Our recent milonga with the visiting musicians from Buenos Aires went extremely well - we worked with Tango Encanto who already had a milonga on the night the musicians were in town and everyone was happy! No-one was out of pocket, no one felt rebuffed and the Sydney tango community got a great night.
But this is rare on the Sydney tango scene. Sydney tango schools are bit like the drivers on Sydney's roads - it's every man/woman for him/herself and woe betide anyone who gets in the way. Last weekend was a one example. There are two regular milongas - then the annual festival held in the southern highlands moved it's weekend to the same weekend - and then another school announced a milonga out of the blue - and there was a milonga in Newcastle (an hour and half drive away). At this time of year there are plenty of other reasons for people not to tango, so each event suffered! There just aren't enough tangueros and I frequently hear people saying why can't the schools work together? It's not just can't - it's also won't sadly - for some it's every tango school for themselves. Some years back a tango teacher set up a yahoo group so schools could communicate their plans - no-one uses it! and this teacher left town!
I have just been told about another event that is being held in the regular venue of one of Sydney's tango schools, but without their involvement... so here we go again! Confusion among the punters, unhappy organisers and maybe, just maybe a competitive event from those who have been snubbed??
In Sydney it doesn't take to two to tango - just one it seems - and two or three to feel offended!
