The Role Of Performing Arts In The Modern World

When Winston Churchill was asked to cut the arts in favor of the war effort, he simply replied, “then what are we fighting for?” - Churchill (Prezeau). According to Merriam Webster, the performing arts are “types of art (such as music, dance, or drama) that are performed for an audience.” All varying kinds of performing arts have been an integral part of the human race since the beginning of its existence. As a matter of fact, art reflects how the world has evolved throughout the centuries. Nevertheless, controversy has always been a defining characteristic that surrounds the arts. Especially, when it comes to teaching it to the world’s next generation. There are two clear sides of the argument. One that claims that academia gives children

Overall, people believe that students who engage in activities such as painting, dancing, and acting are generally more creative. However, schools all over the world are integrating creativity and critical thinking as part of their academic curriculum. For example, schools in Australia claim that their students develop critical thinking by debating the use of nuclear energy or legalizing euthanasia because it requires them to understand multiple perspectives and analyze information to draw conclusions (Clarke). Critical thinking is certainly generated by common activities such as debates. Schools all throughout the world are implementing more project based learning instead of memorization. Furthermore, for many children it is easier to connect the work they do on debates with the one they might later do when they have a job. When practicing similar skills in the arts, the connection is not as straightforward. Nevertheless, some people still believe that education tends to be more grade-based and question how schools cultivate creativity. Katrin Oddleifson Robertson, gives her perspective on the matter by stating: “But how, when so much of children’s attention in school is directed toward finding “right” answers and avoiding “wrong” ones, can a child learn and practice these important habits of mind? Where is there room in a child’s life for the

Both disciplines quickly evolve with time and intertwine in various aspects. Each individual tends to favor more one than the other because they each have peculiar ways of approaching the challenges that life brings. Every person learns differently; thus, might resonate more with one than the other. Additionally, both the arts and academics have contrasting methods on how to develop essential life skills, such as, critical thinking. Furthermore, there is a tremendous difference between the completeness of the academic curriculum over the arts one. In the end, it all comes to each individual's specific personality. Some people prefer the organization of academics while some the chaos of arts. They both are the only subject areas that encompass the mystery of the human world and give humans the tools to be able to make sense of the happenings of their life. There is no question, that an integral human being has received an education based on both, or has at least been exposed to both. Failure, to learn about both disciplines can result in incompetent individuals. If humans do not learn that both the arts and education compliment each other, then it will not be possible for society to keep