Today, after a long time, tango wasn’t on the top of my mind. Tomorrow starts the first class of my experimental school of activism, and so I’ve spent the day mulling over the entire project, thinking about all the details as well as the bigger picture: What subjects to focus on the most in the introductory class, how to design an exercise so that it involves everyone and is effective, how the learning method might change over time etc.
There are too many variables to mention: Two groups of 15 people each, from 20 to 28 years old, some who seem like veterans of activism and others who have never done a single project before, all with their own expectations and personalities and temperaments. An experimental method of learning and practicing activism which might prove successful from the get-go or which will need to be radically after the second class. I really have no idea what will happen in the next 30 days.
Well, I do. I’ve been in a similar situation before, but even if I hadn’t, I know what I should do. I’ve got all the lessons from activism and tango to guide me:
Observe the situation. Know what your goal is, as it is the thread that you follow, the one thing that will tell you how you should act in the unforeseeable, ever-shifting circumstances. Accept the circumstances and do the most that you can, not what others think you should. Be fluid and open to whatever comes, because surprises both nice and nasty will be plentiful. Improvise. Remember your values. Be sincere, respect yourself and others. Have fun. Dance.
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