Ulog #15: How Performing is Just Like Blogging - Sharing Your Craft to an Audience
It's only lately that I got myself involved in performing arts - thanks to pole. Growing up during my grade school years, the only times I'm on stage was when I recite poems, when I'm competing for a Math and Science Quiz Bowl and during culminating activities when I take my proud moments of accepting my academic awards.
Also, it is only lately, after I graduated college that I got interested in blogging. I used to write in my diary but those are gibberish words and random thoughts that was never intended for a wide audience. It took time for me to decide to blog because I wasn't confident about my skills- much the same with my dancing skills.
The common thing about performing and blogging is that both requires an audience. You can dance like a retard in the shower and write 20 pages in your diary. But when you intend to do these things for others, it's a whole different story. Because I still consider myself a sucker in both things, I have come to realize that my journey in two different fields aren't too divergent. In fact, I can think of several things that make performing similar to blogging.
1. Performing is like Blogging: It is only Half Talent
![20180514_133245_0001.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXwGddaYDr7HPHC2Haqu8UkoukNJozT45Xnjr4WMz3hCj/20180514_133245_0001.png)
Let me share to you a beautiful photo of my fellow students in their costumes for their jazz performance. I am going to be blunt here - not all of these girls are good dancers.
Some are even having a hard time doing a turn without losing their balance. But what I learned about performing is that its not just about talent. It's about hard work and making the most of what you are capable of. It's about working on your weakness and improving to suck less. In the end? These girls made a very awesome performance.
Bloggers are not born good writers. I tried digging through the old posts of my favorite Science beauty blogger and I tell you, she used to write crap back in 2012. But she has been consistently writing and eventually grew thousands of readers.
2. Performing is Like Blogging: You Push Your Self Harder Because You Have an Audience.
![20180514_111123_0001.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaY82GNFvDhLfWfonvPoDurdR1MuKyWQ9n9Ybt496iWsm/20180514_111123_0001.png)
At first, I didn't understand why students pay for a recital. Why would I spend money just to get 4 minutes in the spotlight, when I can enjoy all the comfort of not having to stress about performing?
I was able to answer my own questions when I saw how professional artists train for a performance. "People will be watching, you don't want to give them a shitty show", that's what my coach said. I learned that when you have an audience, you push yourself harder than when you just keep your craft to yourself. I used to just keep a diary because I enjoy writing. But it wasn't until I started blogging that I became more conscious about my grammar and the overall readability of my work. Now, I write with less "graaaaggggghH" and "OMG's". Of course, I worked harder in improving my English, since it is not my first language.
3. Performing is like Blogging: You Work with Deadlines
![20180718_094911_0001.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmU4ntX7Rwg5yGk7YhdjrxcA1QL1u5dsvtLj89e2FmNBD3/20180718_094911_0001.png)
When you perform, you discipline yourself by setting a deadline for every milestone. You don't train at your own pace. You are under the pressure of a performance date. To be successful in blogging, you don't wait for the heavens to shine its rays upon you and give you inspiration to write. You have to set deadlines to push your ass to write even if you don't feel like it.
4. Performing is Like Blogging: You are Always Passionate for Learning
Having an audience means you will always have critics. The best way to handle criticism is focus on how you can improve. Like I mentioned, I'm a beginner in both performing and blogging and I still suck at both. Criticisms can be demotivating. However, when you do something that you really like, you become passionate about sucking less. You work hard on your weakness and pat yourself on the back for little progress.
5. Performing and Blogging can Both Give You an Opportunity to Inspire
![20180514_123757_0001.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmefMVQoeGvjBsEMLnVbvYcZENahJ8GBAoPk8UwiASz8Qe/20180514_123757_0001.png)
Two years ago, I was still 8 months in training for Pole dancing, I watched an International Pole Competition in Manila. I can still remember how inspired I was with the grace and strength of the pole athletes. It made me realize, that someday, I want to be able to create the same magic to other people, just as what these pole athletes did to me. Perhaps the greatest fulfillment in performing is the opportunity to touch your audience's hearts.
In writing, you don't have to be the best in the subject matter, you just need to be able to connect to a specific group of readers who find value to your work. For me, I can never please everyone. But if I could make an impact in even just one person's life through writing, then it's reason enough to keep going.
How about you? Have you ever dreamed of performing? What do you like doing that requires an audience?
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Thank yoU!
woahhh Grabe on point kaayu! Btw I saw your zarins blog :D pwede na nimo ma integrate ang wordpress ug steemit through steempress plugin :D
Really? Howw
install lang ka steempress na plugin. Pero I recommend to delay maski one 1 hr ang posting sa steemit pra dli ma affect imong SEO. naa rana sa settings sa plugin.
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
What a fantastic post! I was drawn to it because of the pole dancing aspect, as I met someone at the weekend who does pole dancing as an exercise, and what she was saying about it really interested me. It's great for all-round strengthening and flexibility.
But your post says much more than that, comparing performing to blogging, and it's such a good comparison. I've years of experience as a journalist, and I wholeheartedly agree that writing is like performing. And by the way, your English is impeccable - I was surprised when you said that English is not your first language.
I also love making videos, and that is even more like performing. It took me ages to take the plunge and make my first video for YouTube, about 3 years ago. I thought people would find it dull and boring. Then I realised that this was not the point. I wasn't trying to be the best entertainer ever - I was trying to reach my audience, the people who were interested in what I had to say. My early YouTube videos were a video diary about a health condition I had. I had about 8 viewers for each one - but over the years they have attracted that niche audience, and have become more popular.
Looking back, I'm glad that I didn't try to put on a false personality, because those videos are now a reminder for me of how unwell I was, and how much my fitness has progressed since then. As you say, sometimes it's best to just be yourself, with all your flaws, in a performance.
This art is so unique. Personally, i have never tried but would love to one day.
Thanks for sharing
Nauwaw kog kalit sa akong gi pang blog. I have an audience man diay! Huhuhuhu
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