When I work without warming-up or preparing, everything I do on the floor comes from my 'thinking brain'. I have to generate material, based on what I can see, using my intellect, using past experiences of what has worked before. I am often less physical and more verbal on these days. I can have very successful visits in this way - the children/ladies and gentlemen I visit laugh, or feel soothed, or empowered. But I often leave the hospital feeling dissatisfied.
If I prepare before going on the floor, and make sure that I am 'in the zone', I don't have to generate material. In this state of presence, sensitivity, and play, it is clear that the material is already there. The possibilities are infinite. There is a synthesis between the body and the mind that means my 'creative instinct' kicks in, and I am able to generate original material without 'effort'.
I am very interested in how we access this state of creativity. How do we foster it? How do we maintain it? How do we prepare? How do we know when we are there?
In the Radio 4 programme, The Educators, Paul Howard-Jones described a study where music students at the Royal College of Music were shown images of their brain activity during practice. The 'Neuro-feedback' of their brains showed them how close or far they were from 'the zone'. Using these images, the students were able to change their thought patterns, stimulus or way of working to get into 'the zone' more quickly.
Our brains are working in a different way when we are in this state and it is something that can be exercised, and practiced. Creativity should not be seen as something spontaneous or unconscious.
The last 3 weeks of training essentially taught us different ways and means of accessing this state of creativity, maintaining it, and increasing the 'value' of the original ideas that were generated while we were there. There is a good reason why each day before improvising, with every teacher we worked with, we would do at least an hour of physical and vocal warm-up. Improvising without this would have been difficult, nerve-wracking, and less productive.
Why do we think we can start a whole day of improvising in hospital, with a partner, without giving ourselves the same opportunity to do a good job? When the stakes are so much higher?
And so I propose that this becomes a non-negotiable part of our working day. We prepare before we enter the hospital or healthcare unit, and we prepare with our partner before going onto the floor. And in this preparation, we are actively conscious that what we are aiming for is to get into 'the zone' creatively, and to connect with our partner.
If I prepare before going on the floor, and make sure that I am 'in the zone', I don't have to generate material. In this state of presence, sensitivity, and play, it is clear that the material is already there. The possibilities are infinite. There is a synthesis between the body and the mind that means my 'creative instinct' kicks in, and I am able to generate original material without 'effort'.
I am very interested in how we access this state of creativity. How do we foster it? How do we maintain it? How do we prepare? How do we know when we are there?
In the Radio 4 programme, The Educators, Paul Howard-Jones described a study where music students at the Royal College of Music were shown images of their brain activity during practice. The 'Neuro-feedback' of their brains showed them how close or far they were from 'the zone'. Using these images, the students were able to change their thought patterns, stimulus or way of working to get into 'the zone' more quickly.
Our brains are working in a different way when we are in this state and it is something that can be exercised, and practiced. Creativity should not be seen as something spontaneous or unconscious.
The last 3 weeks of training essentially taught us different ways and means of accessing this state of creativity, maintaining it, and increasing the 'value' of the original ideas that were generated while we were there. There is a good reason why each day before improvising, with every teacher we worked with, we would do at least an hour of physical and vocal warm-up. Improvising without this would have been difficult, nerve-wracking, and less productive.
Why do we think we can start a whole day of improvising in hospital, with a partner, without giving ourselves the same opportunity to do a good job? When the stakes are so much higher?
And so I propose that this becomes a non-negotiable part of our working day. We prepare before we enter the hospital or healthcare unit, and we prepare with our partner before going onto the floor. And in this preparation, we are actively conscious that what we are aiming for is to get into 'the zone' creatively, and to connect with our partner.