t's not just small businesses and restaurants that have been hurt by COVID-19, Social Distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns – ALL of the arts community has been hit hard as well. Musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists, sound engineers, and all associated crew have all lost performance gigs, freelance income, teaching work, gallery exhibition opportunities, and other vital means of income (and expression) in this time of crisis.

So, what can we do as a community to help keep the arts alive when we make it to the other side?

The following are a series of suggestions that may appeal and have value to various creatives. This may be from actual distance-based income, but they also provide the opportunity to build an online presence, audience, and community through which future work may be more rewarding and lucrative.

1. Online/Skype Lessons
   
   

   This may be the most obvious one, but many people have been afraid to attempt this. To be completely honest, it is not the ideal setting; however, if this is something you have hesitated to attempt out of fear of a lack of productivity, I encourage you to at least try. You may be surprised at how much you are still able to provide to your students! (For payment suggestions, see #8 below).

   
   
2. Simple Online Arts Games
   
   

   An example of this would be what I observed a colleague of mine doing the other day: he made a very brief (less than 1 minute) video of himself playing a popular song and posted it to his Instagram account with a caption along the lines of “name that tune.”

   
   

   With so many people currently on social media and desperate for something happy and enjoyable, simple games like this could increase traffic to your page thus growing your audience and ability to self-promote. Beyond that, it also gives you a chance to do something fun, a reason to keep your skills sharp, and the joy of being able to produce something positive during a very difficult time!

   
   
3. Instructional Demonstration Videos
   
   

   If you're heavy into Instagram and/or have any connection to any sort of fitness page, you are probably aware by now that there has been a virtual hurricane of “Free Online Workouts”. There is no reason that creatives can't do similar things to increase awareness of our mediums.

   
   

   An example of this would be things like practice guide videos for learning or building specific techniques (ex. movements for building stronger pointe or the progression for building rapid, light staccato). Be sure to explain the concepts you wish to relay and not just a general “prescription” for movements or activities; this will not only help people to understand what it is they are actually trying to accomplish, but it also highlights the fact that you are knowledgeable about your subject on a deeper level – a good selling point if someone comes across the video who is looking for a private instructor!

   
   
4. Online Challenges
   
   

   Have you seen the “See 10 Do 10” challenges on social media? Push ups, dog pictures, and other activities are already flying around the internet as an attempt for people to feel connected to their friends. So why not build something similar for the arts?

   
   

   Challenge other performers to record video of something that is common to your medium. Musicians, what about etudes and excerpts? How about flexibility and form work for dancers? Actors, call on your most commonly studied scripts or mirror-practice techniques! Visual artists, too – what have you always wanted to reproduce, and who does it better – you or your friends?

   
   

   And we can expand beyond colleagues and professionals – challenge students and amateurs as well! “See 10 Do 10” scales for musicians, paradiddles for tap dancers, wicked laughs for actors, or simple illustrations for arts students. Especially for the younger students, it can help to both keep them calmer and more productive while also reinforcing their connection to their medium.

   
   
5. Digital Discussion and Community Groups
   
   

   In general, creatives are a bit of a paradox: we are simultaneously social creatures with antisocial tendencies. My personal feeling is that a lot of us are drawn to our medium partially as an expressive tool, and partly because it helps us feel connected to other people.

   
   

   So, at a time when connection is simultaneously excessively “easy” through media and excessively difficult due to isolation, an online community of actual human beings who are looking to interact with each other is more critical than ever.

   
   

   Consider this: most media is designed to sell you an idea or a product with little interest in actual interaction. Even the major social platforms have become more of a “soapbox” tool than anything else – you state your opinions in a way that does not allow for nuance or emotion to come through, and people react often without thought.

   
   

   So what if, instead, we created smaller groups where people know one another, and where there is a reason to treat each other with empathy and kindness? Where you can post your work or questions or feelings without fear of being immediately ridiculed, because you are in a place where people want to help each other grow? “Hey everyone, I have been struggling with this [technique]. Here is what I have been doing. Here is a video of me doing it. Do you see/hear something I'm missing?” Or: “Hey everyone, I'm feeling really down... all of my performances have been canceled, my students are cutting back on their lessons, and I'm starting to wonder if my [medium] has any value in this world at all.”

