Listening Response: An Athlete of God Martha Graham reveals that the path to becoming a seasoned artist isn’t easy, even for something like the art of dance. At the very beginning of her portion of the podcast, Martha talks about the value of practice. Every artist has to practice their performance ahead of time, even if it’s something as simple as drawing a circle. In truth, the reality is always much harder. We aren’t limited by what we can think, but we are limited by our bodies; we are limited by what we can physically enact. Practice improves motor and coordination skills, which in turn improves the person’s art form and their being as a whole. She explains how dance is a unique form of art, where the instrument is the body, soul, and …show more content…
In a way, it’s a combination of visual and musical art forms. The catch of the day? The dedication you must have in order to fulfill these goals isn’t easy. Dancing is extremely tiring, it’s all about physical movement! In Martha’s own words, “it takes about ten years to become a mature dancer.” No one who isn’t hearing some form of life calling to the art of dance will spend that much time practicing and performing. Martha compared the faith she had in art with the faith Abraham had in God, something that must seem so forthright and obvious that you know you have to follow it. Compared to other hobbies, or even jobs, this level of dedication is almost impossible to reach, especially when considering that artists don’t get paid a ton of money to practice - rather, they have to pay upfront for their own improvement. Much like all forms of art, dance takes a lot of time to master. For those who can’t find themselves drawn to it, it certainly seems like a huge waste of time and money. For those who are into it, however, they will find themselves with a new world of expression to devote themselves to. Art is meant to be enjoyed, but it’s entirely