Burgess is a Korean-American who’s stripped down style and nuanced details set him apart from most modern dance choreographers.

In the spirit of creativity, I spoke with Burgess on the phone about his creative process and what lessons other artists can take away from his body of work.

Transcend language and create your own

Dance is as much a language as French and Swahili. Across the globe, cultures have their own set of movements that convey emotion.

Hula dancers use `ami honua to refer to the world or the earth.

Thai dances have108 distinct dance steps with specific meanings.

Burgess and other dance choreographers have their own unique language that threads through their tapestry of work. It’s those small gestures and turns that set Martha Graham apart from Vaslav Nijinsky.

This holds true for all art forms – writing turns of phrases and voicing; the thickness and fluidity of lines in drawing; the volume and pace of a movement in concertos.

It’s all about getting into the details.

Burgess’s signatures include distorting time, the angle and positioning of shoulders, and small hand gestures. Put together, these movements give depth to a performance with an impressionist portrait of traditional Asian dances.

Looking deep into your own art work, asking yourself why you chose one direction over another, and building on that new language is essential to discovering your own voice.

Immerse yourself in a story

Creating a new story or coming up with a new idea can be a daunting task. I know that I feel paralyzed or rushed to get my idea produced. But it’s important to step back first, and as Burgess recommends, immerse yourself in a story.

Becoming part of that story will help you define what the most emotionally impactful points are and where you relate the most.

“I always try to find an entry point for the audience…something universal and approachable,” said Burgess.

Researching can be daunting when you have so much ground to cover, so zero in on a particular experience – see where that takes you. Once you’ve got that narrative in your mind, observe your own feelings and thoughts during the process to help you define what your vision is.

Don’t be afraid of failure or editing

When choreographing a new work, Burgess throws out whole phrases or movements that don’t work.

“I don’t get stuck because I’m not afraid of editing,” said Burgess.

Indeed, when writing especially, it’s difficult for some to even get enough words on the page because of constant self-editing [I’m doing it right now!]. Instead of evaluating everything that comes out of your head, just put it down somewhere like a sketchbook or index card so you can work through the process of creating a whole work. You may or may not use those ideas but have faith that the end piece will be much better for it.

Attend tonight’s anniversary show and watch some of the Company’s most memorable pieces:

April 5-6, 2012 8:00pm
Dorothy Betts Marvin Center
800 21st St. NW
Washington, DC
Tickets: $15/$22/#25

Buy Tickets

Photo by Zain Shah

Here’s a link to the tests: Test Your Creativity

A new study out of Japan published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery showed that mice who listened to classical music took longer to reject their transplant. Listening to Enya and other sound frequencies (which is essentially what Enya’s music is) killed rats in under a week.

Beating out Mozart by almost a week, Verdi’s tragic operas kept mice alive for 26.5 days. If you’ve ever listened to Rigoletto, you may be confused. It makes me want to die, too. Of a broken heart.

I once sang an aria by Verdi about a woman who tells disingenuous funeral mourners to stay the hell away from her urn. Maybe that’s what kept the mice alive: a vengeful heart.

Or it could be this:

Researchers point to the immune system. They report exposure to classical music generated regulatory cells, which suppress immune responses and are thus vital to preventing rejection of a transplanted organ.

For your cardiovascular pleasure:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwkpspjWblI

You may also send me bags of coffee if you’re feeling so generous.

XO,

Aisha

RENO, Nev., November 18, 2008

“It’s done, baby,” said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., at the signing of the Truckee River Operation Agreement (TROA) Saturday afternoon.

Big names in government mingled in Wingfield Park while Truckee River revelers swam, kayaked and picnicked along the banks. It was the perfect backdrop to an agreement that will bring an end to nearly a century of bitter conflict.

Eighteen members of city, state and federal government huddled together to sign this historical document. Chief among them were Reid, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Chairman Mervin Wright, Jr. and Mayors Robert Cashell, Geno Martini and Todd Cutler of Reno, Sparks and Fernley respectively. Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., and Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., could not make it.

For those enjoying the river’s recreation, they’ll be able to keep coming back under TROA. No water rights are lost to the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) which services the Reno-Sparks area, but better drought allocations will help the community thrive.