   Imagine the good we could do for one another with a support group for those feelings.

   
   

   And as with the Online Challenges mentioned above, this doesn't have to be limited to other professionals! For instance, I know that my local orchestra (Tallahassee Symphony) has received a lot of support from our regular subscribers because they are acutely aware of the difficult position the orchestra is in. What better way to thank them and keep connected with them than to start an online group where they are welcome to interact with the performers they love? It can be an additional space to post creative videos and demonstrations, for audience members to ask questions or patronize requests (see #8 below), and in general an open forum to bridge the gap between the stage and the seats.

   
   

   Students and amateurs as well, could benefit from such groups. If you have a large studio, ensemble, or a group of colleagues with studios, an online community to share practice, performances, and build social bonds can keep them calmer and healthier as well as encouraging them to remain invested in their medium. Remember, during times like these students can have a lot of questions and self-doubt about the worth of their creative endeavors as well!

   
   
6. "Ask a Creative"
   
   

   At some point in our lives, most professional creatives have had people ask about how their time is actually spent in a given day. For example, many people are surprised that musicians typically practice every day and usually more than once. So now that people are online more than ever before, what better time to answer these sorts of questions!

   
   

   The bonus to this concept, too, is that you don't actually need a prompt. Yes, it's better if you're answering a question someone actually wanted to know, particularly if it's a patron who wants to know how much you practice, how long a certain piece took to finish or master, etc., because then you know you are building a bond directly with someone who is interested. However, most people in our modern society don't even know what questions to ask – so you can provide information you know they wouldn't know!

   
   

   In general, people are more likely to support individuals or endeavors they understand. By showing them what life is actually like for you in your field, you can help bridge the gap and improve relations with students, patrons, and potential future audience members. Show people how much we actually work for our medium, the amount of knowledge and skill actually required to do what it is you do. And do explain it in common language – not as a means of speaking down to people, but as a means of being more approachable.

   
   
7. Practice Demonstrations & Patronized Performances/Artwork
   
   

   Similar to “Ask a Creative” and the Instructional Videos, these are going to be typically fairly short recordings (or singular images, depending on your medium) showing you doing what it is you actually do. Practice demonstrations – especially if edited well – can show how intensive or difficult your work actually is, as well as your dedication to your medium regardless of your level. It also provides audience members with a sort of “behind the scenes” look at what happens in the practice room – much in the same way that things like open orchestral rehearsals hold appeal to them!

   
   

   Patronized performances or visual artwork is similar, but you are instead providing a “finalized” version rather than a practice rendition. I have taken this concept directly from YouTube streamers: they produce the content they are already working on and post it for the general public (like practice demos), but accept donations and “patronized” requests as well. For example, one researcher posts videos discussing his active work on Ancient Norse history and mythology, but will provide additional videos on separate Nordic topics if patronized to do so.

   
   

   Creatives have the opportunity to turn the current crisis into a productive one in much the same way: provide videos of yourself and increase your contact with the community of patrons and audience members, then allow them to donate to your work and request a patronized performance or piece. For a clarinetist like me, this may mean something like posting instructional videos on articulation and circular breathing, demonstration videos of me working on my next expected recital piece, and then allowing a patron to fund a video performance of Stravinsky's Three Pieces. Similarly, a ballet dancer could instruct pointe, demonstrate balance work, and accept funding for a home performance of one of the Nutcracker solos. And an artist in the drawing medium can instruct perspective, demonstrate shape practice, and take a commission on a portrait (ideally one that could be shared to the public with a watermark and given digitally to the patron).

   
   
8. Digital Payments & Patronage
   
   

   The remaining question up to this point is: how do we receive payment with all of this online work and the general inability to meet in-person for payments?

   
   

   There are some more well-known routes, such as Venmo and PayPal, as well as more traditional routes like a mailed check. I also encourage people to look into alternative digital methods of receiving funding such as Patreon and sites like GoFundMe. I have never personally used the latter of these suggestions, but I know that many YouTubers have found support to continue their work regardless of a lack of ad revenue from YouTube by accepting patronage through things like Patreon.

