Update

BRAZIL - WOW, WHAT AN EXPERIENCE

on so many different levels. Here are a few of my thoughts...


As a Performer

FLASHBACK A few years ago, a group of us went to Malta to participate in an 11-day folk dance festival. Performing 9 of 11 days, with a few 2-gig days was TIRING! I remember coming off of that tour thinking...DAMN that was gruelling!

PRESENT DAY Shiiiiit! Malta was nothing. Tiring is an hour rehearsal every morning for 10 of 11 days, performing twice a day for about 9 of those 11 days, and carrying racks and gongs 2-3 blocks downhill and uphill every other day, while staying up until 2-3 am EVERY night for a mandatory party and then getting back up by 8 EVERY morning to rehearse again.

In an earlier post, I referred to myself as a weekend warrior. I officially rescind that categorization.

I have lived, albeit briefly, the life of a professional performer. It's hard work. Though I think the limiting location (we were in the province) and the forced mingling (nightly parties) made the life more exhausting than it should have been.

Despite the challenges, I've gained from the experience. Most importantly, my finger strength and muscle memory are at its best yet. I barely feel the fret board when playing the bandurria that fingering now feels fluid and almost effortless. My fingers used to tire and strain after long sets, but now they have better endurance. Also, I didn't use any sheet music, so my confidence is up when playing sans notes.

You know I always give it up to my fellow musicians...nothings changed there! I am always amazed that just when I think we're plateauing, we seem to take it up another notch. We did well on the big stage, but we really shined during the side gigs, especially after performing during a blackout, under the dim lights of emergency lighting, while sitting on the edge of the stage, to a packed house of several hundred locals - Likha Rondalla Unplugged! Special props to OJ. Despite being deathly sick (he started looking like Benicio Del Toro), he trooped on...even when he was so sick that we was falling asleep at the instrument (agung and guitar!) - while playing!!

I also want to give kudos to the dancers on this trip. They stepped up and adjusted to the many challenging change of repertoires ("uhhh...what do you mean we're now doing Burong Talo?!?" and "uhhh...what do you mean we're doing Three Chieftains now?!?"). Also, they brought their A game to the stage, which got the audience into it, which got us an instant standing O (tinikling is dope).

TANGENTI have to confess though that it's an adjustment to come back to practice. Last Sunday I got frustrated quicker when the company goofed off and didn't focus. If you know me, then you know I love having fun. But now I have a fire inside me that expects a high level of focus, attention, and performance. I suppose it's because I've seen the company's A game, which was such an inspiring thing to see that I want to see it all the time!

The possible solution? I dunno. Perhaps it's something that involves communicating and modelling expectations, while also mentoring new folks for a more efficient transition into the dance culture. These thoughts come from my own opinions on education. I don't favor the top-down "do this" and "do that" approach, without a structure of support. It's like throwing a novice student driver into a car, showing them a busy freeway, and then stepping back and saying "OK. Drive like them." Sure, they might eventually learn to drive on their own, but it'll take too long or somethings bound to break or someones bound to get hurt in the process.

Some things you can do top-down, teaching once (or twice) and expecting immediate success. I would include in this category hardskills, choreography, music, etc. However other things, like new softskills or behaviors, are harder to learn. Students always struggle to varying degrees. In these cases learning is more powerful and longlasting if its an interactive, dyanamic process, where the student has ownership of the experience.

A few hardskills to model might include how to use the mirrors, how to sense spacing while performing, how to develop precision while dancing with others, and even how to memorize counts and choreography. A few softskills to pass down might include knowing when and when not to mess around, recognizing group productivity and non-productivity, learning how to be attentive and listening even if you're busy doing something else, and learning how to troubleshoot a messed up dance or music piece (a la tinikling this past Wednesday night!) for that matter.

Anyway, those are just a few positive rambling thoughts :) It's time to go to bed.

Next time...Brazil:
As a husband/parent
•Calling Isaac
•Missing the wife

As a student of life
•Living with 11 guys
•The other groups.

As someone who appreciates odds and ends
•Leaf-cutting ants
•Septic musings