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Creativity knows no boundaries; it is a force that unites individuals from diverse backgrounds in pursuit of a shared vision. When this spirit of creativity intertwines with solidarity, the results are often transformative and impactful. Let's delve into the power of solidarity in creative approaches and explore how it shapes our world. Solidarity in the arts is a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a testament to the beauty of collaboration. It embodies a collective commitment to support and uplift one another, transcending barriers of language, culture, and geography. In a world that sometimes feels divided, the solidarity found in artistic endeavours serves as a reminder of our inherent interconnectedness.
Art has a unique ability to communicate complex ideas and emotions in ways that words often cannot. It speaks a universal language that resonates with people across the globe. When artists come together in solidarity, they amplify this language, creating a harmonious symphony of voices that demand to be heard. Collaboration lies at the heart of solidarity in creative approaches. When artists join forces, their individual strengths merge to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Whether it's musicians composing a symphony, dancers choreographing a routine, or visual artists painting a mural, collaboration fosters innovation and pushes the boundaries of what is possible.
Art has the power to inspire, educate, and empower. When artists channel their creative energy towards a common cause, they become agents of change in their communities. From advocating for social justice to raising awareness about environmental issues, solidarity in creative approaches gives a voice to the voiceless and a platform for meaningful dialogue. In a world that thrives on diversity, solidarity in creative approaches celebrates the richness of different perspectives and experiences. It encourages artists to embrace their unique identities and share their stories with the world. By fostering a culture of inclusivity, creativity becomes a dynamic force for driving positive change and promoting understanding among individuals.
This month, we are happy to share the thoughts on our cover story by Ravindra Nath Srivastava (Parichay Das), Vandana Srivastava and Rajni Rao.
PROF. RAVINDRA NATH SRIVASTAVA (Parichay Das)
Creative dance is an art form that provides the ability to express both personal and universal qualities. Though it is a perfect medium of non-verbal communication, dance offers students the opportunity to engage in ways distinct from any other field of learning. In a comprehensive and balanced primary school curriculum, dance represents a significant area of human experience that should not be overlooked. Dance supports any subject area. The goal of creative dance is to communicate through movement. The human body becomes a medium of communication . In creative dance, there is an independence to use the technique, way to do things, no routines to learn. The important thing is that the dancer uses internal feelings and justification to make direct and clear statements.
Although increasing skill enhances the ability to communicate, in creative dance, expression precedes technique. Great dancers can express the depth of emotions through movements by merging their art and feelings. However, even great dancers somewhere start as early buds to sprout into master artists. The first step in teaching creative dance to primary school children is to learn what the body can do and how to do it. A thorough understanding of the basic elements of dance enables children to explore, experiment, and use the elements creatively. The second stage is allowing ideas to emerge from movements so that children become aware of the types of ideas suitable for dance. The third stage involves presenting ideas and images as problems or assignments related to the curriculum. Care must be taken. Teachers should avoid rushing through the basics. Children should be familiarized with movement as a distinct and separate area of expression, not just as an interpreter for dramatic action. Children have a tendency to express their ideas dramatically. Creative dance is an art form that offers the ability to express both personal and universal qualities. In creative dance, there is less emphasis on correct or incorrect methods, and there are no routines to memorize. When children learn to work with the elements of art, only then do they develop the capacity to learn the Art form and dance to the rhythm.
A creative approach relates to a holistic view towards education and culture (dance, painting, literature, theater, cinema, etc.), focusing on the learner-artist becoming a part of a professional community that includes dimensions of knowledge, performance, and identity formation. Solidarity or unity is the awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathy that creates a psychological sense of unity among groups or classes. Solidarity does not reject individuals but views individuals as the foundation of society. It refers to the relationships in a society that bind people together. A consolidated approach is related to a holistic view towards education, focusing on the learner being a part of a professional community that includes dimensions of knowledge, performance, and construction. There are four major types of creativity - which we call imagination, investment, improvement, and incubation - applicable at all organizational levels from corporate leadership to department managers to individual employees. Creativity comes in many shapes, forms, colours, fonts, styles, brush strokes, word choices, mediums, and more. A creative spark can come as a flash, from anywhere; or it can be the byproduct of many hours of intense thought. The outcomes of creativity can be like a piece of art in your hands or float through space and time like an idea.
