Recently, I came across a Ted-ED video about Mastery, or perfecting a skill.

Did you know it takes about 10,000 hours of practising a skill to completely master it Dance routines are made up of numerous skills, linked together with other choreographic elements. No wonder top dancers train and cross-train so much!

But how do you know if you’re doing it right? Is the way we’ve been practising this whole time effective? How can we get better at practising? How do we master Mastery?

The Ted-ED video is a bit sciency, but for 4 minutes of your time, it’s worth a watch. Basically, practising strengthens the connection between your brain and body, and it’s a very specific effect for the skills or routines you are training for.

Watch it here and then read on for a ‘laymans’s translation.

Do-dee-do-dee-dooo….

You’re back? OK, here goes:

Translation 1: No matter how many years’ experience of dancing, you still need to train and practise to nail your routines. ‘Muscle memory’ and years of experience will help you become more efficient at this over time. But it will never eliminate the need to practise thoroughly.

Translation 2: Start out slowly each time you practise. Break down the movements and do each one slowly. Do the dance without music, so you are not consigned to the eventual intended pace of the movements. Doing it slowly warms up the brain-body connection and helps you perfect the movements associated with the skill or choreography, without the pressure of tempo. In other words, start to love the detailing process!

Translation 3: Practise regularly. Duh, we already knew this one! But here’s the thing – you don’t need to practise physically. It turns out that all those years I was doing my dance and calisthenics routines in my head to help me fall asleep were actually helping me get better at my craft. The trick according to science is to practise with vivid imagery. Imagine yourself in training gear. At the barre. The smell of the wooden floors. See yourself doing every movement, perfectly. If your self-doubt interrupts this, start the routine again. Mind over matter, literally.

This is also the last thing you should do before you go on stage – your best routine ever, all inside your head. You are the most {insert expletive} amazing dancer that has ever graced the stage!

THUMP.

Now back to reality – off you go, eliminate all those distractions and put these tips to the test!