Analogies

Hubby and I were having a conversation the other day about how every profession develops a unique language over time. I've found this to be especially true within the dance world and with dance instructors in particular. Within my own teaching style, I use a ton of analogies. Some are borrowed from my own instructors (who borrowed them from theirs and so on), others pop into my brain at the strangest times. I've learned that you can explain something until your brain explodes, but with most students, until you can get them to really picture it, it won't sink in.

Here are a few of the more vivid analogies I've used, (my dancers might recognize these):


-Pretend that there are hooks behind your ears, pulling you up to the ceiling.

-Your pelvis is an enormous bowl. Pretend that it is filled with water. You have to keep the bowl steady, as you don't want the water to spill out the front or the back.

-Your abdominal muscles are like a corset, wrapping around your midsection. If you aren't using them, then your corset is loose and floppy, and it won't support you. Instead you want the muscles laced up tight.

-Banana! Do it like a banana! (Really)

-Similarly: Piglet in the wind! Pretend that you're Piglet in the wind! (Surely everyone remembers Piglet in the Blustery Day. The wind picks him up and tosses him backwards. It's a pretty close approximation of a jump that I teach.)

-Pretend that your hip bones are flashlights. You don't want your flashlights to be flying off into different directions during your plies. They should create parallel beams pointing forward.

-Remember, where you look is where you end up. It's like when you're driving and you see a cute boy. Suddenly your car swerves in that direction. The same thing happens when you're turning. Watch yourself in the mirror too much while going across the floor and you're going to crash into your reflection.


What about you? What analogies or unique language do you find yourself using in your day to day life?

In appreciation of lovely, wonderful words

I've been having a lot of discussions and reading a lot of articles on pronunciation lately. There are some words I tend to forget how to pronounce continuously. For example: Misogynistic. Maybe it's just me, but that word is horrendous to pronounce. Any word that starts with a vowel and is followed by an x or double c is pretty tricky as well. Accent. I have to cough a little bit to make the double c come out right and it makes me sound like a kitten choking on a hairball.

The thing is, people can be pretty militant about pronunciation. Foliage should be pronounced Foe-lee-a-ige and if you (heaven forbid!) pronounce it Foe-lidg, you might find yourself the victim of extreme ridicule. Believe me. I've been there.

But this entry isn't to complain about words that are difficult to pronounce, or to spark Toe-may-toe/Toe-mah-toe debates. No, this entry exists to celebrate those words that are wonderful, the ones that are an absolute joy to pronounce.

Here are a few:

Ominous - I've always adored this word. It rolls off the tongue like melted butter. Similarly, I also adore Omnibus, though I have less chances to use it.

Shirk - Yes, I've been shirking my blogging duties lately, but mostly in the interest of having an excuse to use the word shirk in a context that would seem relevant and natural.

Espresso - Ah, what a lovely break the word espresso is from all those xs and double cs. You can even hiss a little bit as you say it. If the weather is cold, a little puff of steam might emerge from your lips. "Why don't you and I pick up an essssspresso?"

Tumultuous - Has there ever been a word that sounds so much like what it describes? Whenever I hear this word, I can see the storm clouds churning.


Your turn. Have any favorites?