| Title | : | Tango Nuevo |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0813042194 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780813042190 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2012 |
The Argentine tango is one of the world’s best-known partner dances. Though tango is much admired and discussed, very little has been written about its ongoing evolution. While the dance is steeped in history, the younger generation has begun to push tango into new and provocative realms. In the most cutting-edge performances, men and women switch the roles of leader and follower; ideas from swing, salsa, and blues are freely incorporated; and dress has become anything but traditional. While some may refer to this as tango nuevo , the term has been met with much resistance. In this innovative work, Carolyn Merritt surveys tango history while focusing on the most recent iteration of the dance and the práctica scene that has exploded in Buenos Aires since the early 2000s. She examines this growing, thriving community of young and eager dancers who are pushing the tango beyond its traditional limits, along with the spaces they’ve created within which to dance, socialize, and experiment in ways more befitting their ages, desires, schedules, and attitudes. After starting with an overview of tango, Merritt leads readers through the traditional dance halls and the less formal prácticas of Buenos Aires to tango communities on both coasts of the United States. Along the way, her personal observations show the dance’s emotional depth and the challenges dancers face in tango venues old and new. Merritt’s investigation also demonstrates how innovation, globalization, and fusion, which many associate with nuevo , have always been at work in tango. Combining sensuous prose, provocative images, and heart-wrenching stories, Merritt presents an unflinching look at the complex motivations driving the pursuit to master this intricate dance. Throughout, she questions the “newness” of nuevo through portraits of machismo, violence, and elitism in contemporary tango. The result is a book that highlights the tensions between preservation and evolution of this—or any—cultural art form. Carolyn Merritt lives in Philadelphia, where she teaches anthropology and performance studies and works with the ThINKing Dance project.
Tango Nuevo Reviews
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Excellent insight from an anthropological perspective. Sometimes it gets a little repetitive, but the author presents a balanced, well-researched, and critical analysis of tango's evolution. She writes both from the inside and the outside to give a holistic view. Also there are great tips on the hippest milongas! This book is perfect for dancers, ethnologists, academics, musicians, historians, and really anyone interested in the precarious place of Argentine culture in today's global context.
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One of my favorite books on tango due to the author's anthropological professional background and applied to the subject of tango. In depth on the psychology of connection and community and how tango enables and provides both. One of the better academic books that studies the subject in first person participation. It's not the most detailed on history or orchestras but for its social analysis it's very good and a fascinating read.
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Much more than that, this is probably one of the best account of nuevo's rebellion days. The book greatest value, I'd say, is how it permanently accentuates tango´s transformation as a core part of the dance and place it as a part of something else (a city, people, a culture, a global phenomenon) in it's complexity.
It mixes a scientific-like language with diary-like thoughts which are perfect for something as deep and intricate as this dance. Nevertheless, it might be a little bit hard for the non-dancer to fully understand and relate to, as the level of detail is a lot and it seamed to be targeted for those with a background on the dance.
Highly recommended, specially if you're familiar with tango and its world.