Dancing about Architecture: A Little Book of Creativity

by Phil Beadle

Dancing about Architecture: A Little Book of Creativity is a compendium of outrageous ideas: ideas about how to take more risks, and about how to go about coming up with better ideas. Ideas about how to plan experiences that leave people who are in the same room as those ideas awestruck, and ideas to help you avoid the textbook, the worksheet the barely stifled yawn. From using The Book of Revelation as a planning device; to seeing every experience through the prism of physical activity or song; to measuring a poem to find its real heart; it outlines a methodology that, if you use it, will make you an even greater creative force than you already are.

Genres: Education, Architecture, Art

83 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me, but appreciate the work. Great for teachers looking for techniques to... shake things up a bit. Unlocking potentials to discover new potential methods. Was also an enjoyable (and quick) read.

[Regan Gambier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this as gifts to new teachers. What a gem!

[Oliver Ho · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned about this book from an article on Brain Pickings (http://www.brainpickings.org/index.ph...). It's a short book that is aimed primarily at teachers, but has applications to any field of creativity.

It was interesting in terms of its creativity-enhancing exercises and ideas (James Webb Young's book on producing ideas, and Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies come up a few times), and also for its funny, passionate and provocative tone.

Here are three passages I highlighted:

If you do things the same way as everyone else, you’ll get the same results as everyone else. Stands to reason. By definition, therefore, you will be average and the results you get will be average.

Confounding the expectations that are set for you is entirely the best means possible of maintaining your personal and professional integrity.

If we define the outcome we get what we expect. Getting what we expect often comes with accompanying disappointment. ‘Great,’ we gurn, ‘They did exactly what I wanted them to do.’ Ho hum. No alarms, then. No surprises. It all turned out as planned.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some nice tips and nuggets of perspective on the idea of creativity. Not enough good content to recommend a buy, and this is really, in the end, geared toward educators, so more than 50% of the content is almost irrelevant to non-educators (you really have to fish for its applicability outside of the classroom).

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick read about motivating education to be more whole body and dramatic. Sounds simple common sense but some of the ideas in this book could profound help out education system in America especially.

[Charles Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely interesting. Useful? Not as much, but I would put it with "This is where the chairs go" as a go-to for creatively engaging a group, either as a regularly meeting committee, or as a one-off convening.

[Damos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diamond in the rough. Great little book worth having on the reference shelf.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

encouraging

A book achieves greatness read at the right time. This was the right time. Cool references, great writing. I took notes.

[Jon Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

some excellent ideas in an easy to read short read