The Foundation of Pleasure

The why of the embrace, the music, the movement: Dance survival

“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.” 

― Viktor E. Frankl,  Auschwitz survivor and psychotherapist

Dance and pleasure.  The first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of dance is pure pleasure.  

However the foundation of pleasure in dance is Meaning. This thesis is highly influenced by Viktor Frankl. He was an medical doctor, neurologist and psychiatrist. As an MD for his fellow Auschwitz prisoners, he later went on to continue the great traditions of two other Viennese psychotherapy thinkers right before him, Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. Other important thinkers who have laid the basis of modern psychological theory still remain in their theories far more accepted.  (And that is why many dancers will immediately, say "bullshit!" to the idea that meaning is the foundation of dance passion and pleasure, of self-actualization and empowerment.)  But Victor Frankl's view was tested in the death camps on what survival is all about, including the survival of pleasure and happiness.  We ought to listen to his insights!

Do you dance to compete?

When someone finds out that I love to dance, they nearly always ask, "Do you compete?" My answer is: "Yes, I compete with myself to be a better me." Isn't it a shame that dance--one of the few biological markers of our essential humanity--is something to sit down and watch? Something to be judged by experts?

If have the uniqueness of being the musical and dancing animal is on one side, then  the thing we have in common with animals nature to compete.  We are all a mix of human and animal.  So why not embrace that part of us? It's really okay, but being competitive is not my highest sense of what dance is.  Partly, I would say that in order to win, dancers do things that are gymnastics or ballet moves, and that's when the crowd cheers.  Maybe competition corrupts the beauty of the inner experience of tango?

Tango and Cardiac Coherence

Is your tango "coherent"?

"Cardiac Coherence" is a term you will start hearing regularly. From this new area of study, we will start hearing more about activities that bring one's nervous system into alignment with one's breathing and heart rhythms.  Types of meditation and any mindfulness practice will be studied for the positive effects they achieve.  Not all mindfulness practices are equal, and now we can measure them.  Close embrace, mindful tango is not even being studied.  But it will be.  Trust me.