When budgets are trimmed down, arts programs are often the first to go. This is a shame, because the arts bring so much to humanity. They foster change, new ways of thinking, feelings of compassion and community, and they enable creative thinking and problem-solving. Involving yourself in the arts can be a life-changing decision. If you don’t know where to begin, here are a few steps you can take to expose yourself to the arts.
Seeing Theatre
Good theatre has the potential to greatly change a person’s perspective. Actors strive to live truthfully from moment to moment under imaginary circumstances. The point of theatre is to challenge the views of an audience member or to expose them to a situation that fosters conversation and social change. Theatre also supplies an escape to the audience member. It has been shown to develop feelings of compassion in audience members as they witness a character struggle. The problems of the character resonate with an audience member and leaves them somehow changed after a performance. Theatre also provides a medium for a sense of community, since people are brought together to witness and engage in an event. Seeing theatre is a great way to expose yourself to new ideas. It is also more mentally engaging than watching television or movies. This is because a performance is never the same twice. Real people doing real things right in front of you means there are many things that could go wrong. You can sense the risk in the room when actors take the stage, and you immediately lean forward to find out what’s going to happen next. For productions of the best quality, you can look into events in Brisbane and see a show as soon as this weekend. With the summer almost underway, theatre is a good way to spend your time expanding instead of vegging out in front of a screen.
Dancing
For a more active approach to broadening your horizons, you can learn how to dance. Like theatre, dance is riddled with risk-taking and bold movements that could go wrong at any moment (although, with well-trained dancers, things don’t actually usually go wrong). It is the expression of the human experience through movement. Dancing fosters creative thinking because you develop your own story for what you think the movements mean. And if you think you don’t need it, think again. Creative thinking is a necessary skill in today’s business world. Creative thinkers are innovators. They are the ones who see new possibilities and have expansive ideas that allow a business to adapt and grow. As dancing is a form of the deepest creative expression, it’s a good place to begin. But if you’ve never danced before, don’t let this overwhelm you. You can begin with the simple freedom of learning one movement, or even one dance. Join regular classes, like at the dance studio in Gaithersburg, MD, to build your technique along with other students who are at your level.
Something for Everyone
Maybe you’ve always been interested in supporting, attending, or taking part in an art form, but you or someone you love has special needs that cannot be met in a traditional artistic setting. The noises of daily life can be difficult to take in for individuals with autism or other special needs, so it follows that a full performative experience could be tough to get through. It is not uncommon for loud gunshots in a play or strobe lights in a dance production to overwhelm an individual who is on the spectrum. Fortunately, there has been a rise in the production of sensory-friendly performances for these individuals. This means, for example, that a performance of a play is rehearsed to have quieter sound effects, lights that remain on above the audience, and ushers who are trained to help audience members with special needs. In addition to plays, there are a number of sensory friendly activities in Lansing, MI that have been customized for those with special needs and their loved ones to have the most positive and pleasurable artistic experience. These activities engage individuals in a way that empowers them.
Tools Put into Practice
Many of the tools artists use can be found in other activities, some of which you probably already do. Listening is one example. When you listen and engage with another person to solve a problem, you are practicing the same tools an actor uses on stage in a scene. When you read an article that makes you think differently about a topic, you are practicing the change in perspective an audience member experiences as they watch live theatre. Believe it or not, even surfing can teach you creative tools like living in the present moment and dealing with unforeseen circumstances in an innovative way. The stakes when you’re riding a wave are as high as the climax of a play. So if you can’t remember lines, or dancing isn’t your style, taking surfing lessons in Waikiki could be the step that you need to start reaching out of your comfort zone and absorbing creative tools in any capacity you can.
Art is what you make it, and it is everywhere. By fostering creative thinking in yourself and your loved ones, you have the power to create a compassionate and innovative atmosphere that will give your life new meaning. Get creative and get going.
