When the music changes, so must the dance.

Circumstances set the rhythm, and wisdom lies in noticing when that rhythm has changed instead of stubbornly repeating the old steps. The proverb uses dance as a picture of how we live: we move in response to something larger than ourselves, and when the music turns faster, slower, or into an entirely different tune, the same movements start to look awkward and out of place.

It is usually called an African proverb, though it is often quoted without a specific people or source, and its exact origin is uncertain. The idea fits well with communal traditions in which dance is shared, attentive to others, and responsive to the moment. Wisdom there means fitting yourself to what is happening, not forcing the moment to fit you. It is not a call to chase every passing fashion, only to stay alert to real change.

Imagine someone whose line of work is being reshaped by new software. They could insist that their old methods still work, or they could spend a few evenings learning the new tools. They would keep their craft, their judgment, and their standards, and change only their steps.