We attended an Argentine Tango event "Fandango De Tango 2012" in Dallas last weekend. The event was over Thanksgiving weekend with 6 milongas, a show and many classes.
For a participant like me, it is an event. We only attended the Friday milonga, Saturday show and milonga. It was a mini-vacation for Thanksgiving weekend. But for the event promoters, it is a long process. They had been having the annual event for 13 years in Austin TX, and this year for the first time in Dallas, at fancy new Omni downtown hotel.
They invited high profile instructors/active performers for the event. The featured couples were Fabian and Lora, Carlos and Mayte, Guillermo and Fernanda, Diego and Carolina, and George and Jairelbhi. The performances were strong and the show was very entertaining. I love strong show tango.
Performers alone don't make a good event. There were serious Tango dancers and instructors in the milongas. In addition to folks from Texas, there were people from Colorado, Oklahoma (including us! hehe), Louisiana, DC, Canada etc. My wife was dancing with professional Ballet dancer (it was obvious he was no amateur). The people made the event real fun.
While watching the show, my mind was wondering. As it is, Argentine Tango is either something to watch (the Show Tango) or something to do in milonga (social dance). We do not have amateur show or contests, nor a large pool of show-capable dancers. In West Coast Swing dance circuit, they introduced amateur contest division years ago, and now it serves as a source or supply pool for gifted professionals and capable performers. I was wondering whether such contests or a system for bigger Tango community would ever thrive here.
Honestly, I personally don't like contests much, especially when it is for junior league, so to speak (sorry!). Besides, the appeal of the social Argentine Tango may not be very compatible with external Show Tango. They are different dances. But I can see the merits and demerits both. As I see it, Argentine Tango still maintains a somewhat cult-like status, and the dancer pool is relatively small compared with Salsa, Swing, or Ballroom. I guess what I was really wondering was whether there is any good way to promote this dance I love.
Sure, I already wrote a how-to book about Argentine Tango. But what else?
