scullystwin42
Forum Master
yeah so apparently i am still dancing, since i just bought a new pair of shoes and some practicewear that fits. (previous practice wear is quite a bit tight now)
Dance Doldrums
- Thread starter SwingingAlong
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joy
Forum Master
I think I have just a touch of the dance doldrums.
I think I’m at the “doing the work” stage in my Smooth. There isn’t an upcoming competition planned in the near future.
And I’m becoming more aware of posture and mechanical issues to work on, and those take so much time.
When I feel down, I would get feelings of what’s the point of it all. I see new students with their excitement, in the honey moon stage of ballroom. And I feel a bit tired.
In June, I’ve a showcase which should be fun, and the Emerald Smooth summit in 2 weeks, which I hope will energize me.
I think I’m at the “doing the work” stage in my Smooth. There isn’t an upcoming competition planned in the near future.
And I’m becoming more aware of posture and mechanical issues to work on, and those take so much time.
When I feel down, I would get feelings of what’s the point of it all. I see new students with their excitement, in the honey moon stage of ballroom. And I feel a bit tired.
In June, I’ve a showcase which should be fun, and the Emerald Smooth summit in 2 weeks, which I hope will energize me.
Misspendragon
Forum Master
I don’t mind the work per se, it’s the constant frustration of how long it takes to learn something and that after 4 years, I still need to work on some of the most basic steps ( twinkle - I’m talking about you)
joy
Forum Master
The basics IS the dancing though. The Pros are constantly working on their basics.
Anyone can learn patterns and choreo. A ballet dancer can come and learn an Open Waltz choreo quickly, doesn't mean they are an Open level Waltz dancer.
The journey has to be joyful. That includes the drills, the practice, the striving. So adjust whatever is needed to make it joyful.
Anyone can learn patterns and choreo. A ballet dancer can come and learn an Open Waltz choreo quickly, doesn't mean they are an Open level Waltz dancer.
The journey has to be joyful. That includes the drills, the practice, the striving. So adjust whatever is needed to make it joyful.
DanceMentor
Administrator
Yes, I can remember at times being a little fed up with students coming to me wanting me to help them dance an open level standard routine when their basics were just not good enough.
I love working on the basics. I never get tired of it. I feel like my basics could always be better. I feel like when I'm dancing advanced steps it's pretty much the same as the basics because all the rules are the same, but the basics allow me to refine my technique so that when I do the advanced steps they feel just like the basics.
To avoid the dance doldrums, I refuse to teach advanced steps to someone who is not ready for them. I feel like they just end up wasting time creating bad habits that they could have fixed in the basics.
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When I was in graduate school, I found a paper called “The Joy of Mediocrity”. It was about finding the joy in engaging in an activity without doing your “best” or needing lofty goals. The joy of doing something “good enough” or even badly. This was a very freeing concept to me. Knowing what is worth the excruciating effort (for me, dance) and what I am ok with doing badly. My husband plays the trumpet extraordinarily badly but he really enjoys himself. Never had a lesson in his life. Doesn’t want one. To each, his own.
Don't get me wrong, I think lessons are important and useful, but sometimes students have different goals than their teachers: heaven to one person, is tedium to another. I love that dance comp scene in Silver Linings Playbook when they come in dead last, but jump around screaming with happiness and someone says "Why are they so excited about a 5?"
This is borderline off-topic, but I oscillate between wanting to improve/get better at stuff and being sick and tired of constant messaging of inadequacy ("you need to be/do better!") in every sphere of life. Sometimes I want to be content just existing as is and enjoy who I am.
bronzesusie
Well-Known Member
Same! Which is why I’m dance I like to sometimes be prepping for a comp and sometimes doing a showcase routine and sometimes stubbornly insisting that I want to learn smooth.
I had a Latin pro who remarked, when I started, that hard things are easy for me and easy things are hard. The thing is, years later, the “easy” things (like walking) are still hard for me, and I suspect unattainable, even though I continue to plug away. If I never had the opportunity to dance “harder” steps, I think I would have quit in frustration by now.
If it makes you feel better, I’ve been dancing twice as long as you and I’ve had two upgrades to my twinkle recently.
joy
Forum Master
An update.
I was lucky and got out of it, and there were several factors:
- getting to dance with several smooth champions and finalists. Getting coachings with them and being so inspired and given so much to work on.
- being reminded that it takes 3 years to make a change to basics. that this whole process just takes time. and to enjoy the journey and the great satisfaction when a change is made.
- being exposed to the outside dance world, which gave me a better perspective on what possible milestones I can try to reach for.
- a strong look at my pro/am and seeing what I get out of it, and better boundaries and clarity.
So today at least, I am content and happy with my dance journey.
I kind-of-do and kind-of-don’t understand the concept of the joy of mediocrity.
If a mediocre-is-ok concept is for a person pursuing an activity that is totally a solo activity, well, fair enough. Or, I suppose if you pursue a partner/team activity and have a partner/teammates who are all similarly mediocre-is-ok minded, maybe that could work.
But if it’s a partner or team activity, and the partner/teammates DO strive for excellence and quality, then it seems, to me, that it’s unfair of the mediocre-minded participant to expect to jump in with them and very likely hold them back from their goals.
I mean, for me, I can get along dancing with a partner who makes mistakes, but who is actively making efforts to learn and improve. But I can’t get along dancing with someone who makes mistakes but who makes no effort to get better because the effort isn’t worth it to them, and they are OK with being mediocre. That person would be a drag on me.
I may very well be a mediocre dancer, but my “fun” comes from learning and trying to improve. I’m simply not going to have any “fun” with someone who does not share my try-to-improve mindset (and they likely will have no “fun” with me either).