“You have to learn the rules before you can break them.” —Miles Davis
I first heard those words from one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians of all time during the How I Built This podcast. In the interview, chef Daniel Humm explained how understanding that quote shaped his approach to creating Eleven Madison Park, his world-renowned, plant-based restaurant in New York City.
That type of thinking may seem counterintuitive to creativity. But numerous other groundbreaking creatives also cite a respect for basic techniques as the reason they were later able to challenge the rules in a creative and intelligent manner. For example, in the documentary Sound City, Trent Reznor of the band Nine Inch Nails lauded his childhood study of classical music as the foundation from which he was able to create his unique style and sound.
So what does this have to do with yoga?
You can also apply the concept of needing to understand basic techniques prior to finding innovation when you teach yoga—especially as a new yoga teacher creating a vinyasa yoga sequence.
