How to choose your own dance instructor.

Dance students naturally want to get the most they can from their lessons, but often lack a clear understanding of how to do so. In fact, any student's progress depends mostly upon how they approach and use their lessons. Fast, complete and efficient progress will result only from a logical and structured approach to learning. (As for me, the best choice for ballroom dance (Toronto) and Latin dance classes (Toronto) is a Dance Studio of Arthur Murray. )

1: Set a Goal - Quite simply, unless both the instructor and the student have a clear understanding of the skills and abilities that are to be developed, then progress suffers. A frank discussion of goals and the formation of a solid teaching plan are essential.

2: Correct Frame of Mind - The student-teacher relationship is one of both physical and mental participation. Knowledge can only be gained through focused attention and a willingness to learn. Students should take care to apply themselves to the task at hand, and to do their best to perform the new elements according to their instructor's direction.

3: Concentration and Focus - Sometimes students, in a desire to "do everything right", will focus on one facet of dancing while the instructor is attempting to work on another. The experienced instructor will not expect their students to correctly perform all of their old skills while learning something new. The student should direct their attention only to the topic which the instructor has chosen, and the instructor will later amalgamate the new knowledge with the old.

4: Allow the Instructor to Teach - The student is wasting their instructor's skills if they do not allow the instructor to exercise their own judgment and abilities. Many students, who would not dream of telling their doctor what medicine to prescribe or their mechanic how to repair their car, will not hesitate to tell their instructor which part of their dancing most needs attention, and how they should be taught. Instead, the instructor should be given rein to teach as they see fit, so long as they are working to the best of their abilities towards the student's goals. If this path does not yield the desired results, then another instructor should be found.

Remember also that learning to dance is different from learning pure mental skills -- sometimes understanding comes only after correct performance, instead of the other way around. The student should always try to allow the instructor to complete a presentation, since quite often full understanding dawns only when the presentation is complete and a "feel" for the action is obtained. If at that point the student does not understand, then they should ask for clarification. Otherwise, they should try to allow the instructor to exercise their professional skills -- after all, that is what they were hired to do in the first place.

5: Practice - Practice is probably the most under-rated aspect of a student's learning. Those students who apply themselves to their practice invariably show more consistent progress than those who do not. Students of tennis, skiing, martial arts, music, golf, or most other physical pursuits consider practice an integral part of their learning, but all too often students of social dance do not. The human mind can consciously demand only so much of the body at one time, and is not capable of simultaneously monitoring or directing more than one or two aspects of the body's movement. In order to correctly perform several different dance elements, the body must be able to function independently of concentration -- in other words, good dancing skills must be habitual. Habits can only be formed through repetition. This can also be a pitfall, since a repeated action will become habit whether that action is desirable or not! Care must be taken to ensure that CORRECT performance is practiced AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME, since the body will "remember" those actions which it has performed MOST OFTEN.

6: Regularity - Regularity also has a bearing on progress, since too much time between lessons breaks up the continuity of the learning progress, allows the student to forget too much of any lesson's instruction, and forces the instructor to unnecessarily repeat topics.

7: Variety:

A - Instructors - Just as a single sculpture may be described in different ways by observers with different points of view, so may many dancing elements be described or approached in many different ways, serving to develop a more complete and thorough understanding. However, one instructor should be chosen to be the main guide to a student's progress, serving as a "manager" for that student's overall learning. (Beware of instructors who advise you only to take lessons from themselves!)

B - Lesson Types - Smart students also participate in different types of lessons; private lessons, group classes, practice sessions, coaching lessons and workshops all serve to strengthen, reinforce, and diversify the student's learning.

C - Partners - A variety of partners serves to broaden dancing skills. Dependence upon a single partner can lead to the formation of weaknesses, since when a certain aspect of dancing is not challenged or used, it atrophies. A variety of partners tend to challenge a student's skills in a larger number of situations than most single partners can provide.

What is Fortune for Most People?

Recently I came across the web, and found "Learning to Flow with the Tao" . I clicked on the picture of the Wandering Sage while thinking of "What is Wandering Sage means?". And read the following I Ching:

"Your symbol is Hexagram number one, which deals with creativity. All the lines in this hexagram are yang and represent the dragon, the Chinese symbol for spiritual power, wisdom and strength.

In the first line the dragon is hidden. The message is to wait for the dragon, or creative energy, before beginning a creative endeavor.

In the second line the dragon appears in the field. This is the time for action, when the inspiration, or muse, is revealed.

In the third line we see a person who works long hours, ignoring the natural rhythms of work and rest. Although this is dangerous, his/her position is safe.

In the fourth line a person takes risks, just as a dragon may leap in the darkness of night. As long as the foundation is stable, there will be no misfortune..."

Really good, yea? Is it fortune to get such I Ching? Or something likes the following would be better for you?

"Just believe me, my friend." - I said it.

An $80 million dollar idea!

Damien Hirst spent about $20 million on putting 8,601 diamonds into platinum cast of a skull from an actual person. He was European and lived between 1720 and 1810. On this artwork his teeth are still showing, but the rest of him is covered with numerous of diamonds.

"I wouldn't mind if it happened to my skull after my death." - said Damien Hirst

A lot of people talks strongly about it, negatively or positively, but that's part of the job of an artist; to make people think or look at things in a different way. So, in the responses that it has provoked, it succeeds as a work of art.

Hirst's diamond skull is on the market for about $100 million, which will be a good return on the artist's investment as he spent about $20 million on putting the thing together. That's an $80 million dollar idea!

Artworks's language is universal

A friend of mine says that he have to translate some of his posters for foreign customers. Why does he have do it? I strongly believe that posters and prints express the profound sense briefly without a translation. The performance doesn't have to being translated into text.

Perhaps some people have trouble understanding and appreciating of art? The artworks are nothing more than just the expression of artists feelings or thoughts. "And it is upon this capacity of man to receive another man's expression of feeling and experience those feelings himself, that the activity of art is based." - said Leo Tolstoy.

Most of people communicate their feelings and emotions in ways other than art. But what is unusual about the communication through art without any speech? Open your mind and let the reflection of art moves your heart. Artworks are not only commercial products!

How Much Should The Art Print Costs?

I don't think I really have as much talent as people say I do, I think it's more hard work that anything. So, whenever they're like: "Oh you have so much talent, this print is awesome! How much is it costs?" - it just really upsets me, because I have no answer....right? With practice...right?

When people ask me for a quote, I always follow the same process. I visit related sites with art prints for sale and determine the following: prices of similar artworks. Based on my experience, I have reason to believe that about 75% of all open edition prints cost around $300-500. But the original artworks often sold out at $1500-5000. So, about 80% of peoples who just saw my prices thought, “Gosh, that’s awfully expensive!” Nine times out of ten, my answer causes them to run for the hills.

Well, they’re right, but actually, they’re wrong too.

They’re right because $1500 is a decent chunk of change - for an individual. They’re wrong because art dealers throw this kind of bread around all the time.

Artists pass the flame after 30 years old

There are many art community (like Deviant Art or GF Artist) which help artists to sell artworks on-line. And if you pay attention to age group of such artists, the basic share - people from 20 till 30 years which have started to paint since 14 years old. On portals where sell reproductions of art prints and posters, hardly you will see these artists. Practically all portals which are guided by the modern art, sell artworks of 40-50 years artists.
It means that time for reception of popularity after 30 years is necessary for "newbie" artists. Art as wine, than longer endurance that it is more tasty.