Plan B

As part of the IHC Team, there is a requirement to perform in public demonstrations.  I don't think any of us are without that nagging fear that we will mess up somehow.  Whether it be that we miss a step, slip on wet grass, get turned around, find ourselves rolling down a hill...there are an endless number of things that could potentially happen that might result in losing our place and even forgetting our form altogether. And it can cause some real anxiety leading up to a demo....or disorientation and panic in the midst of it.

This happened to me during the downtown reopening demo.  Part ways through I suddenly realized that I could not remember what came next.  I think I got myself turned around somehow, and so suddenly the next step didn't feel right and I hesitated.  That moment of hesitation was enough to lose my train of thought and I found myself lost.  What I ended up doing was switching my stance a couple times, with some random blocks and punches, until I found myself in a position that was familiar enough to carry on.  Thankfully it worked out ok, but I think it was mostly luck that got me through.

After that, I found myself wondering what I would, or could do, if this were to happen again.  How could I carry on in a way that would minimize, or hide altogether, that I had messed up?  What could I have as a backup that could be used in a variety of different circumstances?  Realistically, there are an endless number of scenarios, and so this would need to be something both simple and versatile.

And so I now have a backup plan in the event that I find myself in a desperate situation needing to abort.  There is a portion nearing the end of my form where I get into a horse stance, facing the front, with a key block.  From the ground, after getting turned around, after losing my place and not being able to remember what comes next, I figured that one of the easiest positions to get back into would be a horse stance facing the audience.  From there I would move into my final set of techniques, bow, and get off the "stage" before anyone knows what the heck happened.

Now this may or may not work, as I haven't had the opportunity to test it out.  And hopefully I don't find myself rolling down a hill one day.  But if I do, I know what to do once I get to the bottom.