Personal Talent

[jennyjoan]

Do you ever wonder why one person inherit the lot

Singing
Dancing
Acting
Pianist
Raconteur
Knitting
Crotheting
Cooking
Art

And another is talentless. i dont think it is fair

Just found that christopher plummer was an accompished pianist

[pixie374]

Those are all learnable. I don't think anyone is "untalented", we all find some things easier than others.

[Barsel]

I bet Christopher Plummer can't knit or crochet JJ.

[emmie]

this is what Fred Astaire first screen test came up with:

"Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little."

[rowanwitch]

And if the sound of music was a anything to go by he couldn't act either

[jennyjoan]

All the rest would do me if i had the chance to do it all again

[emmie]

many of Ira and George Gerhwin, Cole Porter songs were written for Fred Astaire, he certainly could sing them.... as to dancing, he's my all time hero.

[jennyjoan]

Rowan you made me laugh. he didnt sing either. He was dubbed

[roopower]

Most of those things can be learnt and if the person is keen enough and puts the hours in, the vast majority of people will attain a high degree of proficiency. Granted, some will have a better aptitude and reach higher standards but mostly its a case of practice, practice, practice.

[barry1010]

Fred Astaire's singing was only dubbed in one film - and that was for comedy effect. That was in The Texas Millionaire. He certainly could sing

[pixie374]

It isn't unusual for actors to be able to sing and dance as well. They are taught all of them at stage schools.

[Bobbisox1]

I believe everyone is good at something but some are exceptionally good...and talented

[Peter Pedant]

Princess Margaret (its hard being a princess!) was at concert level - piano- er OK she didnt have some other talents
did you include shogging in the list?

[davebro]

As Homer said to Bart - "If something is hard to do then it's not worth doing."

[Peter Pedant]

afro caribbean stand up called Junior Smith
who cd also sing and dance and - - - run 100 m in around 10s

[davebro]

oops - wrong link

[Peter Pedant]

what about - - -
if a maff theorem takes more than three lines
it isnt worf proving !

a lot of the time there is an awful lot of practise thrown in somewhere - which is OK if they start off as 'good'
Wayne Roonie - up to ten h a day - no wonder if he didnt have time to read and write.

oboe soloist wivvda National Yoof Orchestra - got a first in Law and also fitted in oboe two hours a day ( 6-8am)

at uni we were told not to commute 5-7 pm, read in a library. then do it shorter. That meant end of three years you had 2000 more h study than a commuter. It showed

[Peter Pedant]

if you gonna fail
make sure you fail better than anyone else

[andy-hughes]

I disagree with Roo"s notion that practice will take you to a proficient level in any skill.

Practice will take you to the top level of your skill, but you have to have the talent in the first place - practice will develop your skill, but it won't create it.

I had a friend who worshipped the progressive guitarist Jan Akkerman and he read that Akkerman practised guitar for eight hours a day.

My friend practised eight hours a day for two years, fitting it around a full-time factory job - and he didn't improve one iota.

The hours he put in would have made him a seriously good musician, if he had had the talent in the first place to develop. He didn't.

[lady-janine]

Bobbi 15.15 - please stop talking about me. I'm trying to be modest.

[Peter Pedant]

// My friend practised eight hours a day for two years, fitting it around a full-time factory job - and he didn't improve one iota.//

did you clock him in and out or did he say he had?

My cousiness is still at stick-insect stage of drawing, despite er practising for 70 y .....