now be nullified.)
It was nice that people knew the codigos and were experienced dancers. But I missed having more space to do a proper walk, for example.
pianistamediano
Forum Master
There is a section on how the dance evolved in Tango and Chaos:
Joaquin Amenabar has recently published an eBook on the development of the music following on, at last, from his earlier book on 'Dancing to the Music'
There are, of course, a whole stack of videos on YT from the 'Library of Dance'. Let's not go for too much 'authenticity' and 'tradition'. The dance has evolved dramatically, if not the participants.
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ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
I believe that Valentino piece has already been determined to be the "Apache" rather than a tango.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
There are more recent and richer histories in published sources.