The Word of the Day Webinar was very illuminating. We explored the differences between what we’re supposed to enjoy and what we actually do. For example, one student reported that she felt that she should enjoy cleaning up her apartment, but what she really enjoyed was just hanging out and relaxing in the disorder.
For many years, I have gone to the beach every summer, which I thought I was supposed to enjoy, but what I really enjoy is dancing four or five nights a week in the city. I also appreciate how much I enjoy sitting outside on my terrace writing. It’s actually quieter on my terrace than where the summer house was!
I’m finally taking a vacation and attending a tango festival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dancers from all over come to dance in a beautiful venue and take classes with acclaimed teachers, who also perform at the evening dances.
What’s interesting about tango dancers is how diverse they are, and everyone has a story about how they began to dance. In spite of the widely varied backgrounds, I was surprised at how grief was a central theme in the stories, including my own. I went through a tragic divorce and was depressed. I then had a dream in which my grandfather, who I always danced with as a child, appeared and told me I had to learn to dance the mambo. I’ve been dancing ever since!
My assigned partner at the festival is an electrician from Mississippi who also discovered tango after a heart-crushing divorce. “For an hour a week, tango distracted me from the deep despair that was always with me. It gave me hope.”
Linda, a retired dentist, told me that she came to dance tango after her husband died suddenly of a brain tumor. “For two years, I just wanted to die and join him. I didn’t know how I would go on. Then my sister convinced me to try online dating. I connected with Charles when he took me to a milonga (a tango dance) on our first date. We’ve been dancing together for the last thirteen years.” Charles smiled and explained that he had also come to the dance after the devastation of losing a child.
Lost love and the sadness that follows are central themes in the music of the tango. Tango is also a dance of improvisation, and the roles of leader and follower are clearly defined. This combination of emotional release through the words of the music, the intuitive circular movements of the tango, and the clearly defined roles create a healing release that is unique yet endlessly repeatable.
Dancing the tango gave me the inspiration to create a daily technique using writing that could provide an experience of connection and creativity and led me to share the Word of the Day Practice. So please join me at the next seminar on Wednesday, August 9, where we’ll continue to explore what it is that we truly enjoy doing.
Word of the Day Webinar
Please join me in my next free Word of the Day webinar on August 9 at 7:00 pm EST.
In this seminar, we will practice using the technique to discover what we really enjoy doing. Join me!
Here’s to your writing success,
Professor Marilyn Horowitz
