I think that the only reason why people hold onto memories so tight, for so long is because memories are the only thing that do not change, even when people do. Memories warm you up from the inside but they also tear you apart. I believe that every good memory is worth repeating in my life. But one in particular, is related to ‘Dance’. Dancing is worth repeating in my life over and over again. It is an expression of my inner most feelings, throwing away feelings of inadequacy and being myself completely. Actually a form of acting with elegance and grace. Dance is meditation for me where I am fully alive to each and every moment of my life. Dance is also proven very effective for the brain and is considered a stress relief factor for those who have passion towards dancing.
Dance for me is worth repeating and this idea can be related to Mikics theory of slow reading as he specifies that ‘reading’ is worth repeating. Mikics states that some works, frankly, respond better to slow reading and for that matter, repeated reading. And such works come from every time and every place, though most of Mikics’ choices are familiar: Moby Dick; Emily Dickinson’s poetry; Invisible Man; A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Alice Munro’s short story “Invisible Swans”, to which Mikics gives substantial consideration to.
Mikics claims that reading is more effective than internet researching as it not only improves your vocabulary but also makes you more focused and attentive. Similarly, participating in dance can help increase your concentration and confidence through mastering new skills. You require an undivided concentration span while dancing as there are various different things you do while dancing such as dancing while recollecting the sequence of the steps. Therefore, the idea of concentration and focus relates to Mikics essay, ‘Slow reading in a hurried age1.’
David Mikics’ novel, Slow Reading in a Hurried Age1, is a baseless attempt at teaching one to read a book. The problem, as stated by Mikics, is the internet as, in his words, it consumes too much time from an individual and leads to people making only small scans of information. The simplicity of having everything at the click of a button is unacceptable to Mikics as he states it prevents one from being engaged in meaningful reading as necessary. This notion again, relates to dance as this activity has helped me form as a person instead of being on the internet repeatedly. Dancing builds resilience and determination because, well, dance is hard! You learn to keep trying despite failed attempts, keep going when things don’t go as planned, and yes, occasionally grit your teeth through a bit of pain. Dance also gives you plenty of chances to be resourceful and a creative thinker, especially if dance is your chosen career. These small