   
   

   One last, less-common consideration are things like digital-to-monetary tipping using services such as the Basic Attention Token (BAT) on the Brave browser (if you haven't heard of it, it's a browser by the original developer of FireFox) or, if you are comfortable with it, other digital currencies. Although I am not super familiar with digital currencies in general, I know that users may earn BAT by viewing Brave-supported ads, which they can then use to tip people through a web domain or through through YouTube. This token can be linked to a bank account and converted to cash in the account. What this means is that if you are producing enjoyable content for users who are familiar with the browser, they are able to tip you using currency that requires minimal effort for them to earn and that you can convert into cash.

   
   
   



Creatives, we need to support each other and communicate with our students, audiences, and patrons now more than ever. If any of these suggestions help you in even the slightest, then this article has served its purpose. If you have any other suggestions or resources, please let me know through the link below – I would love the opportunity to share as much as we can to help each other out and would be glad to give you and/or your source credit for the information!

Have additional suggestions or questions? Contact Us!

Hard Times & Creative Arts: Survival of the Self

 Let’s address the elephant in the room: right now, everyone has deep concerns over the possible spread of COVID-19 and/or the detrimental effects of widespread panic. As people hoard supplies and businesses temporarily close their doors, it is tempting to look at items and activities in your life and label them as “necessity” and “luxury” – things that you would not otherwise label in such black-and-white terms.

 

One of the things that might be tempting to label as a “luxury” are creative outlets, including but not limited to musical or dance practice, lessons, or performances, theater activities, and visual art supplies or lessons. But before you cut ties with your creative side, let’s consider a few things.

 

  Historically, people have used Creative Arts to SURVIVE difficult situations

 It may sound self-serving for a performer to argue the importance of the arts to survival, but there is a historical background to this phenomenon and plenty of studies easily accessible online to back up this claim.

 

In U.S. history alone, difficult situations were not only overcome partly through the use of the arts, but helped to develop some of the most uniquely American styles of performing. Blues and jazz music grew out of a combination of the hardships and cultural mixing in the South from the pre- through post-Civil War eras. The height of the Swing era and the foundation of the American Cinema as part of popular culture were skyrocketed due to the Great Depression. And World War II in particular is noted for having a significant need for performers and entertainers for overseas troops.

 

War, slavery, and the worst economic depression the U.S. has ever seen increased and improved the performing arts, rather than shutting them down entirely. Why? Because creative outlets are not only a “distraction” from difficulties, but offer a way to cope with and express emotions that are otherwise too hard to process or else toxic if bottled in.

 

  Creative Outlets build Resiliency of Character and Decrease Anxiety

 For this one, I will point specifically to the research done by Dr. Brené Brown – research professor and chair for the University of Houston’s College of Social Work. (If you have not heard of her, I 100% recommend looking her up and listening/reading as much of her work as you can.)

 

In her “Power of Vulnerability” lecture, Brené discusses the need for creative activities for adults and children alike: how an overwhelming number of emotional scars in the adults she studies come from painful artistic criticism during youth that continues to harm and otherwise affect people throughout their lives. She also says that it is never too late to begin pursuit of creative activities as an adult, and that doing so can build mental and emotional resiliency.

 

If creative pursuits can build mental and emotional resiliency to survive daily life, just imagine the effects they can have during more difficult situations! And once we take into consideration that anxiety and panic decrease the immune system’s effectiveness, the ability to build resiliency and decrease anxiety becomes critical to individual health.

 

There are SAFE methods for continuing your practice!

 If you are a member of a vulnerable population, or if you are worried about possibly exposing a vulnerable family member, there can be concerns over attending a class or meeting an instructor in-person. The good news is that we live in a digital age where communications are quick and easy to access!

 

In order to continue providing instruction in a safe environment, most instructors will offer the ability to take lessons or classes ONLINE using applications such as Skype or Zoom. Although it is not ideal (and I personally prefer in-person), audio/video quality through most phones, tablets, and computers nowadays is good enough for an experienced instructor to provide quality lessons remotely. When you combine this with online payment applications such as Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle, we come to a point where students can continue to safely interact and study with their instructors while continuing to practice social distancing and/or during a self-quarantine situation!

