I like the idea of muscle memory. That after several times doing a routine dancers start to rely mainly on their body remembering the routine and not their mind. The mind tends to switch off and the body in turn takes over. We put all our trust into our muscles remembering the dance steps as our mind drifts elsewhere.
Why do I like this idea?
I like this idea as I find it fascinating that the body can remember what it has done previously. As a dancer I take it very much for granted but when I stop to think about it I do find it fascinating. My mum will ask me after every contract "but how do you remember all those routines?!" And that I cannot explain to her in words. All I can say in response is "I just do!" My body just knows what is coming next which as a dancer is a a great tool to have!
I also like this idea as once you can rely on your body to remember the routine you can really start to enjoy what you are doing and feel what you are doing. From experience I know that when I go on stage and over think every step, every count, every piece of music, that is when I make mistakes! But when I shut off my mind and let my body take over then I can really enjoy what I am doing and feel and perform every move I make instead of over thinking and panicking which ruins my performance.
By unpicking the layers of why I like the idea of muscle memory I have discovered I find it fascinating because it makes me feel instead of think! I no longer as a dancer take muscle memory for granted, I understand it has a major impact on my performance which is hugely important in my profession.
No comments:
Post a Comment