Digest Your Knowledge

Have you ever come across a book where one phrase was more enlightening than the next and you were so intrigued that all you wanted to do was read, read, read and learn everything at once? Or perhaps you know a teacher whose understanding is so profound that, if you could, you would continue class or interview them for hours on end in an effort to keep acquiring more and more of their expertise until there is nothing left to learn?

As dancers, we pour an immense amount of our time and energy into learning about and understanding all the aspects of our art, its physicality, and ourselves. At times, we are so enthused that we just want to keep on going forever. Putting down that book or taking a break seems like such a ludicrous thought when there's so much knowledge waiting to be devoured. Yet, if I call out 27 names, will you be able to remember them all? But I bet if I call them out just one per day, you will.

A book – or any other source of information, such as your teacher – is just like this list of names. Only that the amount of knowledge you can acquire from these sources is vastly more plentiful. Doesn't it stand to reason, then, that your best shot at becoming more knowledgeable and, in time, proficient, is to consciously focus on acquiring but a small amount of new information at any one time? And then — let it rest. Let it grow. Maybe reflect on it. Play with it. But most importantly, give it time so you may absorb and integrate it.

So, next time before you learn a new choreography, work with a new teacher or open the dance anatomy book, ask yourself: If – instead of trying to learn everything at once – I focus my attention on only one aspect or element, will I jeopardize my success or lessen my enjoyment?