Some Things Just Live in Your Bones
Some dances never leave you. From high school productions to the finale of A Chorus Line, a former dancer reflects on muscle memory, the joy of performing, and the remarkable things our bodies never forget.
The beautiful thing about muscle memory is that some things you never really forget.
As a former dancer, there's something I've always found fascinating about muscle memory.
There are dances I learned in high school that I can still remember today. Choreography from community theater productions, routines I haven't performed in decades, little combinations of steps that I couldn't begin to explain to you but could probably still do if you turned on the music.
I don't consciously remember them. They just live in my bones.
One of those dances is the finale from A Chorus Line, the iconic Broadway musical. If you've ever learned that choreography, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's precise, demanding, and absolutely glorious when everyone gets it right.
The video below features a group of Broadway performers who, at one time or another, appeared in A Chorus Line on Broadway.
Watch them.
Notice the precision. The confidence. The way nobody seems to be searching for the next step or wondering what comes next. Their bodies just know.
And that's what I always loved about dancing. The discipline of practicing something over and over until you no longer have to think about it. Until the music starts and your body simply takes over.
It's a wonderful feeling.
Of course, muscle memory isn't just about dancing. Maybe it's playing the piano, riding a bicycle, making your grandmother's favorite recipe, or doing something with your hands that you learned 50 years ago.
Some things become so deeply woven into who we are that time simply can't erase them.
And every once in a while, something comes along that wakes them up again.
So I'm curious. What's something that still lives in your bones? Something you haven't done in years but know you could pick right back up tomorrow?
I'd love to hear about it.