Something that I have been learning about for a long time is Irish Dance. I have been dancing for around seven years, and through those seven years I have learned countless different dance steps and choreography routines. Until recently, it did not occur to me how strange Irish Dance must seem to people who do not practice it. I always would tell people that memorizing choreography and steps can be challenging, but with a little practice, it is not as difficult as it seems and the different style of the dance becomes normal. I was recently watching a theater performance of Les Miserables and I was so appalled at how seemingly easily all the actors and actresses remembered their lines, songs, and choreography. It seemed impossible, especially for the leads, who had long soliloquies, to remember all the words and choreography while also singing. Then, I remembered how amazed some people are (much to my surprise) at Irish Dance performances. |
Because I put so much practice and rehearsal into dance performances, I never just witness the finished, polished product. I always experience all the mistakes of learning the choreography and steps. Also because of this I always notice any time my performance has a mistake, whereas other people may not because I have spent so much time going over and over every little detail.
The passion any performer holds for their work also helps with the learning process because it pushes people to be the best they can be. In any case, learning something new can seem much easier or harder depending on the person who looks at it.