Ain’t Nobody Made Up Nothin

by:

Joe Patti

With the 4th of July just past, I am reminded that as bad as we may things are these days, the United States as served as an exemplar other people have sought to emulate.

I use that as a really weak pretext and segue to recall a video I posted some years back of an excerpt from the documentary Detours – An Experimental Dance Collaboration.

As I posted, the documentary:

alternates between B-Boy and dance/movements that preceded and inspired them from ethnic dancing, martial arts and films. Some of the sources have been obvious, but it was intriguing to see some of the more obscure origins of some of the moves.

While B-Boy dance has always been impressive to watch, viewing this video segment has increased it in my estimation as integrating that which is best of human physical expression.

Be warned there Strong Language in Interview Section at Start and End. But I think the guy at the start says it best when he notes no one has made up a single new move, “All we are doing is manifesting shit at a different time.”

About 4 years after Detours came out, Kirby Ferguson released his excellent series, Everything’s A Remix which delves into the concept a bit deeper.

Law of Conservation of Artistic Energy

by:

Joe Patti

Seven years ago, I made a blog post that included Scott Walters’ ideas about actor training, Seth Godin’s idea about “conceptual dip” and my observations that history shows us that the manifestation of the performing arts go through transitions.

As I re-read the post, I thought about Braddock, PA mayor John Fetterman quoting former Senator Alan Simpson who said it takes around seven years to effect significant change.

To my perception, in the last seven years there hasn’t really been significant change in the way arts students are educated. Nor does it appear the arts community has made much progress powering through the conceptual dip or started to transition to a new manifestation.

I think most everyone agrees the time for these things to occur is nigh. I read a whole lot, but still these changes may have escaped my notice. If the change hasn’t started, is it the case of there not being enough unity of will to make it happen?

Never A Better Time To Write To The Future You

by:

Joe Patti

Seven years ago, I experienced something of a convergence of events.

Not long after I finished reading Peter Drucker’s Managing Oneself in which he says,

“Whenever you make a key decision or take a key action, write down what you expect will happen. Nine or 12 months later, compare the actual results with your expectations,”

.

I heard about a service that will deliver notes to your future self.

I didn’t use it at the time, but now that I am seven years wiser, I can see a lot more value in Drucker’s suggestion.

Beware Starry Eyed Assumptions

by:

Joe Patti

I will be traveling abroad for the next couple weeks, but as I am wont to do on these occasions, I have prepared a retrospective of some interesting entries from the blog archives.

Back in April 2007 Drew McManus and I had an interesting crossblog conversation with Bill Harris of Facilitated Systems about how you really need to be careful about the assumptions you make regarding the results of studies.

In this particular case, it was in regard to some results found in a Knight Foundation study that at first blush might lead you to believe people who participated in music lessons as kids were more apt to attend performances when they grew up.

That ain’t necessarily the case. Read the comments on my post as well as those on the entry Bill made.