Almost every teacher told me the same -anyone can learn Japanese dance: young, old, sporty, clumsy. What they didn't tell me is that even though as an amateur student you will not be subjected to the same level of scrutiny, the topic / subject of your learning - which is the dance form - is same for everyone. As an amateur, you will be learning the same dances as professionals do, just without the support system that would propell you into an artist. Why do I learn Japanese dance then? As someone who jokingly refers to themselves as a "professional beginner", I tried to understand the reasons behind my personal failure to learn the noble art of Japanese dance.