Tango is not a religion

There is certainly always divides between men and women, and inclusively all of us. When it comes to the outlook on life, priorities, the long and short term expectations, in almost all aspects of life, we differ on so many fronts. It is difficult but we struggle and manage somehow to communicate our ways for getting ourselves through the simplest and most complex of tasks by our expressions of thoughts, wants, and needs.

By observing the world around us we seem to often make the mistake of thinking that our differences make us more attractive to each other. This is despite the fact that from the moment our relationships come to existence we do our very best to change each other.

We strive so very hard to find ourselves at harmony with others but we always start at the wrong starting point and choose those who are not similar to us right at the very beginning. Is it "the challenge" of the process of change that satisfies us or is it that we find it self-gratifying to see others living in our image of self?


There seems to be this irresistible desire to fulfil a need for wanting to succeed in changing, converting, and trying assimilating everyone else to become like us.

This shows itself off best when we are in the company of those who generally enjoy similar kinds of culture, music, dance, food, language, hubby etc. Although we are to the outsiders very similar but amongst us there are some who would try continuously to differentiate themselves within the group.

For example in our little microcosm of Tango communities, the comments we sometime hear is how dare some exist amongst us who enjoy Tango differently? It is as if there is some sanctity to tango that some are violating and we need to stop them before inferior versions destroy the superior forms!

When it comes to the religious beliefs; everyone has to conform, there is no room for compromise but Tango is not a religion or an ideology and nor should it be treated as such.

It is extraordinary how this process of converting others to our ways of enjoying Tango dominates many. By definition Tango is about personal passionate expressions of a performing art form. Like any other art forms, Tango art can be discussed, taught, learned, enjoyed and practiced and naturally there are going to be differences of interpretation by those who are involved.

However there can not possibly be any inferior or superior versions. There are varying forms of expressions and as long as there is pleasure from that form then no one has the right to spoil others' pleasure of it.

It is a very common trap that we may be setting ourselves to easily fall into when we resent and reject each others' differences by trying to convert others or snub them by dismissing them.

The ultimate goal could be the pleasure of accepting and appreciating our partners' expectations and stop demanding that people in our lives feel, behave, and think as we would.

If the harmony between us is not perfect, perhaps it is not because we are ourselves imperfect but that we need to change whom we are with, instead of trying very hard to change them.

Milongacat
The only cat who loves you back!