Stanford Seminar: Creativity + Innovation
What Can Scientists Learn From Ballet?
A Conversation about Artistry, Creativity and Tech Innovation
Date: Friday December 2, 2011, 4:30-5:30 pm
Host: Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts (SiCa)
We are pleased to announce our upcoming seminar at Stanford, under SiCa quarterly presentation series. This marks our first public debut, and we cordially invite you to join us.
The seminar will feature a live debate, starring distinguished artists, scientists and entrepreneurs, who will engage in a collaborative exploration about creativity and innovation. We are thrilled to have a principal dancer from San Francisco Ballet (Sofiane Sylve pictured) with us for this panel.
STARRING
Moderator ……………………………………… Sylvie Leotin
Ballerina ……………………………………….. Sofiane Sylve
Artist-surgeon…………………………………. Kay B. Young
Musician-scientist ………………………………… Ge Wang
Robotics-scientist …………………………. Aaron Edsinger
Tech entrepreneur ……………………… Duncan Davidson
THE NARRATIVE
The cast, comprised of accomplished representatives from art, science and business, will discuss various aspects of creativity and innovation, in search for a common understanding.
Is creativity the realm of artists? What is creativity? • Do artists and technologists follow a similar creative process? • Does being an artist, or having an art education, give scientists an edge? • What are the similarities between how the three disciplines innovate? • What are opportunities for cross-enrichment between artists, scientists and entrepreneurs?
These questions are ripe for debate and illumination. Our distinguished cast of left and right brainers will help inform our discussion. We look forward to your participation.
CAST BIOS
- Sylvie Leotin: host & producer, ex-ballerina, computer scientist, entrepreneur.
- Duncan Davidson: serial entrepreneur, business strategist, venture capitalist.
- Aaron Edsinger: robotics scientist, visual performance artist, entrepreneur.
- Sofiane Sylve: principal dancer San Francisco Ballet.
- Kay B. Young: visual artist, plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
- Ge Wang: Stanford music professor, composer, computer scientist.
REGISTRATION
- This event is free with RSVP (required). Non-Stanford affiliates may attend as guests.
- Location: Wallenberg Hall Learning Theater, Building 160, Stanford University.
- Due to popularity we regret that this event is now full. You may join our guest list to be invited to future events.
Special thanks to Stanford SiCa for their support and sponsorship for this event.
It must have been fascinating, and, potentially, a reminder to seek inspiration consciously from other disciplines. A deliberate mental effort to apply or re-purpose newly learned information to other applications may be one of the hallmarks of a creative mind. The Lincoln Center Library years ago displayed, in an obscure corner, near an elevator, by a seldom used entrance, two, large, framed “art works.” The large white papers that were peppered with thin marks in the form of straight or curved lines, X’s, and dots were explained in statements on the wall to be notations of choreography. Seemingly, they were an aerial view of the points at which the dancers feet were to meet the surface of the stage through a particular passage of movement. The 2 dimensional visual expression of time and movement in 3 dimensional space is a concept applicable to multiple disciplines, perhaps even some to which it’s offering may not be obvious, literature? philosophy? (Do a search for cave paintings + fred astaire to find numerous references to filmaker Werner Herzog’s documentary “The Cave of Forgotten Dreams” about the paleolithic paintings and engravings on the walls of the Chauvet Cave in southern France or see link below.) The mental connection he finds between his observation of the evidence of prehistoric fires for illumination and his recognition that to stand between the light source and the paintings on the cave wall would have produced particular visual effects, was followed by his recollection of the 1938 dance sequence by Fred Astaire. (Interesting, how the mind works.) The association between the two in this location, of course, brings to mind Plato and his allegory. All in all, another example of the value of a broad liberal arts education to inform creative solutions borrowed from other fields.
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/09/143350780/herzogs-doc-brings-prehistoric-paintings-to-life
We may think of a collander as a solution to a particular problem which appears, or we may see a collander with unbiased, fresh eyes, and consider many different ways to use it, none of which has to do with cooking.
Thank you for sharing this story and for your thoughtful comment. I love your colander analogy, and think artists can help bring this fresh pair of eyes and perspective to other disciplines. Paul Klee said it best: “Art teaches us to see”. And Marcel Proust: “The real act of discovery consist not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes.” Perhaps the fires of illumination you described served that purpose… stretching our vision of the world and things?
Thanks Sylvie for initiating this important conversation! This was such an inspirational group of people–thank you for including me in the debate. I look forward to seeing how your work unfolds. It is sure to make a difference for many people by helping them unlock their creative potentials!
Thank you Kay for your comment, and for the unique insights you brought to the panel. We were thrilled to have you, thank you.
Sylvie,
this panel line up was spectacular. Each panelist brought and shared a unique perspective that was useful for the audience to hear. I look forward to attending more events that CAST Labs assembles!
best regards,
Carmen
Thanks Carmen. Looking forward to seeing you at our next event.
Thanks again, Sylvie, for organizing such a wonderful and stimulating seminar!
Already looking forward to the next one.
Best Regards,
eB
Thanks Michael; glad you enjoyed it.