4 Step Process
It is not lost on me that there can be an element of fear or apprehension when stepping into my class. We walk into the studio with the very real possibility of meeting, face to face, with our own limitations, insecurities and unmet expectations. It can feel heavy and daunting. Showing up can be the hardest part. The truly beautiful side of this situation is that these feelings can be and are calmed by trust. Trust in yourself, trust in the teacher and trust in the process. THE PROCESS…ahhhh!! What is that, anyway? There are commercials, tag lines and t-shirts claiming it is all about the process. Process is NOT the systems and hierarchy that continues to abuse, overlook and mute voices, artistry, opportunities and needs of countless dancers. Process (in my experience) is the path of study, training, focus, expression and dedication along with failure and recovery. Failure gets all of the attention but isn’t the most important part. It is the recovery, the standing up and moving forward with earned knowledge, experience and resilience. Those are the goals!
You. Must. Fail. More. to be the artist you dream of becoming.
In the context of a dance class, when I say “fail”, I am dramatically over emphasizing our attachment to perfectionism and speaking to mistakes, missteps and not meeting expectations (mostly, our own). I understand that the word “fail” can be shocking or triggering. This is exactly the reason I am using it. It is just a word. AND we rarely use it correctly. One can “fail” but is not a failure. One can make a mistake and not be a mistake. The action or misaction (this is not a word!) is separate from who we are. This is not emotional bypassing. Some of us are experts at telling ourselves stories about self worth and ability that have very little to do with reality. YES.YES.YES, feel your feelings….just not about this.
Step one: Fail. Make mistakes quickly, safely and often! This is how you find your edges. Edges are those beautiful places where art and trust meet. As a dancer, you discover how far you can go by going too far with energy, momentum, expression, etc. Embrace the possibility of failure in order to find your edge! To fail safely, you must separate the action from the actor. Acknowledge the error or mistake, the action or in action without making it personal. Take the work seriously, not personally.
Step two. Recover. Stand up. Get back up with earned knowledge. No one falls out of a turn because they are a terrible person. We fall out of a turn because we lean back, drop our heel, need more power, less power, etc. You get the idea. Less feelings, more information.
Step three: Learn. Use the information and make a new choice. Leaning back? Try leaning forward. Dropping your heel? Add foot strengthening exercises as you brush your teeth each night. Your teacher isn’t giving you feedback, praise, etc? Record yourself in the combo, watch with fresh eyes and make notes for yourself OR speak with the teacher after class. Take action that is rooted in information and curiosity.
Step four: Repeat. Sigh…this is my favorite and least favorite step AT THE SAME DAMN TIME! I love second, third and fourth chances. I believe in redemption, growth and exploration. AND being a human, I understand that I will make another mistake, most likely, soon.
Fail. Recover. Learn. Repeat.
It has proven to be my most helpful process.