Enjoy the beginner process

 I was teaching an essential beginners pilate class recently to a group of absolute beginners – as in 1-3 classes of experience.  After class the group hung out for a few minutes talking when I walked in.  One woman who I have taught 3 times told me that her first timer pack of 3 was over now and should she jump into the intermediate class now that she had done 3 beginner classes?

I was floored.  And also reminded of how fast people want to jump through the hoops of learning.

Being a beginner is BEAUTIFUL.  Being a beginner is SPECIAL.  Being a beginner is FOUNDATIONAL.  EVERYTHING YOU LEARN AS A BEGINNER FOLLOWS YOU FOR LIFE.

How many of us are constantly trying to relearn & modify basic moves because we learned them incorrectly?

How many of us keep going back to basics because this is what makes us a better dancer, practitioner, mover?

Why is there a sense of shame in saying you are a beginner?

This is the only time in your life that you will be here.  Live it. Love it. Absorb it. Ask all the questions. Feel all the feels.  And if its not working for you, then find a new teacher.

The beginner stage is one of exploration & wonder.  Its also hella uncomfortable & sometimes frustrating & humbling.  This is why most people give up their pursuit.  

As teachers we have to foster this sense of exploration while supporting the process. Teaching beginners is HARD AF. It requires great patience, a ton of repetition, lots of cueing and energy. We also have to sell the class to the students so that they want to come back.  Lots won’t and thats ok.  But its extremely important to hold everyone close during this period so that they feel safe with their bodies and their personal journey.

Think about it – we are receiving someone who has never ever moved this way before.  For whatever reason they are there, in front of you, asking to learn.   How truly humbling & amazing is this?  And this process is so hard – to learn new movements and ways to express, to understand muscles and anatomical positions while keeping up with the class.  To hold back the learning opportunities because you don’t want to stand out too much as a beginner…its alot to carry.

So wherever you are at, please just slow down and enjoy the process.  There is not need to rush into the next level.  Remember that you are building a house and right now you are setting the foundation and supports.  You don’t want that house to fall down one you lay floors and put up walls!  You want that foundation firm, solid & steady.  Because its an expensive, time consuming and ego destroying mission to go back and try to fix everything once the house is fully built.