"I'd Like to Teach the World to Dance"
But, first, a little background. One of my dreams from a young age was to 'rescue' people, things. I dreamt I was 'Superboy' and I would fly around and find abused kids and defend them or rescue them.
Now days, I feel that same thing from time-to-time, when I see old war-horses still suffering the loss of comrades, women who had their faces destroyed by acid or fire, people with disabilities.
I also realize that actually having that kind of superpower is fraught with problems. You can't 'touch' everyone. You'd end up doing nothing else in a world filled with billions who are suffering. And, worst of all you can't know what is in people's hearts. You might heal someone and have them go on, unleashed and take vengeance, or become a dictator. After all, it is often our pain and suffering which makes us 'who we are'. It would be like having the 'Ring of Power', like Galadriel in Lord of the Rings, and she turned it down.
So, instead, I thought, maybe it's better to teach the world something else, as the title says, to Dance. Dance by themselves, dance with a partner, dance with a group.
That, my friends, is exactly what the wonderful "instructors" of the Martial Way here, in our little group are doing. One student, one class at a time they are traveling the world and teaching people to dance.
I would issue two challenges. One, don't just teach the dance of death (I know you aren't by seeing your smiling faces and smiling students). Two, actually take your students out to a dance. Get them to do swing dancing, or jitterbug or something. Actually have 'dancing' as part of your promotional exams. I've often said that a MA who can't dance won't be a very good fighter.
Sorry about the diatribe, and thanks for reading. Now, go out in the world, or just your backyard and shake your booty, and do it like nobody is watching.
~Badger Johnson
Jul 31, 2016
Please check out Badger Johnson's other essays:
- A Martial Framework by Badger Johnson
- How To Exceed Your Plateaus by Badger Johnson
- Adding to Arnold's Six Principles of Success
- Badger Johnson - 10 Tips on how to analyze a martial art for effectiveness
- "To be a master is very different from being an expert." by Badger Johnson
- Addendum, Clarification and Expansion of Paul Vunak's Fighting Secrets by Badger Johnson
- Expanded Ways of Attack by Badger Johnson
- "Fifty Important Elements in Martial Arts" by Badger Johnson
- Badger Johnson - Can Trapping Work?
- The Genesis and Development of Zone Theory by Badger Johnson
- A few aspects of self-defense training by Badger Johnson
- Some of the important ten things… by Badger Johnson
- Over-speed Training - Accessing the Subconscious and the Power of Threes
- Thresholding
- Coaching, self-coaching, talent, experience, genetics, opportunity, motivation
- Some thoughts today
NOTE: My sincerest appreciation for Badger's gracious consent for permission to archive his essay to my site.
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