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Unit Resources [Insert Unit Title]8.html
Introduction
The resources in this module explore how the humanities influence the development of empathy.
| Required Resources |
Reading:
Catching Feelings for a Triceratops: How Live Theater in Museums Evokes Empathy in Visitors
This resource demonstrates how a live performance can transform an audience and help them empathize with the characters on the stage. This resource will help you complete your project. As you read, consider the following:
- How can feelings of empathy help increase our intellectual curiosity?
- In what ways does the artist’s creation—that is, the life-sized puppet—impact the audience’s experience and their ability to empathize with the character?
Reading:
Arts and Humanities as Catalysts for a Culture of Empathy
This resource, written from the viewpoint of the artist, will explain how art can enhance empathy and create a more caring society. This resource will help you complete your project.
As you read, consider the following:
- What is the artist’s role in society?
- How can an artist influence how we view social issues?
Reading:
Art and Empathy: Four Thought Leaders Explain the Connection
This resource will provide you with four diverse perspectives on how empathy is important in various career paths and how the arts can help people develop more empathy. This resource will help you complete your project. As you read, consider the following:
- In what ways have your ideas about empathy and its importance expanded?
- Can you think of any specific instances when you experienced a creative work such as a play, painting, or film and developed empathy for the characters portrayed?
Video:
Bring Positivity and Happiness in Life Through Dance | Stuti Aga | TEDxBasel (8:24)
This TEDx Talks video, which you will use to help you complete this module’s discussion and project draft, explores how the performing arts can enhance your ability to empathize with others. This resource will help you complete your project. As you view, consider these questions:
- How does the speaker use dance to process and express emotion? How do those emotions help us better understand people who have different backgrounds from us through empathy?
- How does Aga’s story help to understand how to empathize with a dancer when they are onstage?
- Did you dance with her? Why, or why not? What did you learn about yourself and Indian dance by participating?
A video transcript is available:
Transcript for Bring Positivity and Happiness.
Video:
Writing Tip: Subjective vs Objective Language (2:37)
As we write about the arts, we often use both objective and subjective language. This video examines when to use both kinds of writing and how it helps to communicate ideas clearly. As you view, consider these questions:
- Which kind of writing do you tend to use as you’ve written about creative works in this term?
- How could you add more objective and subjective writing to your work to strengthen your ideas?
course_documents/HUM 102 Transcript for Bring Positivity and Happiness.docx
HUM 102 Transcript for Bring Positivity and Happiness
[00:00:09.440] STUTI AGA: Hi, I’m Stuti Aga, and I’m a passionate dancer. I’ve trained and trained for ten years in Bharatanatyam and Indian classical dance form, while also pursuing my degree in computer engineering. Hardly did I realise the profound significance of professional training and love for dance until I relocated to Switzerland at the age of 24, after getting married.
[00:00:35.880] Well, where I found myself completely alone, cut off from my family, friends, and a crazy bustle of 20 million people of Mumbai, my home. The online world is no substitute to the real life. It was through dance that I forged connections and cultivated a community. Rather than feeling like a lonely outsider, my students and my co-dancers became my community, and the entire country, my performance stage.
[00:01:10.920] Today, I joyously impart my passion for dance to others through regular classes, workshops, performances, and events. And I do so along with my job in I-T and having two lovely young kids. Three if you consider my husband, who do not seem to find anything in the house. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] Dance allowed me to connect with my body on a deeper level, promoting mindfulness and self-awareness.
[00:01:40.800] As we move to the rhythm of music, we become attuned to it and we forget all the worries around us and reach a state of peace and positivity. There’s a very important aspect that I would like to highlight, which is about dance, which often gets unnoticed, which is the profound emotional release it provides. Think about it. When we hold on to our thoughts and feelings, we become, they multiply within us, and burdening our hearts and our minds.
[00:02:16.470] But when we speak out, when we express ourselves, a sense of relief washes us over. For example, one day I had a depressing day at work because of some tiffs with the coworkers. That day, I was practicing “Ghoomar”, an Indian folk dance style from Rajasthan. This is in particular performed only by women, and the lyrics often talk of sharing the daily pains of the household and overcoming them.
[00:02:45.790] Whether you are a city professional or a housewife in a village, sharing in that catharsis leads to an emotional unburdening. A similar thing happened when I was feeling stressed out by my family life. As you know, I have two, three. So I was feeling stressed out by my family life and I felt I have no more energy and strength to manage all the balls up in my air, in the air. And then we were energized by dancing “Garba” from Gujarat, dedicated to the power of the goddess, reminding ourselves of the divine feminine power to manage it all through.
[00:03:29.630] Even now, every week, I look forward to my Tuesday evenings to energize myself for the entire week. So let us all remember the power of dance, not just as a form of entertainment, but as a means of emotional liberation. I have, over the last 14 years in Switzerland, danced and embraced this transformative journey with many groups of 5 to 500 people.
[00:04:02.990] And some of you may have here already joined me there. But today, I would like to travel on this journey of emotional relief with you all through Bollywood music. So let’s begin. May I request you all to give a minute to realize what is your state of being at the moment? Think about what you feel at this very moment. Some of you are relaxed. Some of you are exhausted. Some of you are inspired.
[00:04:38.870] Now, may I request you all to stand up where you are? What we will do now is I’ll play a Bollywood song called “Gallan Goodiyaan,” and that means sweet talk. And we will all move together to the music. What is this song tell us about? This song narrates about a community gathering where one person comes and says I will dance to the beat.
[00:05:09.390]
STUTI AGA: You sway to the rhythm and we will together create a colorful and fun atmosphere that everyone joins us and dances with us, and goes crazy. [STUTI AGA and AUDIENCE LAUGHING] My heart is feeling so joyed, and happy at this moment that I can bring the moon and the stars to the ground. You know, Bollywood music is poetic, yeah? And at last it says, my heart goes “dhak dhak.” My bangles goes jingle, jingle. We all dance here tonight, and we create a sweet memory. Ready?
AUDIENCE: Yes.
STUTI AGA: Yes.
[00:06:00.470] [<GALLAN GOODIYAAN> BY <SHANKAR-EHSAAN-LOY> IS PLAYING]
STUTI AGA: [SINGING ALONG THE MUSIC TRACK]
[00:07:24.460] STUTI AGA: [LAUGHING] Ohh my god. [AUDIENCE APPLAUDING] Please sit. I need not ask, but I would still like to ask. How do you feel? Do you feel more happy and more joyful? [AUDIENCE CHEERING] Thank you all for energizing me and joining me in this journey where dance can transform your emotions into positivity and embrace happiness, no matter where and when. Thank you. [AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
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