Here we are, at the start of another arts season, and I have a challenge for you.
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Yes, dear reader, I’m talking to you.
There was a time when people wanted to be stimulated both emotionally and intellectually by the arts: To see plays and paintings and sculptures that made them think about new ideas. To watch the human form move in unconventional ways or hear music that differed from the norm — all in service of making them feel something unexpected, something meaningful.
I sometimes wonder if those days are gone.
“But we just want to be entertained,” I hear you cry.
And I answer: “You don’t think you can be entertained AND moved to think about deeper issues at the same time?”
Trust me, you can.
So as we embark on a new season of theater, music, dance, art and more, I present this simple three-step challenge.
1. Go to a venue you haven’t visited before.
Art curators, theater directors, music directors, choreographers: All have a unique perspective. By trying a different theater or gallery, you automatically open yourself up to experience something new.
2. Try a different art form outside your comfort zone.
Are you a theater person? Attend a dance program. Do you like getting lost in the emotions of an art exhibit? See if opera can similarly enthrall you. You get the picture. You may discover new pathways to touching your soul.
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3. Write your own critique.
OK, you don’t have to actually write anything down; that’s my jam.
But after you try something new, just ask yourself these simple questions: What did the playwright/choreographer/artist/composer want to say with the work? Was he or she successful? Why or why not? How did it make you feel? And why? The answers may surprise you.
And then discuss your thoughts with someone: That’s as much a part of experiencing the arts as the art itself.
Take a chance, expand your mind, find new ways to dream — and in the coming months, enjoy all the art that Central Florida has to offer.
Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at [email protected]. Find more entertainment news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/entertainment or sign up to receive our weekly emailed Entertainment newsletter.
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