Helping a Community Grow

Where do you start? What makes a community grow? What makes a true community?
Is bigger better? There is no correct answer. A community can be many things to many people so I am very interested in getting feedback on this topic. For me, community is like a family. We are all different, however, when push comes to shove, we support each other. In a family we do not hold a grudge, we learn to forgive and forget. At least that is how my family works. I may not like everything they do; however, I support them the best way I can.

For me a great place to start to cultivate the community is to be aware of new faces and make them welcome. I believe it is important for you go up introduce yourself and have a short conversation. My last trip out of town to a well-known Tango community, only one person came up to me and made me feel welcome. I am not complaining, however, it did make me look at what I do when there is a new face in the crowd. I did not look so good. I do better now. It is no fun being a stranger and it feels great when some one makes you feel welcome.

Conversation is good but dancing is better. What I try to do is when it is not my event; I dance with new faces early in the evening. Usually newbie’s arrive early so this allows me to meet and dance with new faces while still giving me the options to dance with my fav’s later in the evening. If everyone remembers what it was like to be the new kid, I believe more people would share their time.

The other important aspect is to do your best to eliminate all negative conversation from the Milonga. I know we all have opinions, boy do I know. I am the worst. It is very tough for me to bight my tongue, but I have gotten much better. I have two close friends I use to voice my complaints, and I never have those discussions in public. For me it is a big negative to hear community members badmouthing other members, music, dancers, what ever. I understand we are human, but nothing good comes out of it. It is magnified if the guilty parties are community leaders. Here is where we must stop and think and try to put ourselves in another pair of shoes.

The community is made up of Teachers, student, great dancers, not-so-great dancers, observers, and want-to-bees. Everyone has his or her place and each is a true member.

I have more to say but I will give it a rest…for now.

Building a community is the Midwest. Michael Giacona