How You Dance Matters

The desire to realize our potential, push boundaries, conquer the unknown, and acquire more is part of what drives us. This same impulse has led to extraordinary achievements on one hand and profound abuses on the other. Our society is rife with such excesses—unchecked personal freedom, selfish individualism, ruthless capitalism, militant feminism, ultraconservatism, neoliberalism, religious fundamentalism, terrorism, radical technologies, monopolistic business practices, extravagant lifestyles, violent entertainment and sports, financial fraud, the gun lobby, reckless spending, over-taxation, depletion of natural resources, and man-made climate change.

These extremes do not foster a cohesive and harmonious society; instead, they breed conflict, inequality, division, hostility, and war. We swing from one extreme to another, failing to recognize that all forms of extremism stem from the same human flaws—greed, selfishness, ignorance, intolerance, and aggression. We are unwilling—or unable—to consider perspectives beyond our own. We lose sight of the bigger picture, where each individual is but a tiny dot. Relying on force and dominance to solve problems, we disregard the consequences of unbalanced approaches. Our relentless pursuit of self-interest, if left unchecked, could lead to civilization’s downfall. This is not an alarmist exaggeration. Given the radical and rapid changes in the world since World War II, how much longer can Mother Nature sustain our greed? How much longer can humanity preserve peace?

I am not alone in these concerns. Consciously or not, tango’s enduring appeal reflects a universal longing for lost humanity and a quiet rebellion against the dehumanizing forces of modern life. Tango captivates so many because it offers a different reality—one of connection, togetherness, interdependence, fraternity, and shared purpose. It rekindles the joy of supporting, comforting, and sharing rather than competing and clashing. In tango, we find a sanctuary free from animosity, a shoulder to lean on, and a means of understanding through communication, cooperation, reconciliation, and compromise. Within its embrace, we rediscover the wisdom of Jesus, who taught love; Gandhi, who championed nonviolence; Lao Tzu, who advocated simplicity and harmony; and Confucius, who extolled the Golden Mean. Tango embodies love, intimacy, equality, peace, and a vision of a better world we long to create.

This is why tango draws so many to its embrace. And this is why I find it heartbreaking to see tango distorted—reduced to a mere spectacle, a showcase for ego, a tool for commercial gain, or a performance shaped by political correctness. Such distortions strip tango of its essence and betray its idealism, turning it from a dance that teaches love into one that fuels vanity, from an art that uplifts humanity into one that diminishes it, from a symbol of the world we aspire to build into a reflection of the very world we seek to change.

Just as many today recognize the need to protect our planet—our only home—should we not also take responsibility for cultivating a more compassionate and harmonious human environment? Those new to tango must awaken to the reality that how they perceive it shapes how they learn and dance it. One can approach it as mere entertainment or as a dance that nurtures love. One can learn only the steps or strive to connect as one with another. One can dance to showcase ego or to express care. One can seek to reinvent tango or allow tango to transform them—and through that transformation, change the world.

How we dance matters. It leaves an impact, one way or another. (See Beauty Will Save the World.)