 

So what now?

 If you are currently studying or practicing a creative art, or if you are interested in starting up, reach out to a local or trusted instructor and ask them what their current offerings are. Even if in-person facilities are unavailable, most instructors will work with students to continue providing any needed support or lessons in a way that is viable for the individual and their scenario. We are all in this together, so let’s make sure we take care of our whole selves while we’re at it!

 

 

Interested in online clarinet or saxophone lessons? Curious about online coaching? Want more information on creative outlets and self-care?
Contact us !

The legendary strength coach Louie Simmons is quoted as saying, “When you attempt to build capacity on dysfunction, you are actually deepening the attractor state of your compensation. Thus, you are building compensation, not capacity.”

What does this mean for performing artists? Let’s break it down:

 

What is dysfunction for performing artists?

For the purposes of this article, we will define dysfunction as anything that negatively impacts any aspect of your ability to perform. This can include, but is not limited to: errors in embouchure, a weakness in one of your hamstrings, excess tension in your bow hand, gripping in your neck while orating, or muscular imbalance in a critical area. These are generally things that your instructor or mentor will have addressed with you to the best of his/her abilities, and things that you are likely working on correcting.

 

What is involved with “Building Capacity”?

In this context, building capacity would refer to anything you do to increase the load on your system to achieve a “conditioning” result. For all performers, this would include increasing your practice volume (i.e. adding more hours) and/or increasing practice or performance speed. For musicians, extending your range or expanding dynamic capacity may also apply. Dancers may add in increasing flexibility, balance, static holds, or other highly technical movements. Actors may also include dramatic movements, dialect work, or postural changes.

 

So how does it apply?

When we experience dysfunction in our performance, the human body typically attempts to compensate through other means that are generally unhelpful long-term. If left unchecked, these compensations may even develop into full-blown injuries.

Therefore, if we find ourselves in a state of dysfunctional performance, we will generally find ourselves making unnecessary physical compromises. In this situation, adding in “capacity building” activities – especially high volume practice – does not actually improve our performance abilities; rather, it increases our subconscious dependence on our compensation.

 

What can I do about it?

The first step is being aware of your dysfunction in the first place. If you are not yet working one-on-one with an instructor or mentor in your performance medium, it is definitely worth your time to seek one out. If you already have one, you most likely already have a plan in place to discuss the dysfunctions that he/she is able to address.

 If you have a dysfunction that your instructor can not help you with, such as a muscular imbalance requiring physical training or an injury requiring medical examination, seek out an expert to address these issues outside of your standard lesson or practice time.

 Lastly, create a practice plan with your mentor and stick to it. There is often temptation to increase load due to personal or peer pressures, or out of panic or anxiety. A good practice plan including goals and focuses for each session is far more valuable long-term than aimless, panicked, high-volume sessions!

Have questions? Want to discuss further? Contact Us!

The performing arts “in-season” can be one of the toughest times for us to negotiate our own wellness. It is also the time when our body, abilities, progress, and mental state will be challenged to their greatest extent.

 

I have two primary rules for getting through performance season intact:

1. Do what you can to keep in a flow state and out of “survival mode.”
2. If and when you do go into survival mode, be honest and self-reflective with your needs. Try to get back into flow and keep away from potential injury.

 The more you practice these rules, the more specific you will be able to tailor them to your own needs. But whether you’re just getting started or have been in the business for years, the following considerations may help you to refine habits and eliminate stumbling blocks.

 

Protect Your Sleep and Self-Care Routine

In other words, know when to say “no.” This is one of the most difficult lessons for many of us to learn, but the bottom line is that if you aren’t caring for yourself, you can’t help anyone else. Getting a reasonable amount of sleep (read: 8 hours minimum, if possible) allows your body to physically recover and your mind to stay sharp enough to handle all of the curveballs that come with this time of year.

 Other self-care aspects to protect during in-season include basic things like nutrition, basic hygiene (one well-known strength coach advocates flossing as a way of increasing strength simply because it is a signal to yourself that you are willing to care for yourself), and an appropriate amount of break time (they can be small intervals, but be sure to take them).

