Do you want to get better? Would you like to be a better dancer?
Here's the most important thing that you can do.
Embrace the truth.
Embrace it - the whole truth. The ugly truth. The uncomfortable truth. The truth that you don't want to admit. The truth that you don't want anyone to know.
Be courageous. Be honest.
Embrace the truth about what's not working. - You can't fix something if you won't acknowledge it.
Embrace the truth about what you have been doing wrong, even if you once that that everything was fine.
Embrace the truth about your weaknesses. - Whether you have been dancing for three months or thirty years, you DO have weaknesses, and they're not invisible. Everyone can see them. You might as well give them a little practice time.
Be honest with yourself. Anything that you try to hide from will hold you back. So, why are you hiding?
If you want to improve, you'll need to invest time and energy on careful, mindful practice that targets specific weaknesses and areas where growth is desired. Before you can do that, you need to understand what to work on.
Hidden Dangers
What are the consequences of not facing and embracing the truth?
Wasted effort - How much progress will you make if you spend your time and effort (and money) on classes and pleasant social activities that don't address your fundamental needs? Ponder that one for a moment.
Unaddressed issues - Your weaknesses are weak for a reason. They are things that you don't do well naturally. You'll need to focus on them and work hard if you want to improve in these areas.
Unconscious incompetence - Let's talk about the 800-pound gorilla.
What if you're doing something so obviously wrong that everyone at the milonga notices it? Everyone except you, because you don't want to think that it's true.
What if this publicly obvious problem is so flagrant that it discourages people from dancing with you? Wouldn't you want to fix that? Wouldn't you want to be aware of it so you can work on it and make progress?
Coffee Shop
A baristas who used to work at my local coffee shop habitually wiped her nose with her hand while she was working. This behavior was a filthy, disgusting, and potentially a public health issue.
Whenever I saw this lady behind the counter, I turned around and walked out of the store. I'd rather go to another coffee shop than expose myself to that.
I'm guessing that the woman was complete unaware of her unsanitary habit.
What unconscious habits do you have, and how do you gain insight into them? What aspect of your tango technique are holding you back simply because you haven't consciously admitted them or come up with a plan to address them?
The best way to improve is to embrace the truth.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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