Final Monday Mush (See you in 2014-2015)

So, this is the final Monday, so it is our last Mush of the year.  I won’t be doing an email/blog “flush” either…we will do that during the last day as we grab some breakfast together. 

http://digg.com/video/this-dance-routine-is-unreal (5:57)

This for sure caught my attention.  According to the caption, it was a second place performance. 

Now, for the record, I am not a dancer (I know this is quite a shocker).  Maybe because I am not a dancer, this impresses me more, but I think it is a fabulous way to end our Mush/Flush “season.” 

The act opens with a teacher leaving the classroom…so if you have ever wondered what kids do when you are there, maybe this is it?  Somehow, I think we would love for them to have this much teamwork though…

I learned several things watching this performance…some are probably pretty petty while others have a deeper impact. 

I learned that things can be much better together.  Often times the soloists get the attention…not with this group.  They looked alike, they danced alike, and they performed alike.  The spectacle wasn’t that one person could do it…it was that they all could do it.  Teamwork is really the heart of it.  How many rehearsals did that take?  How many slow learners were in the group?  How did they react when one person messed up?  Did they all have to come to practice?  Did they allow people to give 50%?  Were all ideas shared?  We don’t know the answer to these, but I can assume some.  I would bet the group norms were so strong because of the centralized mission that people confirmed.  I bet tardiness to a rehearsal wasn’t just discouraged…I bet it was shunned completed.  They wanted to be there because they needed to be and the team needed them.  You can’t do moves like that together and only practice by yourself.  I am sure they all had to be forgiving and encouraging.  I am assuming some didn’t pick it up the first time.  Maybe they did section too fast or too slow, but I bet they had a culture to accept that and work with that.  The final goal was more important than the frustrations along the way.

You don’t have to be racy or edgy to capture attention.  I don’t think is really an issue with us in elementary schools, but I was impressed that a dance team was able to be impressive and 100% “above board” in costumes, moves, and song selection.  That tells me that we don’t have to always “play the game the media tells us.”  They can do all of that without a wrecking ball.   We can inspire, we can impress, we can captivate using the tools we have always had.  We don’t have to change the game, we just have to play it well.

That took time….that took an investment.  I am sure they said no to some parties, some time with family, some other hobbies, and such.  It was worth it because of the mission.  They wanted to be the best…be together…so they devoted time. 

I bet you could come up with 20 more “take aways” from that….I hope you do.  I hope you know that I was proud to be on your team this year.  That I enjoyed getting better alongside of you.  I appreciate your willingness to go slow when the group needed more time than you did.  I appreciated how you curbed your frustrations when you had time you could have shown it more.  I appreciate how you helped establish and carry norms that don’t have to posted to be respected.  You set a high bar for excellence, and you didn’t stop until you got there.

I appreciate you guys…I brag about you guys…I am looking forward to summer, but I looking forward to even a better year next year too! 

Happy Final Monday!