 

  Be Honest with Yourself about Your Needs

Only you can know what your needs are, especially in a stressful state like performance season. The following are questions that may help guide your considerations. Keep in mind that there is no wrong answer to any of these; they are simply prompts to promote self-honesty!

• Does your body hurt because you need to rest? Or does it hurt because you have been holding a static position or repetitive motions too long and need to move to address imbalances?

• Do you need to go home for some quiet time at the end of your workday and clear your mental space? Or is it more helpful to go socialize with people you care about?

• Do you need the extra hour of practice before your next rehearsal/performance? Or would decompression time with some T.V., games, etc. to blow off steam help improve your overall state? (I am not advocating for blowing off practice. And, sometimes decompression can improve performance more than a single hour of practice IF stress levels are so high that they are impinging on ease of movement.)
  

• If you are craving a particular “cheat” meal or other vice, consider the following: Is it something you need that will boost morale without noticeable detriment to your performance? Or will you physically feel bad enough that you will be miserable and your performance affected that day or the next?
  

You may well have different answers to these questions depending on the day, but learning to identify what state you are in and what will genuinely benefit you can prevent the dreaded “crash” that can destroy performance success if it happens too soon, and can help stave off risk of illness and injury.

 

Address Your Physical Imbalances Gently and as Often as Possible

This particular subject will be addressed more in the upcoming “In-Season” YouTube video, which will be published Monday, December 16th. Be sure to keep an eye out for it!

 

 

Have questions? Feel free to contact us !

In athletics, there is a long-standing tradition of acknowledging competition/performance “seasons,” the necessary preparations leading into it, and how to best care for the athlete in-season. Although the concept of performing artists as “a different kind of athlete” has gained traction in the past decade or so, the conversations about appropriate preparation and in-season self-care are unfortunately limited due to other demands such as practicing, teaching, or otherwise earning a living.

 

As the height of holiday performance season can begin as early as mid-October and run through January, the best time to start preparing is now . So, what are some of the best things you can do for yourself for the upcoming demands?

 

1)     Shore up physical imbalances.
If you know you have a particular physical weakness that results in pain during performance season, begin addressing it before the season starts. This will not only allow you to increase your resilience for the upcoming strain your body will be placed under, but beginning the work early means that you will also have time for “deload” prior to the beginning of the season.

Effectively, through this process, you can put your body through moderately intense training for several weeks to maximize your benefits, and still allow yourself time to recover enough prior to your season to go into performances healthy, rested, and ready to use your new abilities.

2)     Improve the quality and quantity of your rest.
No one wants to go into the busy season tired – we all know how exhausted we will be by the end of it, and starting out at a deficit makes the season daunting and unenjoyable.

Sleep and rest are habits that require maintenance to remain at their peak. By working towards rest in advance of the season, you not only allow yourself to start the season feeling good, but you are establishing habits that will be easier to maintain once the season starts. Remember, it’s okay to let yourself sleep!

3)     Identify and prep your best nutrition.
Experienced performers know that nutrition tends to go out the window when you’re juggling multiple jobs during the holiday performance season. However, allowing nutrition to slide causes the body to undergo even more strain at an already difficult time.

Although you may not be able to avoid poor nutrition altogether during the season (and let’s face it, we all need a good treat now and then just to feel human), establishing your best nutrition prior to performance season gives you a significant advantage once it starts. “Good nutrition” can mean many things to many people, but the best time to experiment with food and/or work with a nutritionist is prior to performance season. Plus, once you know what foods work best for you, the task of prepping meals for a week or two while you are in season becomes significantly easier and requires less guesswork!

4)     Address and plan for trouble areas in your domestic life.
Do you have other “life” areas that often “run away” from you when you get busy, such as laundry, dishes, etc.? Do these areas then bring you to a standstill, force you to become late to appointments, or otherwise spend your precious cash when they spiral out of control?

Set up a plan and establish habits now that will help you before you get there. If dishes are a problem for you, consider limiting the number you are allowed to use in a day, and require yourself to wash them daily. If laundry is an issue, try scheduling specific times to start, change, or fold loads that works within your schedule. Small changes and goals become easier to maintain over time; plus, if and when the wheels start falling off in-season, there is a greater chance that the “fallout” will cause fewer problems.

 

 

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