Jochen Heckmann

"MOTIVATIONAL BLOCK" Here I sit, pondering. Trying to figure out what drives me, why I risk losing sight of my goals, and why some things get finished after all while others fade into the mists of time and oblivion. Was I more motivated in the past, more consistent in pursuing my visions, and more tenacious when it came to perseverance? Or have the countless experiences, obstacles overcome, and mundane transience of the last few decades simply made me more mature, more econom

"50th Newsletter" Fifty newsletters. Fifty times I’ve sorted through my thoughts, distilled my experiences, and recorded my observations. Fifty times I’ve asked myself: What’s on my mind right now? What do I want to share? And now, at number 50, I look in the mirror and see: time. It hasn’t just left its mark in the texts, but elsewhere as well. Right under my eyes, to be precise. So: a monologue about the visible and what really matters. LOOK AT ME! A MONOLOGUE Look at me. Y

"SPORTS vs. ART" There they glide along. They take a running start. They leap off, spin several times around their own axis, and crash one after another onto the hard ground of reality. It’s cold, icy, and only a few manage to melt the audience’s hearts. Not to mention the judges. I love sports; I’ve been a fan of the Olympics for as long as I can remember—probably since I could walk. I’m fascinated by people pushing their limits. For me, it’s about the measurable. And of cou

"THE STRUGGLE FOR COMPETENCE" Last Friday, Aretta Hakios, the director of the Joy of Dance Academy, and I had a podcast session with Cécile Baumann. During the session, we presented our new training and continuing education programs. It struck me how often terms like experience, knowledge, competence, and craftsmanship came up. All terms meant to make an impact and demonstrate a high level of expertise and skill. What value do these terms still hold? To what extent do these a