Celebrating Three Years: A Week of Relaxation and Reflection

This week marked a special milestone for us—our three-year anniversary. To celebrate, we escaped to the beach for a few days of blissful relaxation. The setting was nothing short of idyllic: golden sunshine, the soothing sound of waves, and the simple joy of snuggling with our little one. It was the perfect getaway to unwind and momentarily release the pressures of everyday life.

However, the calm didn’t last long upon our return. We were quickly reminded of the demands of our dancing routine, especially since we hadn’t practiced during our trip. Feeling the need to catch up, we dedicated ourselves to intense practice sessions as the week drew to a close. 

This got me thinking about how differently our memories work, particularly in the context of learning and practicing dance. For me, a single move, a piece of music, or even a casual reminder can instantly trigger my memory, bringing back the choreography we’ve worked on. On the other hand, Andrew’s memory requires more deliberate effort and repetition to recall the same details.

Understanding how your memory functions best is crucial for optimizing learning. Here are a few strategies we’ve found effective:

1. Video Recording: Capture your lessons or practice sessions on video. Watching these recordings can jog your memory and reinforce the techniques and steps.

2. Recreate the Lesson: Shortly after a practice session, walk through the choreography again. Talk through the movements, noting what needs improvement. This active recall helps solidify the learning process.

3. Written Notes: Writing down key points from your lessons can be helpful, though it might be more time-consuming. It’s a good method if you prefer a slower, more reflective approach to learning.

Whatever method you choose, it’s essential to review and practice as soon as possible—ideally within a day or two. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that details will fade from memory, making it harder to improve and potentially turning learning into a frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable and empowering one.

Armed with our videos this week, we focused on refining our shaping, particularly our engagement of the hips, backs, and head weight. The reward of seeing our dance transform is immensely satisfying, even if we are still working on the waltz after all this time!

Warmly,

Natalia