This blog post of mine is a continuation of my previous blog post about the sad state of Delhi parties vs milongas in Argentina. Disclaimer: This is absolutely no attempt to hard sell tango or milonga.
Here I am stating pure facts and history and co relating it to the existing scenario. Delhites/ Indians would understand some of the terminology used better.
First diving into some history of Argentina. Between 1890 and 1910 there was a large influx of immigrants into Buenos Aires who were mainly from Spain and Italy but included Jews, Germans, Irish and Russians. They all brought with them their customs and traditions. Buenos Aires became a melting pot of all these cultures and it is from there that tango was born.
Relate this to present scenario in Delhi or Mumbai or any other big city of India. Immigrants, specially labor class people are coming in search of jobs. Delhi, has become cosmopolitan. It has varied people from different backgrounds and they are bringing in their own traditions, customs, music, dances etc.
In Buenos Aires, it started out as a form of music whose roots were in Cuban habanera, Andalusian tango, Italian canzonetta, and Polish music. All these forms were mixed and a unique style of music was born. The first time the dance appeared was a form of challenge dance done only by men. The dance was used as a way to compete with the other guys to woo the pretty women and see who was not only the most dominant and powerful but the most creative and skilled as well. There was a big difference between ratio of men and women. There were more men because lots of labor class men had immigrated. The dance was the best means to woo the pretty Argentine woman.
Now relate this to present Delhi scenario. If you are a Delhite, you go to a night club or social to party, there are so many men. All ogling at some pretty woman. Everyone wants to get that pretty girl but no one has the courage to. Girls wear shortest possible clothes with tallest possible pumps to get some attention. They giggle unnecessarily, get drunk, shake their booty. When the music is played, everyone pretends to dance, What they exactly do is, stand on the spot, one or both hands up in air, and they bounce their shoulder up and down like some bhangra move or just shake or jiggle. They have a drink in hand, they look here or there, either to see who is looking at them or to check someone out. At the end, they come back either frustrated alone or they get a hooker who was there to be picked up.
What if people learnt tango? The socials would become so much more happening. They say, people play golf because there is excellent networking during a game of golf. The kind of networking that can happen during a milonga is incredible.
Here you artistically hug and embrace, dance with the prettiest women and have all the opportunity to sit and chit chat with others. Tango becomes a close knit community.
The benefits of tango/ milonga
Good partying
Good dancing
Good networking
People automatically groom so well. There is no need of finishing school.
You get a high/ zen/ relaxation, without any alcohol etc.
What more could you ask for?
Why are Delhites just "despos"? All it takes is lessons of tango to be good in milonga and then get all the benefits that are described above.