Not "power over" but "inner strength"?

We're not talking about a performer having some mystical control over his audience or about the audience giving up some control to the performer, are we? Yes, this sort of thing does happen; look at demagogues of all stripes in the past and today.

What we're discussing is more like the feeling of inner strength felt by someone having a religious experience.

I've felt this in several different kinds of performances: music and non. Someone commented about not liking contests?

[Scroll up to find who said it and what they said *G*]

Sorcha said, "contests are about the performer, not the music." Well, the best I ever did in contests (admittedly a LOOOOOONG time ago) was when my audience -- the judges -- and I connected in this same way that we are all talking about. It is the communication that music -- all the performance arts -- is all about.

And yes, some judges just didn't and don't get it.

KingBrilliant asked about solo singing. In my opinion, it is entirely possible to reach (at least some of) the same kind of feeling when performing for oneself. (Heck, that's almost all I do anymore and has been for a long time.) I suspect that the aspect of communication (communion?) with others makes the feeling of a 'public' performance somewhat different than a 'private' one.

Finally, a ways up there Jon Freeman pointed to a thread from a year or so ago: B.S.? Special feeling? floating?. In one of it's messages was the important reference to Mihalyi Csikszentmihaly's book, Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. A couple of applicable quotes:

"It is by being fully involved with every detail of our lives, whether good or bad, that we find happiness, not by trying to look for it directly."
-- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

"Flow is the optimum state of consciousness when you are completely focused and involved in a given activity. Research indicates that we are most comfortable and content when our thoughts are ordered. Activities that involve us, that challenge us, and call our mind into order, that are measurable, with immediate feedback, put us in a very healthy and positive state of mind."
-- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

"Flow is that wonderful state into which we are sometimes lucky enough to be immersed -- when we can focus sharply on a single activity that challenges us to integrate many of our faculties in a single pursuit, and block out all the daily noise."
-- John W. Shipman [reviewing MC's book Flow]

What we're discussing here is MC's "flow". The book is well-written and immensely important. I recommend it to everyone.

The activity when we're performing only for ourselves (e.g., shower singing) does not involve the communication with another. It is quite possible to reach that focused state doing this; it simply is a DIFFERENT sort of activity than 'public' performance.

When performing in public (i.e., for an audience), the aspects of communication are a part of what the performer is concentrating on / focusing on / involved with: instead of SOLELY on the music itself. Communication requires feedback. Thus, when the performer expects such feedback and doesn't get it (see Spot the Dog's post), there's something missing. It's possible to maintain the flow level, but extremely hard. The performer in this kind of situation is unable to concentrate completely on his activity and thus does not enjoy it as much. This is what you call a bad gig. (I do, anyway *G*)

I've seen several people describe experiencing flow in BOTH of these activities: 'public' and 'private' performance. CM describes it occurring in many different kinds of activities: from carpentry to chess and from singing performances to C++ programming. The only requirement is the focus on / involvement in the activity.

BB,
NightWing

P.S. So, did I finally come to a point or not? *LOL*