Tango is not just a fascinating dance—it is a rich philosophy, culture, and way of life. The search of tango is the search of connection, love, fellowship, unity, harmony, and beauty—an idealism that is not consistent with the dehumanizing reality of the modern world. The world divides us into individuals, but tango brings us together as a team. In tango we are not individualists, feminists, nationalists, Democrats, or Republicans—we are simply human, intertwined and interdependent. Tango invites us to tear down walls, build bridges, and rediscover our shared humanity through connection, cooperation, accommodation, and compromise. It is a dance that reminds the world how to love.



February 4, 2013

How You Dance Matters


The drive to realize our potential, push boundaries, conquer the unknown, and seek more is deeply human. This same impulse has fueled extraordinary achievements—but also profound abuses. Our society is marked by extremes: unrestrained personal freedom, selfish individualism, ruthless capitalism, militant feminism, ultraconservatism, neoliberalism, religious fundamentalism, terrorism, radical technologies, monopolistic practices, lavish lifestyles, violent entertainment and sports, financial fraud, the gun lobby, reckless spending, over-taxation, environmental depletion, and man-made climate change.

Such excesses do not foster a cohesive or harmonious society. Instead, they breed conflict, inequality, division, hostility, and war. We swing from one extreme to another, failing to see that all forms of extremism stem from the same core flaws: greed, selfishness, ignorance, intolerance, and aggression. We are often unwilling—or unable—to consider perspectives beyond our own. We lose sight of the broader context, forgetting that each of us is but a tiny dot in the grand mosaic. In our reliance on force and dominance, we ignore the consequences of imbalance. If left unchecked, this relentless pursuit of self-interest may well lead to our civilization’s collapse. This is not alarmism. Given the radical and rapid transformations since World War II, we must ask: How much longer can Mother Nature endure our excesses? How much longer can humanity preserve peace?

I am not alone in these concerns. Whether consciously or not, the enduring appeal of tango reflects a deep yearning for lost humanity—a quiet rebellion against the dehumanizing forces of modern life. Tango captivates because it offers an alternative reality—one of connection, togetherness, interdependence, fraternity, and shared purpose. It revives the joy of supporting, comforting, and sharing, rather than competing and clashing. In tango, we find a refuge from animosity, a shoulder to lean on, a language of communication, cooperation, reconciliation, and compromise. Within its embrace, we rediscover the wisdom of Jesus, who preached love; Gandhi, who upheld nonviolence; Lao Tzu, who taught simplicity and harmony; and Confucius, who valued the Golden Mean. Tango embodies love, intimacy, equality, peace—and a vision of the world we yearn to build.

This is why tango draws so many into its embrace. And this is why it is heartbreaking to see tango distorted—reduced to spectacle, turned into a vehicle for ego, exploited for profit, or shaped by the demands of political correctness. These distortions strip tango of its soul and betray its ideals. They turn a dance that teaches love into one that feeds vanity, an art that uplifts humanity into one that diminishes it, a symbol of the world we aspire to build into a mirror of the very world we wish to transcend.

Just as more people now recognize the urgency of protecting our planet—our only home—we must also take responsibility for nurturing a more compassionate and harmonious human world. Those new to tango must understand that how they perceive it shapes how they learn and dance it. One can approach tango as mere entertainment, or as a dance that nurtures love. One can focus only on steps, or strive to connect deeply 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, help transform the world.

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



1 comment:

  1. Dear Paul,

    I have been a follower of your blog for quite some time now and even though I am not a tango dancer I cannot tell you just how much I enjoy your posts and your priceless advice that many times transcends tango and applies to other dances as well. I just wanted to let you know I loved your latest post and I totally agree with the way you discuss polarization and extremist tendencies in the tango.

    It made me think of several discussions I had in Havana with old rumberos who have noticed similar tendencies in their dance, who see their art and traditions transformed into a commodity that has to be exotic at all costs, thus leading to the loss of the essence of dance. I see this happening not only in the rumba, but also in other Cuban dances, and I was wondering if it was related not only to the radicalism and extremism you mention in your post, but perhaps to a kind of supersaturation? We tend to quickly become very bored with what we are being offered, our attention span seems to be reduced to a minimum, therefore we have the tendency to consume all kinds of experiences in a very short amount of time, without even trying to understand the essence of the things we do - and unfortunately dance is a very good example here. It is, of course, up to every dancer, beginner or advanced, to try to change this and become fully aware of the multiple layers and meanings of dance (and I think this applies to all dances, not just the tango or the rumba), but it seems to me that this is the biggest challenge for dancers.

    However, I loved the underlying optimism in your post and the belief that even though things seem to be going in the wrong direction, they can be stopped, if only we understand this need for an awakening.

    Thank you for writing, for dancing and for sharing!

    Best wishes,

    Ruxandra

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