Co-duh-oh-ordination

I think of myself as a pretty coordinated person. I can walk and chew gum at the same time--heck, I can even ride a unicycle and chew gum at the same time. But I always short-circuit when I'm trying to play a rhythm with my hands while stepping the downbeats on my feet. Last night we were working on playing bell pattern on chekere (sp.?) and I was trying to get my feet to step on the downbeats and I was just having such a hard time. Why is that? Is it because as taiko players we are so often reminded to make sure we are firmly grounded in our kata that it becomes a monumental task to unground ourselves? I know I can do it--was even beginning to get it, but it feels like I'm trying to rip my legs out of the earth like one of those giant Ents. But the cool thing is that I'm going to work on it today and I'm gonna get it, and then I'll be able to play it forever, and then everywhere I walk I'll be playing chekere/bell pattern. And there is something about pulling my legs up off the ground that is very liberating for me. Yes, it's great when you're in good playing position and receiving all that energy from the earth, but there is also a wonderful feeling when you're dancing, and you can jump and be free and fly. And it's just so fun when you fly and touch down and pull all the energy up from the ground and then set off again. That's what it kind of feels like when I can do the stepping thing. I'm like a birdling, or a chicklet or whatever baby birds are called--just learning how to spread my wings and taking baby steps and tiny flights. But just you wait, I'll be soaring soon.

P.S. (Added Later)

Note to self: While you may not be able to whip out the chekere during your lunch break and practice inside an empty classroom, you can, in a pinch, get a pretty good approximation and feel of a chekere out of a tin of half empty Altoids (flavor optional). I'll have to remember that.