4081 How to be an Expert
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 08:11:42 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: How to be an Expert
Great website about learning and intentional practice.
https://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/03/
how_to_be_an_ex.html
Includes these gems:
The only thing standing between you-as-amateur and you-as-expert is
dedication. All that talk about prodigies? We could all be prodigies
(or nearly so) if we just put in the time and focused. The only thing
standing between you-as-amateur and you-as-expert is dedication. All
that talk about prodigies? We could all be prodigies (or nearly so)
if we just put in the time and focused.
Most of us want to practice the things we're already good at, and
avoid the things we suck at. We stay average or intermediate amateurs
forever.
For the superior performer the goal isn't just repeating the same
thing again and again but achieving higher levels of control over
every aspect of their performance. That's why they don't find
practice boring. Each practice session they are working on doing
something better than they did the last time.
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 19:19:21 +0000
From: Lucia <curvasreales@YAHOO.COM.AR>
Subject: Re: How to be an Expert - Or Not!
Interestingly, last year's thread discussing talented dancers vs. dancing workmen and work-women wasn't convincing enough...
Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG> escribis:
The only thing standing between you-as-amateur and you-as-expert is
dedication. All that talk about prodigies? We could all be prodigies
(or nearly so) if we just put in the time and focused.
> Wrong! So Very Wrong! - the prodigies are very talented people.
> Gifted people, in all endeavours. And they are rare, very rare...
Most of us want to practice the things we're already good at, and
avoid the things we suck at. We stay average or intermediate amateurs
forever.
>Why the pejorative intonation?
>Why should an amateur (one who loves) of dance yearn to have the talents and skills of a stage performer to enjoy a social dance??? I wish I could dance Forever with my friends...
For the superior performer the goal isn't just repeating the same
thing again and again but achieving higher levels of control over
every aspect of their performance. That's why they don't find
practice boring. Each practice session they are working on doing
something better than they did the last time.
> Superior performers, huh?
> Setting common dancers' goals and expectations to performance levels is reprehensible, but it is the current fallacy of many Tango students abetted by their teachers.
> This approach to dance benefits financially only the promoters of the Tango cottage-industry, and makes life miserable to social dancers lacking self-confidence (or made to lose the confidence because of self-promoting, self-agrandizing teacher shows).
> In a word: HUMBUG!
> Lucia :-<
Abrm tu cuenta aqum
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 13:44:28 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Re: How to be an Expert - Or Not!
From Lucia's responses, I don't think she understood my comments. It
is clear she didn't actually read the discussion at the website
indicated. Lucia's inverts the ideas of the article, then argues
against the inversion.
Here is the continuation of the quote from the website:
<quote>
Most of us want to practice the things we're already good at, and
avoid the things we suck at. We stay average or intermediate amateurs
forever.
Yet the research says that if we were willing to put in more hours,
and to use those hours to practice the things that aren't so fun, we
could become good. Great. Potentially brilliant. We need, as Restak
refers to it, "a rage to master." That dedication to mastery drives
the potential expert to focus on the most subtle aspects of
performance, and to never be satisfied.
<endquote>
https://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/03/
how_to_be_an_ex.html
> For the superior performer the goal isn't just repeating the same
> thing again and again but achieving higher levels of control over
> every aspect of their performance. That's why they don't find
> practice boring. Each practice session they are working on doing
> something better than they did the last time.
>
>> Superior performers, huh? Setting common dancers' goals and
>> expectations to performance levels is reprehensible, but it is
>> the current fallacy of many Tango students abetted by their
>> teachers.
>
>> This approach to dance benefits financially only the promoters of
>> the Tango cottage-industry, and makes life miserable to social
>> dancers lacking self-confidence (or made to lose the confidence
>> because of self-promoting, self-agrandizing teacher shows).
>
>> In a word: HUMBUG!
>
>> Lucia :-<
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 16:09:04 -0500
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: How to be an Expert - Or Not!
I went to the website and read the article. It's very interesting and
presents obvious facts. It's quite true that the separation between amateur
and expert is one of dedication and pratice. I found it interesting that the
author advises to not get stuck on the basics.... Interesting ideas, good
post.
Manuel
visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com
>From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
>
>From Lucia's responses, I don't think she understood my comments. It
>is clear she didn't actually read the discussion at the website
>indicated. Lucia's inverts the ideas of the article, then argues
>against the inversion.
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 14:00:36 -0700
From: PATRICK CROTTY <patcrotty@MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: How to be an Expert - Or Not!
My dear Lucia,
Tom Stermitz is not HUMBUG. He is a good tango teacher and a good tango dancer. He knows the music of tango and he knows the subculture of =
tango. He has helped me improve my tango dancing and understanding of the music. More important, he has helped hundreds of other tango =
dancers to improve their dancing, and is constantly helping to build an authentic tango dancing community in Denver, Colorado. Yes, he will tell =
you there is no improvement without steady practice, and the practice must be built on sound technique. You are making a mountain out of the =
"prodigy" molehill. Tom is only saying, you do not have to be a prodigy to become a good tango dancer, but you must practice constantly to =
improve.
Sincerely, Pat Crotty
Denver, CO
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:30:42 +0000
From: Lucia <curvasreales@YAHOO.COM.AR>
Subject: Re: How to be an Expert - Or Not!
Dear Patrick,
I wasn't personal - I do not know Tom, and I liked some of his previous messages, and Humbug wasn't directed at him. We are talking ideas and concepts here, and these can be attacked at will, isn't it so? If anyone, including Tom felt insulted by this, I apologize.
On a different but somewhat related track because we talk teaching , I find it amusing that so many instructors accept the idea of teaching during a milonga, ignoring that one of the rules of milonga is that no teaching should be conducted there. Milonga is for pleasure only, practica is for, well, practice. When you think, It makes sense, it ain't so?
Lucia ;-)
PATRICK CROTTY <patcrotty@MSN.COM> escribis: My dear Lucia,
Tom Stermitz is not HUMBUG. He is a good tango teacher and a good tango dancer. He knows the music of tango and he knows the subculture of tango. He has helped me improve my tango dancing and understanding of the music. More important, he has helped hundreds of other tango dancers to improve their dancing, and is constantly helping to build an authentic tango dancing community in Denver, Colorado. Yes, he will tell you there is no improvement without steady practice, and the practice must be built on sound technique. You are making a mountain out of the "prodigy" molehill. Tom is only saying, you do not have to be a prodigy to become a good tango dancer, but you must practice constantly to improve.
Sincerely, Pat Crotty
Denver, CO
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Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 16:47:04 -0600
From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: How to be an expert
I agree with the article wholeheartedly. It states what should be
obvious in an easily understood manner. I always try to get better at
things I enjoy; like cooking, gardening, or Argentine Tango.
Lucia wrote <<<<<Why should an amateur (one who loves) of dance yearn to
have the
talents and skills of a stage performer to enjoy a social dance??? I
wish I could dance Forever with my friends...<<<<<
Where does it say anything about being a stage performer? It just talks
about people who always want to improve, and those who don't. And if
your friends are like those who took six weeks of lessons ten years ago,
but haven't worked to improve since, I don't want to dance with them.
And Lucia also wrote <<<<<<Superior performers, huh? Setting common
dancers' goals and expectations to performance levels is reprehensible,
but it is the current fallacy of many Tango students abetted by their
teachers.>>>>>>>
Why the fixation on "performers"? It is clear from the context of the
article that it does not mean those who perform on stage, but only the
participants in a sport/hobby/endeavor.
Here's to all those who continually strive for perfection, knowing that
we can never quite reach it!
Ciao,
Michael from Houston
