A Reflective Thought...

'Have you ever known something before you realise what it means to you?'

After looking back through Reader 2 I pondered about the question above.  When I first read this I couldn't really comprehend the concept of not actually knowing something until you actually experience it.  I read through Graham McFees' description of this to explain this concept using an example and thought I would try and relate it to myself.

To be able to answer this question I have drawn back on past experiences and how they have developed my learning and understanding.  

I looked back at my time at College when everything was about performing.  Up until my 2nd Year in Dance College I thought I had understood how to 'perform'.  What I had actually done was to plaster on my cheesiest grin and hold it there until I was off stage.

I'm not sure how it clicked but I remember being in a Musical Theatre class and we were working on a particular performance that seemed to give me a rush of adrenaline every time the music played. We finished the lesson with our final performance and at the end my teacher announced that I had finally 'popped'.  I did feel a change in my performance and it was like I had suddenly learnt to enjoy the experience rather than worrying about everything else that came with it.  This also came from an increased ability to recall steps and to adjust the technique of how my body moves.

After that my ability to perform became second-nature and I realised why I was always prompted to perform more in the past.  When I started performing professionally we would often watch back performances and it became easier to spot those who had not quite got the grasp of performing yet as a dancer they would be amazing.Part of the idea of performing as a dancer is to complete the package!

Now as a teacher, I watch some of the students and they perform without any hesitation.  Others need that extra push but I know from experience that this is a skill they will learn to understand in their own time.  All I can do is to help them realise when they have finally got it.

References:

Middlesex University, 2014, Reader 2, Module 1, p.3