Think you've had enough?

[dancin_feet]

I thought it would never happen but as of last night, I think I need a break away from dancing. I have two exams coming up in the next month, plus my performances in less than two months and I think the pressure is getting to me. :(

Due to another instructor injuring himself, a lot of my lessons have been moved around. Now this wouldn't normally worry me, my instructor is actually under more pressure than I am at the moment (long story) but I think it was just the straw that broke the camel's back last night, and I am considering not doing anything dance related at all for the rest of the week and over the Easter long weekend (completely unheard of for me). :shock: Not good considering there is a state championship that I have been looking forward to seeing over the weekend. :?

Just curious, for those of you who feel now and then that enough is enough, what prompts it? Is it boredom, a plateau that you just can't seem to get past, or just self imposed pressure to do well?

[Sagitta]

When it becomes too obssesive!! Nothing should be all consuming for long periods of time, I think.

As for plateaus I tend to leav eon danec and work on another when that happens...

[etchuck]

1. When it no longer becomes fun
2. When it disrupts me or my work
3. When it interferes with my relationships with friends and co-workers

[dancin_feet]

Thanks for the replies. Seems strange that I have gotten through my plateau, and just when I'm about to achieve what I have been working towards, I need a break. :?

I have been thinking about dancing constantly lately, and had a pretty good run over the last month with winning a couple of placings in a comp and getting the news that I was able to go for a more advanced exam. I even got my hair cut short so that it would be more manageable while I danced! I guess it has finally caught up with me! Need to take a step back for a few days.

Though I will probably get to tomorrow night and find myself bored at home and end up going to class anyway! :shock: :lol:

[dancin_feet]

Just to let you know, I'm feeling much better about dancing today than I did yesterday. Seems that just the idea of taking a break is enough to make me refocus! :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

Glad to hear that you're feeling more at ease today d_f

[Pacion]

Hormones or the position of the moon in relation to Pluto can cause it too :wink: (I made the last part up :lol: )

Yes, I have had moments when *gasp* I wanted to do something else. If one is not careful, you can become "one dimensional" and be totally lost when someone talks about something other than salsa. There have been times when I wanted to curl up in my bed with a book rather than go through the whole "preening" thing to go out, get sweaty(!) and then come home kind of happy, but tired, and wishing I had stayed home and read my book afterall :wink:

It is alright to want to take a break 8)

[dancin_feet]

lol at hormones. Probably not that though.

It was just the timing of it seemed strange. Take a break when I have only 10 days to my first exam? Probably not a good idea. May miss the next couple of socials to give myself a break and just go to class. I really want to get a good score on these exams, and not having done one before, I'm probably over worrying about it. It'll be the first "grading" of what I can do and give me something on paper that either confirms or denies where I think my strengths and weaknesses are.

Just need to be more relaxed about it. After the first, I should be more relaxed about the second exam three weeks later. :D

[Pacion]

It is just like any exam, it is possible to overload. How about listening to the style of music for which your exam will be in? So, even if you are not ion the mood to physically dance, your mind is subconciously thinking about it and running over what you have been learning? This you can do whilst in the shower or if you went for a walk.

[dancin_feet]

Thanks Pacion. I will be doing 7 dances for my exam, combination of latin and smooth, so I constantly hear music in my everyday life in those styles. I have overloaded, I admit that. I have also done my usual of putting too much pressure on myself to be perfect. It just won't happen. I can only do the best I can do on the day.

I'm going to skip the social the night before and just have a nice relaxing night in a hot aromatherapy bath so that I get enough sleep. :wink: That should set me up to be at my best on the day.

[dancingdragon]

I really want to get a good score on these exams, and not having done one before, I'm probably over worrying about it. It'll be the first "grading" of what I can do and give me something on paper that either confirms or denies where I think my strengths and weaknesses are.

I know that feeling, dancin_feet - I was sooooo nervous :roll: about my first exam because I thought I was a pretty ok dancer, but no-one had ever judged me before, and all my friends in the studio who had done exams before always seemed to do amazingly well so I felt I had to live up to that level. In the end I did amazingly well too, and the subsequent exams have been a lot easier. There's a lot of pressure that comes with being judged and when it stops being fun and starts being super-serious it gets easy to think "why am i doing this again?" Sounds like you're getting back on track though! Good luck with the exam.

[dancin_feet]

Thanks dancingdragon. I feel much better about it now, panic is over! :lol: :lol: :lol: 8)