Issue #2 - Tips from Twila

"The Creative Habit"
by choreographer, Twyla Tharp

• First Steps Are Hard
• Minimize Distractions
• Ideas Are Everywhere
• Organization Matters

It wasn't just the bluntly cropped hair that set Twyla Tharp apart nor her compact torso. What made her stand out was her intensity and her new vision for dance form.

Back in 1976 Twyla Tharp's new ballet, "Push Comes to Shove," woke up the audience. Even the title made you stretch your imagination. Add the talent of Baryshnikov, another performer breaking ground and you had something fresh and exciting!

In her latest book, "The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use It For Life" Tharp remains every bit intense. The book is crammed with anecedotes, exercises and wisdom. While I think the book could have benefitted from furthur editing there is lots of food for thought. Here are a few of my favorites ideas.


1. First Steps Are Hard

Tharp's remedy is to build ritual into your life. She gets up every day at 5:30 am, dons her sweats and heads to the gym for a two-hour workout. The ritual? Hailing the cab!

While 5:30 may not light your fire, it might be that first cup of coffee that gets you to the to the keyboard. Perhaps it is the time you take to lay out your paints or the candle you light to begin a yoga routine. Whatever you construct, daily habits keep us from:

• Getting distracted.
  
• Procrastinating.
  
• Giving up.
  
• Having to start from scratch.
  

2. Minimize Distractions

Many people use music or the radio as background or companionship while they work, but how much does it compromise our awareness? Might we miss the song of a bird, the howl of the wind or some other natural phenomena or idea that wells up on its own? Music can energize but it can also take us off track by swaying our emotions.

Think of some of your distractions and try to eliminate or cut them back for a week, It will strengthen your independence because it forces you to rely on your own ability. Twyla's list:

• Mirrors.
  
• Clocks.
  
• Newspapers.
  
• Speaking.
  

3. Ideas Are Everywhere

Twyla calls it "scratching." The worse thing you can do when you get caught between ideas and feel blocked is wait for inspiration to tap you on the shoulder. Scratching can be:

• Taking a walk.
  
• Going to a museum.
  
• Gazing out the window.
  
• Changing mediums.
  
• Doodling. (That's my contribution!)
  

4. Organization Matters

I tend to work on several projects at once. I've always used file folders but tend to leave too many out because I think "out of sight, out of mind!" The end result? Every surface is covered.

Thanks to Twyla I have switched to boxes for my projects. Now I can:

• Keep articles, photos, index cards, CD's together.
  
• Lay out all the contents or...
  
• Dig for one specific item.
  
• Use a box that's not too big ( letter size).
  
• Pack it all up at the end of the day.
  

My file folders are now just a resource for the project boxes. Organization matters. Find your style. Make sure it has enough space for you.

In perhaps Tharp fashion, I scratched my way through her book to find the goodies, not always in order nor under every heading. Approach it this way and you won't be intimidated by the density of the material or her zeal!