I've been reaaaaallly on the fence about sharing this post and promoting this idea. Because, yes, of course we have to take care of our bodies and honor our limits, and not beat ourselves up, etc etc.
But we also live in a world where our human nature is to NOT go beyond our comfort zone. True - all professional dancers and nearly all students on a professional track push themselves beyond their physical limits as a daily practice; it's a no-brainer, it's par for the course.
But it's simply not true for the majority of regular people and the majority of ordinary students- and isn't work ethic what what makes dancers so admirable in the first place?
I realize the author is speaking to a different audience, but it's so frustrating as a teacher to see listless faces during barre work - where talent and time is being wasted because it's not being supported by diligence and perseverance.
Your energy needs to be spent somewhere - the universe will not tolerate a vacuum - flitting our energy away in laziness and egotistically driving yourself to fruitless exhaustion are both two extremes of the same problem and neither will bring you any success. Sometimes that means deliberate restfulness (DELIBERATE RESTFULNESS - not crapping out in front of a tv, or zoning out while you're already in class for crying out loud) and sometimes that means push a little harder.
But in my experience, when in doubt, -push a little harder.
- Ms Erin
But we also live in a world where our human nature is to NOT go beyond our comfort zone. True - all professional dancers and nearly all students on a professional track push themselves beyond their physical limits as a daily practice; it's a no-brainer, it's par for the course.
But it's simply not true for the majority of regular people and the majority of ordinary students- and isn't work ethic what what makes dancers so admirable in the first place?
I realize the author is speaking to a different audience, but it's so frustrating as a teacher to see listless faces during barre work - where talent and time is being wasted because it's not being supported by diligence and perseverance.
Your energy needs to be spent somewhere - the universe will not tolerate a vacuum - flitting our energy away in laziness and egotistically driving yourself to fruitless exhaustion are both two extremes of the same problem and neither will bring you any success. Sometimes that means deliberate restfulness (DELIBERATE RESTFULNESS - not crapping out in front of a tv, or zoning out while you're already in class for crying out loud) and sometimes that means push a little harder.
But in my experience, when in doubt, -push a little harder.
- Ms Erin
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