When you are in relation with a tango dancer..

[opendoor]

Thanks 4 replying!

Remember, dance evolved from a mating ritual..

By the way, you didn't quite understand the ritual's sequence. That's not a problem; in fact, it speaks well of you instead. The ritual has four phases; what you should know: I'm an expert in comparative behavioral research. And the first three phases take place exclusively between the combatants, usually men. I learned tango "with one eye in the mirror", not to correct my posture, but to evaluate the field, if you know what I mean.

 

[itwillhappen]

By the way, you didn't quite understand the ritual's sequence. That's not a problem; in fact, it speaks well of you instead. The ritual has four phases; what you should know: I'm an expert in comparative behavioral research. And the first three phases take place exclusively between the combatants, usually men.

Great, then perhaps you can tell us whether that mating ritual is biologically related to sexuality? Invitation and partner dancing would then fall into the fourth phase, so presumably just before the originally intended goal?

I learned tango "with one eye in the mirror", not to correct my posture, but to evaluate the field, if you know what I mean.

No. Did you see yourself as a combatant in lack of real ones?


By the way, yesterday I saw footage of a skillful male of the species homo sapiens tango courting
(females might look away for a moment):



(He also has great videos on partner dancing and musicality on his channel!)

 

[opendoor]

Great, then perhaps you can tell us whether that mating ritual is biologically related to sexuality?

Perhaps in the long run. First there are a lot of different hurdels.

..Did you see yourself as a combatant in lack of real ones?

No, as I said, I had a look on the other dancers.

..saw footage of a skillful male of the species homo sapiens tango courting..

I found a book of Asterix on his book shelf!

 

[Bailango]

Thanks 4 replying!

By the way, you didn't quite understand the ritual's sequence. That's not a problem; in fact, it speaks well of you instead. The ritual has four phases; what you should know: I'm an expert in comparative behavioral research. And the first three phases take place exclusively between the combatants, usually men. I learned tango "with one eye in the mirror", not to correct my posture, but to evaluate the field, if you know what I mean.

Haha. I still do that for both reasons. To make sure my posture is right and to evaluate the field.

 

[itwillhappen]

No, as I said, I had a look on the other dancers.

So why the mirror? Wouldn't it be easier to just look around?

 

[JournalInTime]

Remember, dance evolved from a mating ritual.

That is an often-cited theory. There are quite a few others, the dominant ones being:

• Dance evolved as a way to communicate concepts that simple sounds and gestures could not communicate in hominids that had not yet developed complex language.
  
  
• Dance evolved as a shibboleth to signal membership in a tribe or society.
  
  
• Dance evolved alongside sacred objects, chanting, entheogen use, organized prayer, etc. and served a fundamentally occult/religious ritual role.

Anthropologists and evolutionary psychologists have yet to agree on any of this. The ones I know fight over it . . . I bring it up to distract them when I need them out of my way. I wouldn't bet hard-earned money on the "mating ritual" hypothesis. It's sketchy, as it relies on human brain structure being substantially similar to nonhuman brain structure, which increasingly seems not to be the case.

The mirada-cabeceo system feels like the first point above. Tango's ever-present cliques feel like the second. And the quest for "flow" and "connection" (and the worship of Pugliese) seem like the third.

 

[Rabbit]

That is an often-cited theory. There are quite a few others, the dominant ones being:

well we know that tango in particular originated in lower class nightlife in the Rio de la Plata, so mating ritual isn't too far off

 

[Paja]

Speaking of evolution, do you know, that closest, sharing 98,7 % if DNA is Bonobo? This chimp is walking as humans, communicate by sounds, can learn human language, matriarchy organized and making love is major daily activity. They use it instead of money, to release tension inside tribe, to bind family ties and of course for pleasure. 40 times per day and with everybody they want or need to. They do not have stable partner like swans. And there is a question, why our culture is pushing us to be swans and behaviour like bonobo is nasty and disgusting? We all live against our natural DNA imprint. Tango just brings us litlle bit back and this is why we feel good.

 

[Brummbaer]

Remember, dance evolved from a mating ritual.

Well, a theory which can find some support - along with those cited by @JournalInTime , and not forgetting appeasing, or entertaining, your god(s).

However, as a sexualised mating ritual, AT (and indeed BR), isn't working in that way now to attract new participants - although stage, performance, AT certainly uses that aspect - but primarily for audiences of, as we say, 'couch potatoes'. Other, mainly latin style, dances have taken that role with their active social scene IRL, whereas elitist AT groupings have discouraged some participants as they have elevated códigos to discourage - except for certain groupings attracted by that.

Nor do I find the 'wellness' (feeling good?) movement which latches onto AT and other dances motivating (and certainly many if its online proponents seeking a deeper meaning or relationship within an AT tanda fall into the cringeworthy grouping). Of course, there's role-play - in which we all indulge to some degree.

As cited many times, simpler methods than dance have displaced dance as a means to find a partner. Nevertheless dance, and AT, fulfills a useful purpose in safe space for certain groups.

 

[Brummbaer]

well we know that tango in particular originated in lower class nightlife in the Rio de la Plata, so mating ritual isn't too far off

I'd say it evolved there. History seems to indicate originating there and elsewhere, and then merging together. But also evolving to spend time with, sometimes rare, women in that location. Then, maybe, to be considered 'good enough' to attract a special one. But it's moved on from there.

 

[itwillhappen]

And there is a question, why our culture is pushing us to be swans and behaviour like bonobo is nasty and disgusting? We all live against our natural DNA imprint. Tango just brings us litlle bit back and this is why we feel good.

The practice of life partners "wildly" swapping dance partners was certainly never part of the traditional, conservative tango in Argentina in the 40's, and according to reports, it remains so only to a limited extent even today.


When you are in [a healthy] relation with a tango dancer...
...then serious advantages are on your side in tango.

You receive direct feedback and indirect information about the views of the "other side". You won't be seen as an easy prey or a threat. Access to gender-balanced events is not an issue (for heteronormative couples). You can pool your resources for travel and accomodation.

And you can create ideal practice opportunities for yourself. I try to dance at least one tanda with my partner every day. At home, I usually watch a YouTube tutorial and try something with her. No travel time, no ongoing costs - that leaves some money for occasional private lessons.

 

[itwillhappen]

And there is a question, why our culture is pushing us to be swans and behaviour like bonobo is nasty and disgusting?

It has to be noticed that Bonobos are critically endangered. If that behaviour is relevant, then it might be an evolutionary dead end.

 

[itwillhappen]

Tango just brings us litlle bit back and this is why we feel good.

I think that the special feeling of well-being we experience in tango is primarily due to a co-regulation of the central nervous system. This is a process in which two people, through social interaction, empathy, physical contact, movement, and music, help each other regulate their emotional and physiological states by synchronizing their nervous systems.

 

[Rabbit]

I think that the special feeling of well-being we experience in tango is primarily due to a co-regulation of the central nervous system. This is a process in which two people, through social interaction, empathy, physical contact, movement, and music, help each other regulate their emotional and physiological states by synchronizing their nervous systems.

I thought it was (non-exclusive) pair bonding mediated by oxytocin. That fits with my experiences anyway.

Could well be different things for different people though.

 

[Paja]

It has to be noticed that Bonobos are critically endangered. If that behaviour is relevant, then it might be an evolutionary dead end.

As well as Mountain Gorillas, other Chimps and Orang-utans. All intelligent apes are critically endangered due to unforesting of their territories. Behaviour is working for hundred of thousend years.