“food for thought”
To Perform – The Performer – Achieved Performance
As an educator or a student, part of the lesson plan over the individuals development focuses on “How to Perform, What makes the Performer, and How to Achieve the Performance.” It is absolutely one of the MOST layered concepts a person can learn. But if, and when one does, is guaranteed a wealth of opportunity from life.
During my entry, level development with the 3 concepts, like any beginner, was perplexed by the “When of What “ I was supposed to focus on or expected to achieve. It was often times a Total Gamble, and you have to admit that sometimes an instructor will barrage the student with such directives as…. “COME ON…. PERFORM! MAKE SURE YOU’RE FOCUSING ON THE PERFORMANCE! COMMITT TO BEING A BETTER PERFORMER!” For the performer, this is a very scary and frustrating place!
Through introspective study, invested mentors, and fabulous opportunities, The “Student Performer” can achieve that revered level of performance that is the ideal point of development that every performer aspires for: MASTERY! There are several stages that a Performer must go through before they can achieve Mastery. The very first stage is complete “Truth In Understanding!” And the Base to any “Level of Understanding” resides in the clarity of the concept’s definition:
Perform: To carry out or execute an action or process; especially, to give a public exhibition of skill, as in music, drama, magic, etc….
Performer: One who performs anything; particularly one who takes part in a public entertainment or exhibition.
Performance: The act of execution, accomplishment: a formal exhibition of skill or talent.
At the surface level, one would see no difference in the meaning of these three terms? It seems to be a matter of semantics. But when you give the definitions, provided by WEBSTER’S New Twentieth Century DICTIONARY Unabridged Copy, a closer look you’ll find that it makes a world of difference.
Each definition gives specificity to particular parts of an entire “FACE!” The performer must understand what it means to perform, before they can achieve the performance; and the entire while understand that their role as the “Performer” is as the vessel through which one performs and gives life to a performance. It’s such a tongue twister but totally true!
As it turns out, a “Performer” is a musical composition that must present with melody, harmony, & at times dissonance if they are to legitimately expect a “Desired Reaction!” As cerebral as this initial level is, it is the fundamental start of the matter.
Next: Conditioning the performer through the most proven “Efficient & Effective Methodology” is where the mentor or instructor are expected to contribute greatest. In this relationship, the teacher/instructor has to provide correct types and appropriate amounts of opportunities to the performer to perform the performance; and all the while, be capable of giving the student performer enough information, to correctly trigger respond the appropriate type of happening. Guiding the student’s ability to individually assess and execute a skill in real time is the true charge for any teacher or instructor.
Like we started off with emphasizing the importance of clarity in vocabulary definition, the teacher/mentor must be clear about the vocabulary used if they expect to trigger the correct type of performance reaction. In the performance there are bound to be mistakes but recovering from the mistake is an expectation and conditioning process of successful performance. Telling the student performer to “THINK” rarely triggers the most correct response from the student performer. "Thinking" naturally implies to the student performer that they have time on their hands when performance is a “Real-Time Reactionary Sport.” Instead utilize the vocabulary “ASSESS." Assessing implies activity in the reaction but offers a process of evaluation with level of value to the individual!
Finally: “REPITITION!” One of the primary tools for Successful Performance is the amount of times the performer gets to experience the performance itself. In the “Experience Phase” for the performer’s development it is equally important to maintain humility when non-success from the practiced performance occurs, as it is when success flourishes in the practiced performance. Why? Because as I stated earlier, every performance is a GAMBLE! Knowing how you might potentially react to failure or success ensures a stronger grasp of achieving the performance through any performance dynamic!
The approach for developing the performer's education of "How to Perform Through the Performance," should be similar to the “Method To The Madness” in following through to achieve success in a process. Therefore…. the performer is TRULY the living embodiment of "A Process!"
“The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar!”
--- Confucious
Author – Randy Phillips