Little Details

So, I've realized that I haven't posted since Wednesday. Time is flying by! Only four days until the Proud Mary performance! I'm so ready for it, too. I have been dancing around the house, practicing, trying to perfect little details. Are my arms off center? Should I put more weight on the left foot? What direction should I turn my head for this step? These are the things that drive me crazy before a performance! But, I have found by observing and practicing that it's the little details like these that will really make or break a dance. Think about the last time you saw someone dance. What struck you the most? The way they had memorized the movements, or the way they portrayed the emotion the music was trying to convey? I think about what makes professionals so much better than everyone else, and I've found that the answer lies in the way they flourish their dance to embody the music. And, they do it so naturally. You can't teach emotion, and by knowing this I come to appreciate the way a dancer commits entirely to stretching the emotion of the music into every cell of the body. This, I believe is what separates greatness from mediocrity. So, as the upcoming performances draw near, I will be reminding myself to pay attention to the little details, because without them, all of my hard work may be percieved as simple mediocrity.