Arianna Brunell Seminar in Dance Ed Austin February 25, 2013 Learning Outcome #1 The arts provide a way to express

oneself through more than just words. The arts promote a combined effort between mind, body, and spirit in a way different from any other forms of communication. The world of arts is getting scarier and unmoral things are starting to become acceptable. It is a constant battle, for those who want to have a career in the arts, between being yourself and doing what you believe to be moral and appeasing the world. The advice and guidelines given from the General Authorities help us be good at what we do while keeping our love and devotion for our Father in Heaven. Ever since we were able to walk and communicate as children, we were taught to always be honest. Honest as a young child meant to never lie about eating candy before dinner or lie about hitting your brother and sister. According to David A. Bednar, honesty is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving. We must incorporate the true meaning of honesty as we take the next step in an arts career. It is extremely easy to stay honest to ourselves, and the gospel, while dancing at Brigham Young University. However, the pressures of the world slowly will weigh us down if we do not keep what we have learned about being honest through dance. David A. Bednar stated, It all starts with being honest and having

integrity towards God. In anything we do, we must be honest with God, others, and ourselves. As a performer/creator/teacher, you dont ever want to be considered broken or divided. We must be complete in able to reach our greatest potential. According to N. Eldon Tanner, a person who has integrity is in a state or quality of being complete, undivided, or unbroken; moral soundness, honesty and uprightness. Integrity includes being honest and trustworthy in vocation, religion, and family situations. We cannot be one person as a dancer and another at home. We cannot live a divided life. We must choose one or the other and live by it as we develop our careers as dancers in the world. As stated by N. Eldon Tanner, if 100% integrity was in the home, husbands and wives would be faithful and children would be obedient. Lessons learned on integrity in the home would be kept out of habit out of the home. We, as dancers at Brigham Young University, have been given the opportunity to learn and practice living with integrity. It is crucial to remember this rare opportunity we have been given once put into the real world. If integrity is kept, the arts will become a successful part in our lives. Dieter F. Uchtdorfs talk on truth is important for any vocation, gender, race, or age. What we assume to be true determines the society we live in and the character we develop. There could be times in the arts when things seem to be true because it is convenient or looks like it could enhance our short-term future. We may not want to find out or accept the real truth because we may find that we are wrong. As long as we stay close and connected to our Heavenly Father, absolute truths can be known to us. Absolute truths do not depend on opinion of popularity.

The adversary continually fills our minds with doubt and uncertainty, especially with the modern day information that surrounds us. As we are put in situations where we may doubt absolute truth we are taught, we must remember that these truths have and will create joy in our lives. When first confronted with something that seems to help your future but is contradictory to the word of God, it is false. We want to get ahead in the vocation we choose, but we must remember that only God sees clearly. We do not know our full potential like our Father in Heaven does. So if we are put in a situation in the performing world that goes against the truths that we know to be true, we must resist the appeal of what we know to be wrong. It is comforting to know that eventually our eyes will see everything just like our Father in Heaven. There are too many places in this world where the arts are not truly appreciated. According to K. Newell Dayley, The arts embody a unique learning process that awakens the very core of ones being to lifes meaning and beauty. Through the arts, we can learn to see, hear, move, and feel with greater sensitivity and understanding. The arts isnt just something that people do just to have fun, but it shows people the true beauty of this world that our Heavenly Father has created. When participated in the arts, we can really learn to communicate important realities that can be shared in no other way. The arts are all about creation and the creative process. The light of Christ gives life to our creative potential. When we center Christ in arts, creative miracles happen. His love encourages creative action that is meant to be shared. K Newell Dayley states, those who seek to follow Christ are free to receive the enlightenment and pure joy that flows through art

centered in Him art centered in Christ immerses us in joy! How great is it that the art that is built inside of us can create so much knowledge and joy if Christ is the center. Our Heavenly Father provided the opportunity for us to learn and appreciate art in order to see the beauty of the world and express ourselves in a unique way. It is extremely important to kept Christ in the center of our lives at all times in order to have honesty and integrity. We must be advocates for inspired arts through Christ. If we always remember Him, joy will continually fill our lives.

Bibliography

Bednar, David A.. "I Will Not Remove Mine Integrity From Me." BYU Idaho Presentations . Intellectual Reserve, 10 Sep 2002. Web. 22 Feb 2013. <http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/transcripts/devotionals/2002_09_10_bednar .htm>.

Dayley, Newell. "Centering The Arts in Christ." Speeches. Brigham Young University, 6 Mar 2001. Web. 22 Feb 2013. <http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=264>.

Tanner, N. Eldon. "Integrity." Ensign. Apr 1977: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. <https://www.lds.org/generalconference/1977/04/integrity?lang=eng>.

Uchtdorf, Dieter F. What Is Truth?. 2013. Video. YouTubeWeb. 22 Feb 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N42v7YqXE9I>.