It's easy to think that creativity can't be limited or that only a few lucky people are truly capable of being creative. What if there was a way to limit and define it - and even to enhance it among ourselves. Neuropsychologist Arne Dietrich is famous for working on this, at the American University of Beirut in psychology research. Born in Europe, he spent some years exploring the world to understand the complexity of the human mind more deeply. He also earned a degree in neuroscience from the University of Georgia and continues to explore the complexity of the human mind. Among his most popular works over the past decades, we find an introduction to consciousness and how creativity happens or can be found in the brain. During his research process, he divided creativity into four types:
Deliberate and cognitive,
Deliberate and emotional,
Spontaneous and cognitive,
Spontaneous and emotional.
What is creativity?
The definition of creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. This seems a bit general, but a more comprehensive definition from California State University says, Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining; oneself and others. It seems that the definition of creativity is as elusive as the creative moments themselves. For our purposes, we turn to the four types of creativity defined in a research paper by neuropsychologist Arne Dietrich. Dietrich placed creativity on a four-square matrix, where the x- axis has cognitive and emotional, and the y-axis is deliberate and spontaneous. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb (better than Joseph Swan's invention) and the telegraph, is a great creative example of a deliberate and cognitive creator. His work involved repeated experimentation, making adjustments according to his work until something eventually worked. This process stayed with him throughout his brilliant career as his work rapidly contributed to the modern world. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the home of this type of creativity. The PFC is one of the three areas of the frontal cortex, located just behind your forehead, and it houses language, memory, reflection, and higher executive brain functions.
More concretely, it allows you to do two things:
Focus your attention
Make connections between the information stored in your brain
A key aspect of creativity is having a pool of pre-formed knowledge to combine existing information in new and innovative ways. Achieving this high level of knowledge obviously takes time, so providing plenty of opportunities for research and learning is essential for this type of creative thinker. Then, they should be given ample time to develop creative solutions. For some people, creativity comes from sitting quietly and contemplating their situation. Dietrich calls this type of creativity deliberate and emotional. These types of creative individuals likely have moments where they seem to come up with solutions from the situation. Most people don't see that the idea came not from nowhere but from the time spent in contemplation and asking questions, contrary to the time spent in research and study. This type of creativity comes from the cingulate cortex - a region of the brain that connects our emotions to the PFC. To help people whose creativity falls on this scale, it is important to give them time to think. For example, if you or a relative experienced a bad event, you might reflect on yourself, trying to understand the decisions and events that led to that situation. Naturally, you would use this type of creativity to consider that event, face it, and ultimately move forward and learn from the situation. You can provide them with questions and insights, but you shouldn't expect an immediate solution from them. Instead, present things to them, then let them come back later to share their thoughts.
Spontaneous and cognitive creativity is where dopamine is stored in the brain and works outside of conscious awareness. It is also the part of the brain primarily involved in processing movement-related information. A person who falls into this category is said to need time to do something else, letting their subconscious mind work on the problem. When explaining this type of creative thinking, an example is how Isaac Newton thought about gravity while watching a falling apple. This requires a pre-existing body of knowledge, but the idea is that when a person is engaged in another unrelated activity, their brain allows the problem connections to work out. You may not be able to do this all the time, but whenever you can, you should. Another key to boosting your teams creativity is to provide them with a space where they can collaborate regularly. Like any good sports team, they need to get to know each other and understand how to best work together. Teamwork of this kind requires practice. Even if you don't have a project requiring creative thinking, you should develop exercises or games to help team members work on their minds creative parts regularly. Something brilliant happens when we work together. We learn how to bring out each other's natural abilities, help each other step out of comfort zones, and inspire each other for bigger and bolder ideas and solutions. Establish a routine for continuous creativity. Learning how your people think and how they like to work can be very helpful in achieving greater success and growth.
VANDANA SRIVASTAVA
RAJNI RAO
Solidarity in creative approaches is more than just a concept; it is a way of life for many artists around the world. Through collaboration, empowerment, and celebration of diversity, artists come together to shape a better future for all. Let us continue to support and uplift one another in our creative endeavours, knowing that together, we can move mountains and inspire hearts. Let's embrace the solidarity in arts and harness the transformative power of creativity to build a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Remember, in unity, there is strength.
With solidarity in arts, let us continue to paint the canvas of our world with vibrant colors of creativity and collaboration. Together, we can create a masterpiece of unity that will stand the test of time. Art has the power to change lives, unite communities, and inspire generations. Let's harness that power and make a difference, one brushstroke at a time.
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