As many of you know, earlier this year I opened the Kat & Mouse School of Performing Arts.
I’ve had an amazing time working with dancers who are eager to learn and grow in their craft and I can’t wait to do it again in 2016!
I am in the process of revamping some of my curriculum and adding new courses. With the announcement of Yummy’s sale on pieces of the Artiste Suite, I will be adding classes on using the Artiste.
To that end, for the last month, I have concentrated on creating routines with the Artiste HUD and palette. Yummy has added so many new features and functions that it was almost like starting over. 😀
It’s very easy to get up and dancing with the HUD, though some of the other features take a little longer to learn.
What I have discovered, both with the GOLD (current) version of the HUD, and the SILVER version (which I bought several years ago), is that because I have used other tools for so long, I have come to expect tools to behave in certain ways. Which means that, in learning to use the Artiste, I have sometimes had to ‘unlearn’ what I know.
Every dancer has preferred tools. Though it seems like there is always some new ‘shiny’ becoming available, there are those who prefer to stay with what they know. Why? Because ‘unlearning’ is uncomfortable for most people.
Is there anything wrong with using older tools? No, of course not. However, newer tools tend to take advantage of newer tech developments, which often means you can do more with less.
When I first started dancing, I used a HUD and had to manually click each dance. Then I discovered that I could sequence my dances using note cards with the HUDDLES. Then the Barre came along with its ability to do grouping. Then SpotOn developed their mover, and followed it with various other products.
I admit, I am a bit of a tool junkie, and I’ve tried just about every dance tool in SL. I, too, have my favorites. Using my favorite tools, I can create a routine in a couple of hours. However, doing so rarely pushes me outside of my comfort zone.
I want something that will help me to push myself to learn more and do more. The Artiste has done that for me. In fact, I look forward to working with it, because I know I have only scratched the surface of what I can do with it.
This pic is from a routine I created last year when I first got the GOLD version of the Artiste. Looking back, I made this routine much harder than it could have been, because I was still ‘unlearning’ what I knew.
That said, it was my first true ‘all-Artiste’ routine and I am still proud of it. 😀
As a solo artist, the Artiste lets me do things I never thought were possible. That is something to keep in mind, for those of who may be on the fence about purchasing yet another dance tool.
Every tool was designed for a purpose. Every tool has its pros and cons. If you are looking for a tool that will let you run huge group dances, the Artiste is not that tool. If you are looking for a tool that will let you run everything manually, the Artiste is not that tool.
However, if you are looking for a tool that will let you shine as a solo performer, or a small group performer, the Artiste might just be the tool you’ve been looking for!
A Kat and A Mouse 