BY VALERIE SHELLEY
Los Alamos

The choral/dance performance of “The Cell Block Tango” will be included in the re-scheduled May 18 Los Alamos High School choir concert.  This letter is a warning to families that the content of the show will not be family friendly.  The song/dance “The Cell Block Tango” is rated for ages over 13.  

Despite the objections of those critical of the song’s glorification of domestic abuse, the choir director and administrators have anticipated that fury from some of the students and their parents should they be denied the opportunity to perform this piece would be too great to cancel the piece.  It is believed that since the students have practiced hard to learn this degrading musical number they would be upset if it were cut from the program.  This is the first time in memory that the choir’s Spring Program is not recommended for families with children younger than 13.

The objections to the song are based primarily on the domestic abuse the song celebrates. The song is about violent domestic abuse ending in murder.  The song/dance as performed in the film version of “Chicago” is done in a pornographic manner, connecting sex with violence.  The refrain which is repeated throughout the song is “He had it coming”, a classic justification of abusers when blaming their victims for the abuse.  The murders ‘discussed’ in the song are in no way acceptable simply because they are perpetrated by women against men.  There are unfortunately many students and members of our community who have been greatly harmed by violent domestic abuse.  This song is hurtful and offensive on every level.  This song/performance has NO PLACE being performed by the children in our high school!

If you decide this sounds like your kind of ‘entertainment’ then you will likely not be disappointed.