The below blog is part of a series of blog posts that Commotion Dance and Guests are writing this year to address the importance of being creative. This is in response to the BBC article published early this year about creative subjects being squeezed out of schools.

Creativity; taking something simple and a discovering a more exciting way to do it.

I think creativity is important with anything you do. You need creativity to express yourselves, whether you realise it or not, nine times out of ten you are creative at least once a day. Most people will think of creativity being painting or dancing when the truth is, it is taking something simple, let’s say homework, and finding a more exciting way to do it.

I am 14 years old. I think it is very important for people my age to be creative. At my age and especially in these times. It’s easy to keep things in; not tell anyone what you’re really feeling because you’re scared of getting picked on or looked down on. This is where creativity can help so many people, it gives them a way to express themselves. Through music, art, dancing or design. For kids to be able to express themselves it is so important because we need to be given a way to let out how we feel, most the time without saying it through words.

If we weren’t taught how to be creative it would be a very different world we live in, yes there would be some extremely intelligent people but there would be no colour and madness. People don’t realise how much everything depends on creativeness, everything is surrounded by it, schools, work, homes. Without it schools would be dull and kids would have no imagination. Without it work would be a day of paperwork with no laughs and smiles. Without it homes wouldn’t be as loving.

Children need creativity most of all, to be shown how make believe and to put light in dark situations. To discover new things through things they love. To be free to be who they are with no limitations.

My favourite type of creativity is Music. I listen to it all the time and use it as my escape. I listen to all sorts of different artists and have songs for nearly every different mood. I think music has really helped my well-being and my mental state by giving me something to focus on when I have something on my mind, like the lyrics or the tempo.

I also use creativity in my physical life, growing up and even now I’ve always had to do things slightly different to other kids as I’ve got a disability. This means I’ve had to be creative with ways I do things so that I can still join in.

So by having creativity in our lives it means that we can all have our very own escape and find ways to join in and maybe even find a love for someone else’s favourite type of creativity.

Year Nine Student

Commotion Dance Website