The Johnsonian

Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment

For some, it was a way to connect with an inner creative genius. For others, it was merely a summer reading assignment procrastinated on until the last minute.

Few were aware that the 2007 common book, "The Creative Habit," by Twyla Tharp, was hand-picked from a dedicated staff of students and faculty alike.

"The selection started out with 50 books," Acting Dean Jennifer Solomon said. "[The committee] finally narrowed it down to ten during the first meeting, then to four or five by the end of the semester, so that everyone could read one or two of the books during winter break."

The New York Times Bestseller is more or less a self-help manual for the creatively challenged. Tharp provides various habits, tips and exercises to enhance the creative aspect of readers' lives. Tharp fills the book with her experiences as a professional choreographer, mother, ex-wife, and employee.

Professor Shaun Cassidy initially suggested the book and felt it was a text that all students could benefit from reading.

Freshman pre-major Kayla Ball felt differently.

"It wasn't helpful to my life. The beginning was so boring I thought I'd never able to finish it," Ball said. "She referred so much to dance that I didn't understand what she was talking about half the time."

Wesley Allen junior psychology major and Peer Mentor felt similarly. "I think she name-drops a little too much, and there was a lot of dance jargon which made me confused," Allen said. "But when I got closer to the end of the book I was able to see its value and lessons, which made it easier to finish."

The lesson taught by Tharp's work did in fact extend further than scratching and establishing a spine, exercises in the book that helped with creativity

"I learned that everybody can be creative," freshman pre-major Bryan Wessinger, said. "The book could also help other people if they needed visual things to come up with ideas. I personally tried to the coin exercise, but only ended up with a bunch of coins in different places."

Allen also tried to connect the book to his personal life.

"I really liked the story about the Odyssey wounds because you need to learn from your mistakes. Once you learn that valuable lesson, you won't make that mistake again and you will become better overall.

ACAD professor John "JT" Timmons found the book an "inspirational and practical" tool for Winthrop students. To him, each individual can find an aspect of the book that would benefit them.

"Even if you don't find yourself creative there, are ways to become creative," Timmons said.

Solomon believed that the suggestions from the book help students create themselves.

"[Students] are creating their lives, who they are and who they want to be," she said. You have to know yourself in order to be creative."

Like many other assignments in college and beyond, the endless groans and moans are bound to occur. However, take Twyla's advice and give every task a legitimate try. After all, "an 'A' in failure" is better than an "F" in ACAD class.

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