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• 'The Dance of Tennis’ 'The Dance of Tennis’ I first met Jena Marcovicci as a participant in one of his "Dance of Tennis" workshops at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, N.Y. I was revamping my tennis game after not playing since childhood, and thought this might be a good way to get back into the sport. I initially wondered if I would be in over my head, but by the end of the week I was happily playing with people of all levels in rhythm with great music. Each day began with meditation, yoga, tai chi, and group discussions about challenges we faced in our tennis game. By the time we got onto the court, we were relaxed, alert, and ready to play. With music in the background to inspire us, we learned to quiet our minds, stay focused on the present, and view our opponent as a partner instead of any enemy. This experience inspired me to play tennis on a regular basis. I was pleased to discover that Marcovicci, a Pittsfield native and graduate of Pittsfield High School, runs a holistic tennis center at his home in Richmond. A former national junior alpine ski racer and marathon runner, he gives private and group tennis lessons, has a private sports psychology practice, and provides sports psychology services at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. Marcovicci offers "Dance of Tennis" weekend workshops at the clay court at his home during the summer and early fall. Taught in groups of up to six participants, the workshop creates a supportive environment, integrating Eastern and Western meditative practices and sports psychology. After warming up with meditation, yoga, and tai chi, participants practice strokes and volleys to the sounds of drums and recorded music ranging from Bach to Bob Marley. Participants have the option of staying in bed and breakfast accommodations onsite at Marcovicci's property, including two cottages and two tent cabins. Marcovicci also offers the "Outrageous Tennis Getaway" for people who want a more individualized approach and like to be pampered. This indulgent weekend includes private instruction in yoga, tennis, tai chi, tickets to Tanglewood, and a private massage with Jena's delightful wife Skye, who operates a massage therapy practice onsite. Marcovicci also teaches the "Dance of Tennis" workshop in either a weekend or weeklong format at the Omega Institute several times a year, and offers customized workshops for groups and tennis teams. By integrating relaxation techniques and music with tennis instruction, Marcovicci helps tennis players at all levels improve their game. He explains that normally, our brains are in a "beta" state. Tai chi, yoga, meditation, and music raise serotonin levels and move our brains into a more relaxed "alpha-theta" state, which enhances performance. By playing tennis to music, he believes your mind gets absorbed in the music and the negative dialogue that might be going on in your head is suspended. "I wanted to create a dynamic where you could overcome that conditioned response that saw your opponent as the enemy and saw each ball in terms of success or failure," said Marcovicci. "With the music, I was able to do that." Marcovicci's experience as a touring professional from 1972 to 1976 helped him understand how important it is to relax when playing tennis. Although his ultimate goal was to get his doctorate and become a sports psychologist, he viewed playing professionally as a way to see the world. He played in major tournaments throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, competing against players such as Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas. "In Europe," he said, "Let's say I was playing in the French Open. I was great in the warm-up. Suddenly, I’m in the match and I tighten up. All the balls that were going in went two feet out or into to the net. It intrigued me what happened. Why was I relaxed and having fun playing and suddenly the match begins and it feels like a whole new experience?”
He saw how other players turned to drugs, had nervous breakdowns, or had to return to the United States because they needed to win to feel good about themselves. He asked himself "what do I need to do to get beyond this conditioned response in me that needed to win so much that it sabotaged my performance?" Marcovicci's professional tennis career, along with other spiritual and travel experiences, have provided the foundation for his workshops, lessons and sports psychology sessions. He has backpacked in South America, lived in ashrams in India and for a period of a year and a half was completely silent, in an effort to experience life in a spiritual and meditative way. When he played tennis, he would bring a chalkboard for keeping score. While the ultimate goal of his programs is to help people enhance their performance and win more, he teaches that there is no such thing as failure and that the end-score is not indicative of all the wins you have when you are competing. "Let's say you have a fear of the net," says Marcovicci. "Your win has to do with going to the net once every game. You go beyond the fear and just charge the net. When you take your mind off the end result and redefine what winning is for you, you win more.” Learning how to breathe properly is also essential in tennis, according to Marcovicci. In his book "The Dance of Tennis," he writes, "Under stress we tend to either hold our breath or breathe in short, shallow gasps. Steady, deep breathing is crucial to success in long tennis matches." Marcovicci has dedicated himself to bringing the game of tennis to young people who might not normally have a chance to learn the game. As a student attending Pepperdine University in Los Angeles on a tennis scholarship, he came up with the idea of teaching inner-city youth to play tennis on the college campus. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. inspired him to begin this program, which has become a prototype for other colleges and communities.
Now, more than 35 years later, Marcovicci's inner city "Dance of Tennis Project" is offered in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C. and Boston. Students in the program learn how to play tennis and also learn major life skills including cooperation, relaxation, imagination, focusing, conflict resolution and self-esteem. In 1993, Marcovicci established the Joy of Athletics Foundation, a non-profit program committed to sponsoring his inner city "Dance of Tennis Project." James Taylor serves on the Foundation's advisory board. Marcovicci's approach has helped people of all ages and backgrounds learn to appreciate the joy of tennis and enhance their performance. He notes that "the more relaxed you are, the better you will play. Your movement becomes music. Your footsteps become like dance. And suddenly you enter a new spirit in your own body." |
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