AS motor skills in dancing, yoga, and tai chi

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hi there,

my parents told me that I had bad motor skills as a baby, and that I was then trained for it, but later as a child i was pretty good in climbing up the trees and getting some fruits from there etc. I wouldn't say that I have "bad motor skills", I wasn' excellent in sports, but also not bad, rather good.

But when it came to dancing, I felt that I am in the group of those at least skilled for this. Since some weeks I know visit some tai chi course, the teacher demonstrates certain movements, which shall improve health, concentration, and body awareness, and we shall repeat them. I maybe wrong, but I got the impression, that all others learned all those movements much faster, actually I still have problems with the very basic movements.

First, it seems so complex to me, I even can't remember the movement after a short time, and I got problems coordinating two movements at the same time.

Anyone else who can relate? Any hints for me how to cope? - I mean, is it just tougher work for me, am i just a bit more complicated than others in motor skill training? Should an aspi rather do yoga instead of tai chi? Which meditation and health training is best for aspergers?

thanks,
anton

Hi, I have bad motor skills, too. I could never do tennis, fencing or baseball very well because it required too much hand-eye coordination. I've taken tai chi before and it did take me a little longer to learn the moves, but I did enjoy it. Perhaps if you talked to your instructor he/she might be willing to come in a few minutes early or stay a few minutes later and help you with some of the moves that you are having trouble with. With tai chi it just takes time and practice to learn the moves; a good instructor will be willing to help you with that. Yoga is also fun, but you have to be careful to not overstretch.

I also like swimming laps; it's like a sensory deprivation tank. My dad does long distance running. They are both sports where, once you get into the rhythm of it, it feels like you are meditating.

If I'm watching an instructor who's facing me, I can't translate what's she's doing to what I need to do, i.e. right vs left. I once tripped over my own feet in a jazzercise class and fell down.

yes, it also takes alot of thinking for me to find out where my right feet is and where my left one...

Maybe you can buy a book or tape the classes so you can practice the movements at hone until you learn them. Learning sequences is very difficult and takes tine and practice. Do not worry about taking more time than the rest to learn the movements. Aspies usually require a little more time to learn to do thing right, but when they finally do are better than the rest

This is one of the areas in which my hyperfocusing is well utilised. I did dance classes as a child and never had a problem following choreographed moves, as long as I ignored everything else that was going on. Now, I do Zumba and find picking up the steps easy and I appear co-ordinated. Funnily, I'm totally unco-ordinated at other times, knock over stuff, trip over nothing and it's one of the reasons that I have no intention of learning to drive.

You may be wrong - don't compare yourself to others in the class. Focus on what you are doing; none of the other class members are looking at you as they are all focused on their own practice. Except for when they're looking around and wondering how come everyone else is picking it up faster than they are ...

In my experience, everyone in the class thinks they are the worst/slowest at picking it up. However, in reality they are all doing OK - everyone learns at their own pace.

Some tips:
- Be patient with yourself. You have only been going for a few weeks. You have the rest of your life to practice - you don't need to get it all now.
- Focus on the feet first, doesn't matter if the arms are all over the place. You can figure them out later, but in the meantime just try not to throw yourself off balance with them.
- Move around as much as you need to see it from the angle *you* need to see it from.

It is difficult for people to co-ordinate two movements at the same time when they are new to them. Think how long it takes for a baby to learn to walk. Eventually it will become natural. And each persons walk is different.

If you are really struggling, trying having a word (or emailing, if it's easier) the instructor to let them know and they will maybe give you a little extra help or try showing something in a different way. If you can suggest things they could try that might make it easier for you (if you learn in a specific way, for example), that might be helpful but don't get too upset if they don't do them as they have to consider the whole class when teaching.

The important thing is not to get stressed by it - you are there to relax and enjoy yourself. So just enjoy it. If you really can't do that, then maybe something else - but I would give it a bit longer first, if you can...

Well, I don't know how to dance. Till 4th grade I've had dance classes at school (unfortunrately for all of the boys ) so we had to dance to some songs. I was pretty awful, but then I decided hey let's actually put some effort into it and it worked I got an A. Haha I will never forget how embarassing it was. And I wasn't that good anyhow, the teacher just felt for me.

And I hate dancing so yeah I don't do that stuff anymore. Although I wish I knew how to move like Travolta or those epic disco dancers from awhile back.

I couldn't learn dance steps to save my life, but yoga and karate were a lot easier because the movemens made sense and weren't arbitrary the way dancing is.

Never really had issues in this area. I've won dancing contests a lot.

My motor skills are just okay. I've been practicing yoga since I was 11. I needed yoga to get flexible for my dance lessons. It has helped me in maintaining balance.

I can dance Odissi and Kathak

And Belly dancing...