“It’s not only drought supplies for new developments, but also drought supplies for existing people living here. It keeps providing us with that safety net we need here in Truckee Meadows,” said Sue Oldham, a negotiator on behalf of TMWA.

In technical terms, nearly 16,000 acre feet of water will be stored during droughts. That’s a 15 percent conservation rate versus 10 percent during non-droughts.

TROA also takes into consideration the increasing population of Reno and Sparks. Oldham noted that 119,000 acre feet of water will be allocated to TMWA for the next 25 years. It hopes to accommodate the residential and municipal and industrial uses for upwards of 400,000 people.

After that, Oldham says, “We’ll have to look at other ways to back up our water support.”

Since his election to the senate in 1986, Reid has strived to pull communities together and solve the issue of water in Northern Nevada and California. He spoke passionately at Saturday afternoon’s event about the hundreds of thousands of wetlands that have been ravaged and the endangered species that TROA aims to save.

Reid described it as a “freeway” that would more easily support wildlife and plant life that couldn’t thrive under the current conditions of diversions.

This river has had many diversions both physically and legislatively over the past 90 years.

When Lake Tahoe experienced a drought in the 1920s, the official fight over the river’s resources began. At one point, around 17,000 people were being sued. These past decades, the battle went back and forth between California and Nevada.

Some of the harsher effects of diverted tributaries and dams were the emptying of Winnemucca Lake, the disappearance of Pyramid Lake Cutthroat Trout, and now the danger of depleting cui-ui and Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. Both fish are integral to the Paiute Tribe’s culture.

Reid’s efforts to pull all those communities and interests together to find a solution in 1990 under the Truckee-Carson-Pyramid Lake Water Rights Settlement Act culminated in TROA.

Although it has taken 18 years since then, every effort has been made to assure that all parties were heard.

The Paiutes will not lose any water rights and any water unused will be given to them. Better timing and flow rates between California and Nevada were established. Several lawsuits will be settled. And, of course, people from across the country and world can still come to enjoy the beauties that the lakes and rivers provide.

But the battle hasn’t been won yet. After Saturday’s signing, federal and state courts will have a chance to review and comment on the agreement. Until December 2009, we’ll have to wait to breathe that heavy sigh of relief.

I’ve been reading a lot about how to “break in” to certain industries, namely the writing and journalism business. Many of these “How to land a job in…” keep emphasizing that job seekers should be willing to work long ours for modest pay.

While I’m not advocating slacking off or negotiating for unreasonably high salaries, I am advocating that job seekers know their limits.

I’ve worked in a job where I was living paycheck to paycheck, with an overdraft every quarter. I worked 14 hours a day as a federal tax exempt employee – which means no over-time, folks. Was I passionate about what I was doing? Absolutely. Was I treated fairly? Not at all.

All organizations and business have a responsibility to their employees – that they can put food on the table and not become shells of their former selves.

Here’s the thing about the brain: your talents and skills have diminishing returns after you reach a certain point. You get lazier. You’re not as quick to notice mistakes. Your work suffers.

So how does a reporter working long hours help a news organization? It doesn’t. In fact, the more overworked your staff the shoddier the reporting gets. Why would a news organization, the OCDs of facts and truth, want their staff to become exhausted and sloppy?

The breaks I take really only benefit my employers. How? Ask Don Draper.

Get down into the details. Learn as much as you possible can handle. Follow every lead. Then forget all about it. The story will unravel itself.

Anyway. So James, in an effort to be different, purports that there is a great conspiracy afoot that advises bloggers to stick to a schedule. Even though those dispensing the advice, James being one of them, are all like, “This sucks. I want to be on a yacht right now.”

First of all, everyone’s creative process is its own unique snowflake. Heck, even in “On Writing Well,” Zinsser proclaims in one of his chapters that he and another respected writer had opposing views on how to write. Zinsser has to write everyday or else he’ll lose it. The other writer is all whimsy and inspiration. He can’t write unless the fancy strikes him. And other people have weirdo traditions.

Secondly, James uses some loopy logic about readers getting bored. I admit, I get bored with MWP’s blog posts because it seems to be regurgitating the same dribble every month or so. Anyone in the news business will tell you that won’t fly because people want to know what’s new. No one ever asks, “Hey how did that thing 10 years ago turn out? I was around at the time, but I want you to repeat it me right now. I’ll ask you again in the future to remind me of what happened 15 or 20 years ago.”

