Amusia

[Aneka]

To this day I have trouble with coordination of body movements to music. Simple things that toddlers can do like clapping hands to the beat is a struggle, dancing is awkward. I've been the loving stock of every music class, teachers told me when singing in groups that I 'disrupt the harmony' and sound like 'cats with their tails knotted together'.

I sabbotaged group dances in music class, causing several people to trip because I went the opposite direction, generally lag behind in dance steps and can't dance with a partner. Actually, I can dance with a partner as long as I can lead and they have to adjust to my pace. Otherwise, they'd have to wear shoes with steel caps.

My body seems to be unable to obey my mind: I imitated the teacher's dance steps mirror-inverted although I have no trouble with perspective and telling left from right.

On the other hand, I love listening to music and have a broad spectrum of music genres I'm into. I didn't have any trouble with music theory and even helped out other students with it. I had to pass a few exams that included playing instruments in groups and passed through rote learning and the subtile hints from some understanding students. They needed a lot of patience with me and we rehearsed the whole thing a few dozen times although it was quite simple. I'm still grateful for these people

Any fellows in misery around here?

Edit: I don't know if amusia is the correct term. I'm not a native speaker and tried to look it up.

 

[unperson]

lol, the 'loving stock' loved that one. Yuh, the key to dancing is keep it small, small subtle movements. A huge part of dance is facial expressions, to some extent, one dances with ones face, not ones legs

Dunno if this helps, but I used to be a very embarrassing dancer but went on to become a very good one.

 

[VictorR]

I'm not sure if I have amusia but I definitely have dyspraxia.

I have to say I also don't really understand dance. Coordination and me don't go along well.

 

[Au Naturel]

dyspraxia is a very common symptom of autism spectrum disorder. I grew up the clumsiest and least coordinated kid in the school. I did not get any loving for that. The ridicule and shame were brutal.

Yet I managed to play sports and even dance on my own terms in adulthood. Not well but good enough for my own purposes. Find a sport that doesn't require dexterity or eye-hand coordination or proprioception, like long-distance running or weight lifting and your self-image will improve.

 

[Thinx]

Or try some of The Conqueror Challenges, there's also a virtual support network for those, where everyone is pretty nice to everyone else, never seen any bad behaviours there, very encouraging to all, there are costs but not massive, you can order medals and you get certificates too, just by going at your pace to gradually extend your fitness, and or to maintain it. Might suit @Tony Ramirez @KagamineLen or @Major Tom or others wanting to get fitter, now I come to think of it so copying them in in case it's of interest.

 

[Aneka]

I like sports where I can go at my own pace. I go swimming in summer in lakes and have a cross trainer at home. I used the cross trainer for extended periods of time on highest setting every other day, but lately I stopped because I felt down and didn't have the energy. The frequent training resulted in body builder legs but my arms were less developed. My double-jointed shoulders are a problem.

 

[Aneka]

Or try some of The Conqueror Challenges, there's also a virtual support network for those, where everyone is pretty nice to everyone else, never seen any bad behaviours there, very encouraging to all, there are costs but not massive, you can order medals and you get certificates too, just by going at your pace to gradually extend your fitness, and or to maintain it. Might suit @Tony Ramirez @KagamineLen or @Major Tom or others wanting to get fitter, now I come to think of it so copying them in in case it's of interest.

I have never heard of the conquerer challenge. Is it something on social media? Could you send me a link?

 

[Tom]

I love many types of music, but seem to be missing the genetic material need to make music. Dancing too, is not natural to me, though I do ok in the stiff clumping around of certain tribal type dances. Which is why I liked the new wave dancing which threw the stylized disco out the door (while holding it's nose). It was fine to hop around like an idiot or flop on the floor like a dying bug. True poetry in motion.

 

[Gift2humanity]

To this day I have trouble with coordination of body movements to music. Simple things that toddlers can do like clapping hands to the beat is a struggle, dancing is awkward. I've been the loving stock of every music class, teachers told me when singing in groups that I 'disrupt the harmony' and sound like 'cats with their tails knotted together'.

I sabbotaged group dances in music class, causing several people to trip because I went the opposite direction, generally lag behind in dance steps and can't dance with a partner. Actually, I can dance with a partner as long as I can lead and they have to adjust to my pace. Otherwise, they'd have to wear shoes with steel caps.

My body seems to be unable to obey my mind: I imitated the teacher's dance steps mirror-inverted although I have no trouble with perspective and telling left from right.

On the other hand, I love listening to music and have a broad spectrum of music genres I'm into. I didn't have any trouble with music theory and even helped out other students with it. I had to pass a few exams that included playing instruments in groups and passed through rote learning and the subtile hints from some understanding students. They needed a lot of patience with me and we rehearsed the whole thing a few dozen times although it was quite simple. I'm still grateful for these people

Any fellows in misery around here?

Edit: I don't know if amusia is the correct term. I'm not a native speaker and tried to look it up.

Teachers, tut! the things they say to us can be hurtful.
Me, love music and singing and dancing but I have two left feet.
I can’t ride a bike, am lop sided in my body, a total klutz and the driving examiner had to stop my driving test ten minutes in as I was unsafe to drive.
Speed and distance are hard for me to judge.
3D space is alien with regards to moving around in.
I bump things, bump into people.
I even wear down the heel on foot more than the other, and used to get a lot of mick taking about my funny walk.
I’m 54 and never knew what all this was about, can’t climb things, etc, now I know I am Aspergers I feel less bothered, it bothered me as a kid.

 

[Progster]

I have always hated dancing, no good at making music, either, though I do love listening. I tried to learn the guitar, but have no natural talent for it. I don't consider myself to be dyspraxic, I can play tennis, throw and catch a ball, so my hand-eye coordination is ok. I can drive and ride a bike, though I was slower than most kids to learn this. I had difficulty with dancing, gymnastics, some sports - in swimming, I could master the front crawl but not the butterfly stroke no matter how hard I tried. I also had poor handwriting and didn't manage to learn cursive handwriting.

 

[clg114]

I am very clumsy and have been all of my life. I was told that I have very poor proprioception, which is the bodies ability work together with all of it's parts. This is not good if you like sports and I like sports. I do not do team sports, but I like several individual sports. I just am not very good at any of them. However, I still enjoy them ( at least the ones that my wife will allow me to do ) and that's what counts.

 

[Thinx]

I have never heard of the conquerer challenge. Is it something on social media? Could you send me a link?

Just Google it, it will come up, it's quite inspiring and everyone is accepted and people in the challenges log their progress etc.

 

[Au Naturel]

I am very clumsy and have been all of my life. I was told that I have very poor proprioception, which is the bodies ability work together with all of it's parts. This is not good if you like sports and I like sports. I do not do team sports, but I like several individual sports. I just am not very good at any of them. However, I still enjoy them ( at least the ones that my wife will allow me to do ) and that's what counts.

Not all sports require high levels of proprioception. Running, lifting, flexibility, hiking, climbing are things a clumsy person like me can still do. Swimming was a real challenge. I can swim enough not to drown and make my way across a pool but there's a lot of thrashing involved.