Embracing Failure and Imagination

Like many people, I gobbled up each and every Harry Potter book as it was published. I marveled at J. K. Rowling's storytelling abilities, and how deep and complex the plotlines were. I mean, come on - the boy has to deal with terrorism and politcal corruption. And this is something many elementary school kids understand!

So I was eager to read Ms. Rowling's Harvard commencement address last June, titled The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination. The following passage sums up why I think everyone owes it to themselves to read this:

Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.

It's when we engage our imagination that we're able to put ourselves in someone else's shoes and ask, "what would that really feel like?" There's certainly no lack of need for compassion and understanding in this world, and we need everyone's imaginations in full gear.

First Ever International Body Music Festival

About 13 years ago I went to my first Keith Terry workshop. Wow. I'd been studying Afro-Cuban drumming, and was amazed by what he taught: body percussion. And may I say that, after schlepping heavy congas drums around, it was a revelation to realize that my body was an amazing instrument! And required no additional heavy lifting.

Keith lives in the Bay Area will be hosting the 1st International Body Music Festival December 2nd through the 7th. The festival will feature performers from all over the world. Hambone, gumboot, palmas, beatboxing, stepping, kecak (monkey chant), snapping, clapping, you name it. Long before we humans developed instruments, we used our bodies to express our musical ideas. Almost every part of the world has some form of body percussion or mouth music.

If you can't make it to the festival, bring Keith to your town to teach a workshop. I guarantee it'll be great fun.