This point is correct:

Let’s forget the cheap Chinese buffet rule of having consistent blogging schedule and ditch it in favour of an occasional steak dinner. The kind you save up for and enjoy. The kind you really savour. The kind you look forward to because it’s rare. And because it’s that good.

I’m of the opinion that if you’re gonna write something, add new insight. Any editor will tell you that, otherwise you won’t get published. Unless you work for a Men’s or Women’s magazine (ba-dum-ching!). If you’re not adding to the conversation, shut up. That should free up your schedule some, no?

Third, James says that writing despite your feelings is bad for you. Actually, it’s better for your writing and for you in general.

If you succumb to your own paranoid thinking, you’ll never get shit done. This is why the Buddhist (here I go again!) precept of “doing what needs to be done right now” is so important.

Yes, if your kids are crying and you’ve got mold in your bathtub, those things take priority over writing. If nothing but your feelings are getting in the way of your writing, just sit your ass down and write, damnit. You’ll be better for it. Unless you have a rich spouse who can support your whimsical schedule, you’re gonna need to get over yourself to finish that post lambasting that other blogger.

Overall, I think James here is being disingenuous to get hits.

I’m here to tell you that if you follow the basic rules of writing, as outlined in the inexpensive and everlasting book “On Writing Well” or even “The Elements of Journalism,” you’ll do fine.

The most important thing is to find out what works for you, get over yourself, do the work that needs to be done, and be comfortable being uncomfortable.

But these intrepid Instructablists use the power of pedals to mix up smoothies.

Any time I see another Blender Goddess wannabe – I challenge them to a duel! Nothing can ever beat the supercharged, superfast, superduper awesome power of the Vitamix blender.

I will even deign to make the fight slightly fair – bring in your best cyclist! Lance Armstrong and other French bikers can try their hand at peddling fast and furious enough out smoothie Le Vitamix.

And I will laugh at them in defeat with their pulpy mess while I gulp down the creamy smoothieness of a Green Smoothie.

The gauntlet has been thrown…

Saunders defines “layering” as: 

I define “layering” as strategically deciding to do tasks that require different “channels” of mental functioning such as visual, auditory, manual or language. As David Meyer, one of the world’s leading experts on multitasking, explains in this New York magazine article , “The only time multitasking does work efficiently is when multiple simple tasks operate on entirely separate channels.”

It’s true that you can’t do two verbal tasks at the same time – such as driving and talking. You may not think driving is a verbal task but it is because you are constantly processing “verbal cues” like signs and signals. Talking while driving disrupts those processes.

So Saunders iterates that you can mix up these channels to do two things at once like listening to a podcast and tidying up your desk or eating a sandwich and reading a book.

Some of her examples seem weird to me. For example, I would not talk to friends or read a book while running on a treadmill because, really, some tasks require your full attention so that you don’t injure yourself. You know what I mean, gym rats.

On the other hand, sometimes I need to do “physical” tasks in order to work through some mental ideas. I drafted this blog post, a cover letter and a to-do list while I was washing the dishes not 10 minutes ago. Because I tend to do this daily, I have pens and notebooks scattered about to make sure I capture a brain wave (even if it turns into more of a brain blip).

My rules of layering are:

- Make sure one of the tasks you’re doing won’t cause you injury without your full attention

- Keep a notebook by you at all times to jot down random thoughts

- Don’t get too lost in your thoughts otherwise you’ll have a very irate Burger King cashier screaming, “NEXT CUSTOMER!” at you while simultaneously deciding whether or not to spit in your mayo

Safety first.

That’s apparently what this Instructablist, bara1962,  thought when he decided that the 10 for $5 hangers at Wal-Mart taunted his favorite yellow PET bottle cardigan. When he looked across the vast expanse of the landfill and he saw all those hangers, his heart turned to a non-BPA free shell.

bara1962 vowed to never pay to the Hanger Industrial Complex ever again.

With just “Empty PET bottles, piece of wire, bolt,screw,drill,pliers,round pliers,scissors,blade” and disregard for the spacebar, bara1962 is sticking it to the man one 30-year-old plaid jersey at a time.

Added bonus: Your shirts will look like they have broad, muscular shoulders.

File Under: Was There a Problem Before?