Avoiding Over-thinking on the Dance Floor

There’s a saying: Paralysis by analysis. It means the more we over-think something, the less we feel what the correct action should be. Our feelings and instincts might not count for so much when say, trimming your nails, but they count for most of what makes dancing feel like dancing.

Mind Games

The first thing to understand is that the mind is a devious son-of-a-gun. It LOVES to analyze, and will latch on to anything you’re thinking of, given half a chance. Heck, I over-think every article I write! If you are a chronic over-thinker, don’t fear it - that only makes it worse - but DO respect it.

What Is Over-thinking?

Over-thinking means to allow in any information that isn’t immediately relevant to doing the activity (in this case, ballroom dancing). Judgements about the teaching method, frustrations about how slow you’re learning, worry about what your friends are thinking when you stumble on your promenade… All this does is distract you from doing and ultimately enjoying your dance.

The Enemy of Analysis

Peak athletes often describe a feeling they get when they’re body is completely moving in unison, when thinking isn’t required, yet they had total awareness of what was happening around them. This feeling is aptly described as flow. I love this definition, in that it contrasts with the static, hold-on, look-before-you-leap, fear-frozen thing that is our over-thinking mind.

How it Breaks Our Dancing

When we ballroom dance, there’s a lot to keep track of mentally: staying connected with our partner, maintaining good frame, moving to the music, rise and fall, Cuban motion, etc., etc., etc… As we first learn each new technique, our over-thinking mind has a field-day.

Yet, for each level of detail to transform from something we mechanically do, to something we own inside of us, there comes a point where the mind needs to increasingly release it’s death grip and let the body do it’s job. And this is where the trouble starts.

You see, the brain is addicted to thinking. If you’re a leader, you may find you want to try and be aware of everything your body does at once. This is about a successful as a caterpillar trying to figure out how he uses all his legs.

For followers, your brain loves to plan ahead, or better yet, just lead the step yourself! THEN you’ll be safe! For leaders, this is akin to driving a car, and having your partner reach over and turn the wheel because she thinks you missed a right back there.

Beating the Brain

Another way of saying you want to reduce over-thinking is saying you want to stay in focus. There are two main routes you can take to improve your focus on your lessons and gradually achieve that awesome feeling of flow that eludes us: Either strengthen your ability to concentrate through activities like mediation, or better understand the things that distract you, and resolve them. Often you’ll find it’s a combination of both that balances you. We’ll take a peek at these methods next week.

 When your mind wanders, what do you find yourself thinking about?