Friday, August 17, 2012

The "traditional" myth

By "traditional milonga" many people mean a dance where only golden age tango/vals/milonga is played.

This is a modern invention.

Consider Alberto Podesta's description of milongas during Tango's Golden Age: 1,000 people, low admission, only live bands, and "50/50 music" -- 50% "tango/vals/milonga" and 50% "whatever else is popular" -- with 40 minute alternating sets.

This is where our traditional tango recordings come from. Draw your own conclusions about what milongas of the present or future should be like:

http://youtu.be/VV5uloZgZrE?t=6m22s

2 Comments:

Blogger Chris said...

"This is where our traditional tango recordings come from."

Actually not. The tango recordings to which we dance originate in recording studios, not milongas.

And should we therefore consider them not a traditional milonga experience? :)

2:57 PM  
Blogger Case Roole said...

Well, given that "traditional" today means "another orchestra every ten minutes", it is obvious that today's traditional milonga is nothing like the actual Golden Age (live orchestra) experience of tango.

10:55 AM  

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