The last entry was on 11/23!? When you are busy in real life, internet presence tends to diminish. Time is a precious resource indeed.
This snow day may be a good time to catch up with this blog. Thank you, winter storm.
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Fandango de Tango is an Argentine Tango event held over Thanksgiving weekend in Dallas. With classes by 5 famous couples/instructors/performers, practicas, nightly milongas and a show night (plus occasional exhibitions), it is an awesome, fun event to attend.
I went there for milongas and the show. The event was celebrating its 15th year. The running was smooth and the show was terrific. I'd go there again.
This year my wife was not joining, so instead of being busy dancing or chatting, I got some extra time to sit, watch, and think about this Tango business.
There were invited master-level instructors/performers, who did the show. They were undoubtedly a major attraction of the event. Their dance was sophisticated, and such dances are not something you see every day. I love to watch dances at the level of sophistication.
But most people don't show up just to watch the show.
A non-subsidized event has to be financially viable. From the standpoint of business, most other attending dancers were the main people of the event. They (including myself) were the customers paying the bills eventually. They showed up expecting decent classes, which would help improving their dancing skills, and decent milongas, which would give them good time dancing and meeting up new people.
This kind of event is two sports combined; spectator sport (watching the masters) and fun sport (learn how to or improve your skills in classes and dance in the parties meeting new people).
Even if you don't dance or are not interested in the dance, like you are dragged down by your girlfriend, something new can be fun. We choose how we have fun out of the event.
If you see Tango as a business, it is a winner-takes-all type business. All money go to a small number of "winners".
For dancers, only a handful professionals can live only from performing dancing. Most other dancers double as teachers/instructors, where the money is, and where different sets of skills for teaching are required. Dancing and running a studio or teaching are different businesses. Yet, money-wise, they are on the winner's side.
For promoters, like any other businesses, they have to aim at financial viability. They hire pros who can perform and teach, and promote the event to get more "customers". To get the event going, they better be on the winner's side, too.
For most others ("customers"), they pay money, so money-wise, they are consumers. How well they dance actually does not matter in this business relationship. What they are buying in return is a good time. They find their niche, and find the ways they have fun out of it. They may not make money out of it, but it does not matter. What matters is having a good time out of it. By having a good time, they all can be winners.
Time is priceless, and we better spend it well. Money is merely a facilitator of having a good time.
