My Tango Diaries

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.  -- Lance Armstrong My old companion is back. Sometimes it is resting on my shoulders, sometimes squeezing my ribs, sometimes clawing at my legs. In its wake, I'm sore, angry, tired . . .  and scared. More paralyzing than the pain, as always, is the fear of the pain which has settled over my skin. I'm dancing less and less. I go as often as I can, dance as long as I can. Saturday night I made it two tandas and then my calf seized up hard enough to turn my ankle and pull my foot under.  My partners have been patient with me. I can feel the change in my dance, I'm sure they can feel it too. A couple have said so.  I'm slower, less responsive, heavier. I can either dance in pain, or dance under the sedating effect of muscle relaxers that minimally help control the pain. E

Picture courtesy of www.morguefile.com . Tango dancers: I'm working on an article that I very much need your help with. After speaking with several dancers online and in person, I've started noticing some trends that I'd like to investigate further. Mostly I want to know if and how dancing tango has changed your professional life or your previous professional life if you've retired (other than being tired from all those late night milongas. lol) For example, has learning and dancing tango changed the way you see your profession?       - the way you treat your coworkers?       - the skills you use in your job?       - the skills you value in others? Do your coworkers say that you've changed? If so, in what way? Have you changed jobs or professions because of the impact tango has had on you? If you're a hiring manager, do you think a tango dancing candidate would bring any particular strengths to a job? Any weaknesses? Please let me know your thou