Authentic Tango

Authentic tango

Many tangueros want authentic tango but what is it really? For me there are 3 aspects. The music, the actual way we dance and the social arrangements.

The music is easy. We can define authentic as Golden Age music. D'Arrienzo, Di Sarli, Canaro, Troilo and Pugliese are the big orchestras although there are many more that produced wonderful music in that 1935-55 period. Personally that is my favourite music but surely we should acknowledge developments in the music. Piazzolla took tango music forward, although some but not all, is difficult to dance to. I knew one teacher who claimed to have left a milonga because Piazzolla's music was played! There is room for an acknowledgement of Nuevo music, not a hysterical rejection. 

The actual way we dance is more difficult. In the 30s, you would be asked to leave the milonga if the sole of your shoe became visible. There are many who might toe the authentic line but their toes will not stay there as they want to boleo and gancho! I am sure the steps we use has evolved so is there anything wrong with a continual evolution, involving breaking the embrace or using the elastic embrace? I can see the yellow card coming out if you did that at some milongas and encuentros. Are we not stifling the development of tango with too many codigos. Tango is an art form and surely must be allowed to develop like any other art form.

Then there is the social context. When asked to comment on himself Pugliese said "I am just a musician from the people". I love that! Tango is for the people, it started out that way and to be authentic it should still be for the people and not for incestuous groups. Are beginners really turned away from some milongas and encuentros? Is it true a woman was asked to leave a milonga because she approached a man to ask for a dance.

A recent article "What makes tango anti-social" in www.tango-therapist.blogspot.com quotes research which shows the same pattern in the brain for rejection (or shunning) as physical pain. Many people feel shunned by pretentious attitudes in milongas and abandon this beautiful dance as a consequence.

We are in danger of abandoning the true origins of tango, denying tango its natural evolution and alienating people with this pretence of being authentic.