Paso’s Message for the New Year
A collaborative effort by Joe & Eduardo
Some of us want to be the best at what we do, whatever that may be.
In our quest to be the best, we may easily fall into comparing ourselves to others on the dance floor. Kind of like a measuring stick.
This is dangerous.
Comparison is a double edge sword, both sides equally sharp.
I am so much better than them will lead to frustration, concern, and even fear when you feel that someone else is better than you. No one is safe from your comparisons or measurement. Not even yourself.
And if you can’t step outside of the lines you have drawn, try changing them. Why not, measure yourself against yourself?
“As I dance, i’m not going to worry about being the best in the room. I simply need to be the best I can be with this particular partner and this particular song….at this very moment.”
Take this to heart and you will be on your way to creating magic. When you dance like this, others will notice. And if not, your partner will.
Most importantly, you will create your own magic, beautiful in its own right and comparable to none.
Love and appreciate yourself and the way you move. Only then will you be able to feel the same love and appreciation for others.
And that’s our message for the New Year.
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Great message for the New Year and always, Joe and Eduardo. Comparisons are one thing, but it’s different when we judge. I may prefer one dance style over another, but I can’t say one is better than the other. It’s a personal preference. That being said, it’s also important for me to step outside of my box and try something different on occasion and I love it when I do and I see others doing it as well. Paso has done an excellent job of encouraging students to try other dances. I love my Paso family and I wish everyone a happy New Year.
Yes. Good point. Preference is fine, but when preference goes to judgement than that’s a totally different story. To be honest, any form of dance can be expressive dance. One person may prefer to use a different language -or dialect- than the next. And no matter what language of dance we speak, we are all capable of speaking “nonsense”. And we are all capable of expressing poetry. It all depends on your use of whatever particular language you speak.
I would rather express a forceful emotion in German. Romantic sentiments in Spanish or French. But then again, you could also argue that the “tone” and not the language itself determine the mood or feeling. The Swedes speak German a lot differently than they do in mainland Germany, right?
Which brings me back full circle -doh! Dance is simply a tool. The tools -movements- themselves have little meaning or power on their own. It’s when they are given context and emotion that they have the power to bring inspiration, delight, and ultimately fulfillment.
We have some new tricks up our sleeves for 2010, you better believe it
We stay in the lab. New dances are a BIG part of our agenda for this year, we’ll leave it at that.
And Tonia, we love you too!!
Tonia Happy New Year to you as well. You know we all love you. You raise a good point, we need to learn from each other and not compare ourselves to each other.
By the way, does anyone else envision “Eduardo the Mad Scientist” in the Paso lab coming up with evil new dances and drills to torture us with, then letting out a long evil laugh after each one he develops?