I'm in the mood to go against the current.
Generally, I don't like frequent cortinas. I also strongly dislike ghastly cortinas that are either confusing (because it's similar to tango) or just simply crappy (because it's unpleasant to listen to). It doesn't stop me from going to a milonga necessarily, but I would rather if there weren't any or not very frequent at least. I totally understand that from a DJ's point of view, it is useful to use them. Some people do use them well.
The reasons why I don't like cortinas:
1) When I've been dancing & connecting really well with someone, and I'm in this lovely bubble, you want to carry on without a "back-to-reality" or "must-talk-but-a-bit-awkward" interference. I find that a cortina can be a mood-breaker.
2) When you don't like dancing with someone, and you want to end it before the 3rd dance, you END it, regardless of whether there is an interference (cortina) or not.
3) I personally prefer to have a number of tandas, then have one big break (a whole song or two) so that I can actually have a substantial conversation with someone (or dance salsa or whatever, if you like). Rather than a few seconds of cortina, where you can't really converse properly.
4) I like the continuous influx and efflux of people on the dance floor. It seems more natural.
5) Why should my breaks be dictated by the DJ? Sometimes it takes 4 or 5 dances to get me going. Why should I be stopped?
So, just because they have cortinas in Buenos Aires, it doesn't mean we have to, right?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Arguments against cortinas
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6 comments:
The wierdest cortinas I've heard were a sort of plainchant-with-a-beat. I generally like cortinas, but it was just disturbing, and I'd rather have done without. If you're going to do them, it should be something that's different, but blends.
Yeah, some of them ARE plain weird. They don't create conversations but rather shut everyone up and bring out puzzled faces! Have there been lots of debates about cortinas already, mshedgehog? I'm not sure as I'm quite new to blog-world... Ah, also, this has got nothing to do with tango but I've recently had a really cute baby hedgehog crawling across my garden! I took a few pictures of him/her, would love to send you one :D Hehehe...
I have expressed my view on cortinas are here. Since then I slightly changed my opinion but it remains basically the same. I like them when they are good and appropriate. In the UK, very few people use them let alone use them well...
My favourite DJ doesn't use cortinas at all. I like them mainly because they help me organise my evening the way I want it without offending anyone. Bad ones are just bad.
Hello tango ... I don't know where you are, but if you are in Britain (so the hedgehog is the right species - American ones are not quite the same) the British Hedgehog Society will tell you how to make your garden hedgehog-friendly, if you like us ;-)
Creating good cortinas is a true art. Not everyone manages to make them sufficiently smooth and little invasive that they do not interrupt a conversation that has to be continued because the connection is fantastic, and at the same time obvious enough for people to recognize them as such.
I'm personally bothered by the lack of cortinas, however. I think they generally remind people that it is a good idea to "meangle" and encourage more turnover of couples. At the end of the day, I go to a milonga hoping to socialize, connect, dance and interact with many friends; and the lack of cortinas can sometimes make it very difficult to encourage people to rotate...
Hola Tangologue!
I agree, cortinas must be carefully selected by the DJ. But, the were designed, or evolved, in Buenos Aires for a purpose. The most important aspect of the cortina (according to the codigos of BsAs) is that all dancers must/should leave the dance floor. If they don't clear the floor, it defeats the purpose of the cortina. Clearing the floor allows cabaceo and new partnering to occur. One of my biggest pet peeves at festivals/milongas is leaders who don't know to escort their follower back to her table/seat during the cortina. Leaders have to learn to share and not "hog" the best followers. It's okay to be really assertive and keep your follower for another tanda - but on the sidelines. But, it would be nice to share, and let other leaders have their turn. I have waited tanda after tanda to cabeceo/ask a follower to dance, but when she doesn't leave the floor, how exactly am I to accomplish this?
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