So as I mentioned in the previous post, there was a spontaneous jam circle at the end of Lennert and W's class yesterday in Herrang. Inspired by the music, I jumped in with one of the follows from our class and did a short sequence — something like a couple of swingouts, a do-si-do, and a swing out to a slide to get out of the circle. It was easy and fun. Afterwards some other people jumped in, including some instructors and other more advanced dancers, including Max, Peter Strom, Mia, and Frida Bourg.
The next time there was a break in the jam, I tried to grab one of the follows from my class to jump in again, but she resisted.
"Let's go in. This is awesome," I said.
"No, there are too many teachers in the room now."
"Come on, this is just a class. It's no big deal."
"No, I can't. I can't," she pleaded.
I asked four other follows from my advanced class and all of them refused with similar reasons.
I talked later with the first woman about it. She is normally a showboat of a dancer, very flamboyant and energetic. She has been dancing for most of her life and does aerials with her partner. And yet she said that the improvisational nature of a dance jam really intimidated her. "What if I mess up?" she asked. "In front of all those great dancers!"
"I guess the entire world would end," I answered.
I can totally see where she is coming from. It can be scary being in a jam, particularly if there are other "rockstar" dancers in the jam. Maybe you don't think you have the flashiest move to show off, or the most bad ass trick. But mostly it's about confronting your inner critic and telling him to shut the eff up.
I'm proud of myself that I jumped on the moment last night, and for once didn't let the critic keep me out of the jam. Small victories, but victories nonetheless.
Getting on stage to sing is scary enough for most people but if Cher and Celine Dion are on that stage already, there ain’t no way in hell I’m walking on to deliver a mic and I’m sure as hell ain’t singing!
Let’s face it, Jam Circles are about showing off, about the flash done for people outside the circle. If it’s a Teacher’s Jam or the caliber of dancers far exceeds your own, then I can totally understand refusing to follow some amazing trick that Max just did with the crowd going wild. But then again, I don’t do Jam Circles at all. Kudos to you however for jumping in.
yeah it is intimidating.
But my main point is that there is nothing preventing you from bringing your badass self to the jam except YOURSELF. And your perceptions of how people MIGHT think about you.
The Cher/Celine thing would make sense if it was a big concert with thousands of people, a professional event – but Rik’s story is about an impromptu jam in a class.
There isn’t a point where you become ‘good enough’, but there is a point where you become confident enough. Confidence means being okay with yourself even if you mess up. Just go for it – Lindy Hoppers reward that.
What a great post!
I hear this often from folks since we a monthly Grad Jam at Fizz. The teachers are always supportive and out that night. Meanwhile, there are a number of their students that ready to stick their heads in a hole.
One day they might appreciate the improvisational nature of this dance. Its is PERFECTLY fine to muck up, with your partner, in front of people, and your teachers. I think some of my favorite dance moments come from the “mistakes”.
Oh and Simplicity! Why do folks feel they need to bring the lightening and thunder to a jam? How enjoyable is is to just see some solid swing outs? Or even watching beginning swing dance students have the guts to share their newly found rockstep with the room?
Man that was a really fun Jam. I don’t know why peoplehad misgivings. That class was so good and I thought was really condusive to people just dancing with their partner and having fun. Anyway, I was the one the jam started around and I’m awful.
Hey! so, two thoughts:
1) I agree with you, but I think it’s also interesting to think about the difference between being a lead and going into a jam with someone who’s not a regular partner and being a follow who goes into a jam with someone who’s not your regular partner. You have a lot less control over what happens, as a follow. Presumably, in the situation you described, (in an Advanced class at a badass event), everyone who you might jump in there with is a good lead. But badass following requires a certain mental state of flow, and it’s definitely harder to achieve for some people (I’m one of those people) under the pressure (audience) and at the tempo of a jam circle. And you don’t wanna look bad in front of people you might really want to dance with later!
2) I agree with you, and I actually wrote an essay that talks about sort of similar thoughts (letting go of your inner critic, forgiving yourself on the dance floor, how fear of “failure” in social dancing is an irrational fear) but not in the context of a jam circle, just in regular dancing, in response to some things I learned at Stompology a few weeks ago. The essay is here:Necessary and Sufficient, over at my friend’s blog, if you’d be interested in reading it sometime.
[the link formatting doesn’t seem to work, according to the preview? http://allthecatsjoinin.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/necessary-and-sufficient/%5D