It is said that when a new skill is learned, one must practice that skill repeatedly until it becomes second nature. However, repetition in itself can be very mundane.
When I was in high school, I took up the violin for a while. I always enjoyed its sound and liked the romance of it. However, I didn't understand what it meant to learn a new instrument at that time. I heard from my teacher and parents constantly that I have to practice in order to get better at it but I just thought, well, as long as I learn it, it's good enough for me! However, after 3 years of attending classes, in my second year of college, I quit. I couldn't take it any longer. I wasn't even able to put the one hour a week of practice as I did before! Years later, I found out that I didn't even learn anything. Because it is through the art of repetition that one can truly learn new skills.
Yes, I call it "art" because I believe that it is. I believe that it is something on its own and only be repetition does one learn the art of repetition! In any case, lately, I know that and I understand it. In fact, as I mentioned in my previous posts, I have recently taken up Ballet. The immediate response to that is: Ballet? Now? Why? How? It seems so impossible for a 28-year old woman to take introductory Ballet and actually stick with it. Why? Because it is one of the most difficult sports and it can only be learned through the art of repetition! I guess that's what it comes down to really. People assume that if you start at a young age, you don't know any better and your body is just so prepared to take on any position you give it so if you practice ballet, your body will grow that way. While this is absolutely true and perhaps if I had started Ballet at the age of let's say 7 or 8, I will definitely not have gotten all the pain I constantly get now after class, it is also true that now, I am just so determined! Perhaps I have never been as determined to learn anything in my life, not even when I took up the violin. Lately, I just have this new zest for life and for taking advantage of everything that it has to offer. And of course, learning ballet is a skill that I believe I must master if I want to really learn the art of "Divine Dance".
Last year, when I lived in the Bay Area, I took this "Divine Dance" with Miriam Peretz. She called it this and said it was a combination of Ballet, Flamenco and Persian dance! It is the ultimate dance that I had searched for so long and had finally found. Thankfully, Miriam dances all over the world. So even though I cannot attend her weekly classes now because I live here, I know there will be chances where I can dance with her.
Thus, I am preparing myself! First is learning the basics of Ballet, next, I will take up Flamenco! And for now, back to the very mundane part of learning, the art of repetition!
Fyi:
When I was in high school, I took up the violin for a while. I always enjoyed its sound and liked the romance of it. However, I didn't understand what it meant to learn a new instrument at that time. I heard from my teacher and parents constantly that I have to practice in order to get better at it but I just thought, well, as long as I learn it, it's good enough for me! However, after 3 years of attending classes, in my second year of college, I quit. I couldn't take it any longer. I wasn't even able to put the one hour a week of practice as I did before! Years later, I found out that I didn't even learn anything. Because it is through the art of repetition that one can truly learn new skills.
Yes, I call it "art" because I believe that it is. I believe that it is something on its own and only be repetition does one learn the art of repetition! In any case, lately, I know that and I understand it. In fact, as I mentioned in my previous posts, I have recently taken up Ballet. The immediate response to that is: Ballet? Now? Why? How? It seems so impossible for a 28-year old woman to take introductory Ballet and actually stick with it. Why? Because it is one of the most difficult sports and it can only be learned through the art of repetition! I guess that's what it comes down to really. People assume that if you start at a young age, you don't know any better and your body is just so prepared to take on any position you give it so if you practice ballet, your body will grow that way. While this is absolutely true and perhaps if I had started Ballet at the age of let's say 7 or 8, I will definitely not have gotten all the pain I constantly get now after class, it is also true that now, I am just so determined! Perhaps I have never been as determined to learn anything in my life, not even when I took up the violin. Lately, I just have this new zest for life and for taking advantage of everything that it has to offer. And of course, learning ballet is a skill that I believe I must master if I want to really learn the art of "Divine Dance".
Last year, when I lived in the Bay Area, I took this "Divine Dance" with Miriam Peretz. She called it this and said it was a combination of Ballet, Flamenco and Persian dance! It is the ultimate dance that I had searched for so long and had finally found. Thankfully, Miriam dances all over the world. So even though I cannot attend her weekly classes now because I live here, I know there will be chances where I can dance with her.
Thus, I am preparing myself! First is learning the basics of Ballet, next, I will take up Flamenco! And for now, back to the very mundane part of learning, the art of repetition!
Fyi:
No comments:
Post a Comment