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WALK

The sweetest, shiniest cherry won't save a bad sundae. Your favorite actor/actress can't save a film with an idiotic plot line. An amazing interior design won't save a restaurant that serves horrible-tasting food.

The enthusiasm for and effort in doing fancier tango steps won't save a dancer who can't properly lead or follow a basic walk.

It may not seem glamorous, but those first steps we learn in the beginning, the walk, are the foundation of everything that comes after. Walk well, even if it's all you do for the entire tanda. Your partners won't think you're just good at walking. They'll think you're good at dancing, too.

YOU ARE THE CULTURE

In a tango community, the status quo doesn't function exactly like it does in a corporation. If, for example, the customer service sucks at a big-name store like Best Buy (and sometimes it does), it's a reflection of the store's leadership and management style. The employees may not have much leeway, or incentive, to change it.

Oftentimes, a tango community's vibe also reflects the personality of its organizational leadership. But ultimately, and unlike a corporation, the culture is not top-down.

If a community is not to your liking, for whatever reason, leadership can only be blamed to a certain degree. It is the individual members who have made a conscious decision to accept, and maybe actively perpetuate, whatever it is (energy, attitude, etc) that you find unappealing.

Don't sulk and complain if you find yourself surrounded by jerks on the dance floor. Bring a different energy into the community, and seek like-minded people. Maybe you'll help gradually turn things around, or even start your own group. 

We should never believe that we're stuck with whatever tango "culture" we find ourselves in. As individuals, and through our actions, we define "the culture."