The completist in me made efforts to get to the end, but alas. Some is the ideal read for this book, but it is not I. The distraction I encountered with each chapter was the writer's personal story and self-reflection. This give me pause as I'm writing a book and occasionally illustrate ideas with my own story. Hm. I may not be the ideal for my own book! ( )

Great book on art, work and learning. One of the most useful and practical points of view on creativity, told in a very demystifying way by a great dancer and dance director. There's much to think about here. Also, meny exercises. ( )

This isn't just a book for writers or dancers. It's a book for any creative person. ( )

I read this book slowly to savor it's messages and follow it's exercises. A wonderful book for anyone who wants to develop a habit of creativity. ( )

Surely the real issue here is that the people have a fairly strict definition of what 'art' is. In the blue corner we have people who think that art must be a faithful rendition of a visual scene using traditional media (pencil, paint, marble etc...). In the red corner we have people who require that their art convey ideas. I know which group I belong to, but I see no sense in trying to convince others of my way of thinking. You might as well tell me that I'm wrong for not liking bananas. I ain't going to change my mind. As an afterthought - I'd be curious to know which 'corner' the people who agree with this sentiment belong to.

Different forms, styles or genres of art each have many different possible purposes. Conveying an idea or message can be one of them, sure. But to say that "If one has no message, skill - in art - is pointless.", shows your ignorance to several categories of art that display beauty, skill, function, or substance of some other kind. As an example, there are many forms of music that do not contain lyrics that may or may not convey an intended "message" but are beautiful arrangements nonetheless. These are still art.

Similarly, the code that runs this website can be considered a work of art but what message are its creators trying to convey? Indeed, and I'm not disagreeing with people out there, but unless someone else can label it as "art" then it cannot be sold to yet someone else as "art" - that other someone being the sort of person who is incapable of making their own judgment about whether they like something or not. All of this is a reflection on a wider dumbing down of culture that is the result of successive governments refusing to acknowledge the importance of the arts to wider society. An active artistic output is a hallmark of a healthy society. We don't have to agree about it, but we do need to have it available to us. Thus in a world where, to quote Oscar Wilde, "people know the price of everything and the value of nothing", it requires other people to tell us whether we should like something or not, or consider it art or not.

Twyla Tharp's life experiences are mostly dance-oriented. Not my cup of tea. ( )