Well, a bit. Have been watching some videos, and following discussions about old milongueros, people like Tete, about how musical they are and how their posture is the way it is because they are, you know, old milongueros, caring more about the connection then what they look like, and, well, let´s face it, they are also quite old, so I guess they can´t be expected to stand perfectly straight and their movements simply aren´t as sharp and elegant as they might have been in their youth (although – you saw how Gavito danced, just a few months before his death? he must have been ill and everything, but as straight and elegant as you can imagine, with unfailing precision of movement; I don´t know how he did it.. of course, he was el grande Gavito.. just a thought).
I like the way these people dance. I love their musicality. I don´t mind the slightly hunched, head-forward posture (Julio Balmaceda has it too, and he is divine). I understand that sharp movements become less sharp as age imposes its physical limitations.
However -
watching these videos I have only just realized something very disconcerting: the women they dance with are always young and sharp and quick and muy elegante... why is that? If these old men are considered the living proof that tango is all about musicality and feeling, then why is it that they do not dance with women of their own age, just as musical, with decades of experience, but with a less-than-perfect posture, women whose sharp steps have become blunt with age?
Why?
Because, frankly, the contrast between the old milongueros and their young partners doesn´t make their dance look better. On the contrary, I think.
And it worries me, because I love tango. And I am a woman.
The Tango Goddess wrote about this in the first part of her post Of Milongueros y Milongueras. If it is true, well... it is sad.
But maybe it´s just the bleak November weather. And who knows, we might not be dancing tango anymore, forty or fifty years from now...
:) Not likely, I know.
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One day at a milonga I was ironing my pants after all my invitations have been ignored or refused. A silver-haired tanguero in a well-tailored suit sat down next to me and started a conversation, "I've seen you dance, and you've gotten much better." "Thank you," I said, flattered at the unexpected compliment. "I've also noticed that certain people here still turn you down," he continued. I must have turned red a little and didn't really know what to say. "Don't worry," he went on, "Stick with it, and eventually you will be good enough to dance with the best."
I never quite forget what he said next, "In time all the followers who now turn you down will be older, and you can bypass them for the excellent younger dancers. You will get the dances you've always wanted."
Just then a new tanda began. He turned to look across the room at a follower muy elegante, and about half his age. She smiled, and off they went to the strains of a Canaro waltz.
Dear One2Tango,
I, too, have observed this phenomenon with worry. It struck me the hardest in my last Milonga at El Beso, when I was last in BAs in August--there were, generally, a lot of much older men than women in the room. And I thought? Where did all the "old milongueras" go? Because, frankly, I do not agree with Gentimiento's theory that all the women are bitches and once the Tangueros get good enough they can ditch them for the younger bitches who are good and will not say "no" to them (which is the bottom line of his story).
Rather, I'm disgruntled by what I saw then and what I've observed even in my hometown and in other cities of the US, and in Europe: there are generally fewer "good" Tangueros than Tangueras (perhaps because women are generally more inclined to take up dancing, and also more accepted culturally to express their feelings publicly?--God knows). The thing is, the small ratio of Good Tangueros to Good Tangueras makes men extremely powerful. I've met many men who are good dancers who do not only are fully aware of this fact, and the power it conveys to them, but who abuse such power. Just a few days ago, I was remembering how some excellent leaders I know can be almost verbally abusive with really good Tangueras--critizing their dancing, correcting them... and they take that shit, because they need to dance. It's just a very bad equilibrium to be in... but it exists.
I'll go farther and say men I know, and who are regarded as good dancers in my community have told me, explicitly, that they know they can get away with much more in the dance community than they would "in real life" because of the power their dancing abilities give them. And, in this context, there is a natural tendency to go for the youngest and beautiful.
Going back to my thoughts in that BAs milonga: I cannot believe that there are no older, kind, good Milongueras--as many as men. I think they get sided out, because Tangueros, between a good old dancer and a good young dancer, often have the temptation to go with the young ones. It sucks, but I think it's a bit of a fact of life.
My other observation was that the old Milongueras who you could still see around were often with their sentimental partners-their husbands. My conclusion is that if a Tanguera has the luck of having someone who loves her--a good Tanguero--that's the only sustainable way to survive in the Tango Jungle. Otherwise... well, it's just like in the Wild.
(Not a happy thought, I know...)
Dear One2Tango,
Now I am worried too. Perhaps La Tanguera is right. I remember being at an afternoon milonga at Confiteria Ideal and seeing many old milongueros but no milongueras! I did wonder where they were.
But for now, let's try to focus on the now and dance for today. Hopefully by the time we are old, we will have some loyal tangueros who will love to dance with us despite our wrinkles.
I wonder if this is caused by the excess of women at milongas? If there were an excess of men available to dance with then perhaps you would see more older Tangueras.
Or maybe this is just human behaviour. I'd like to think it isn't...
Tangueros are men.
Men love beautiful young women.
When this is no longer true, the world will be ending.
It bothers me too, every time I see a video of Tete.
Take heart - it's not universally like that. I'm thinking in particular of one older tanguera here who dances with all the best men. Her hair is silver, but is still the embodiment of elegance, and much sought after.
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