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Arts & Communication Ethnographic study of creative dynamics in music

on collective exploration and improvisation fostered is shaped by group dynamics, as individuals must balance
a sense of trust and emotional vulnerability, allowing their personal artistic impulses with the collective goals
participants to challenge their creative boundaries in a of the group. Through his interactions with others, the
supportive setting. percussionist gained valuable insight into his social
presence and leadership style. In the laboratory, he learned
For instance, the drummer, who typically worked in
isolation, entered the laboratory with the goal of socializing to modulate his creative impulses in a way that enriched
both his personal development and his contribution to the
and exploring new dimensions of his creativity. He found group’s artistic process.
that interacting with others “awakened things that were
dormant. in your essence,” highlighting how collaboration These narratives illustrate how the laboratory’s group
can unlock previously untapped creative potential. The dynamics played a central role in fostering creative
drummer also noted a significant increase in his confidence, development. Through collaboration, participants were
particularly in his ability to trust both himself and others. able to push beyond their individual limitations and engage
“The potential is inside each one... the changes I perceive in creative risk-taking, often discovering new dimensions
are in trusting people,” he said, emphasizing how the of their artistry in the process. Research on social
laboratory’s collaborative environment helped him break creativity and group improvisation supports this finding,
down emotional barriers and embrace new forms of demonstrating how collective interactions can enhance
expression. Singer 2 also underscored the importance of individual creativity by providing a space for mutual
22,23
group dynamics, describing how the laboratory provided learning, emotional support, and shared exploration.
a “safe space” to explore creativity alongside others. She 3.2. Final impressions from participants: Reflections
recalled moments of intense emotional connection, such on the musical creation laboratory
as playing a drum during one of the final activities, which
evoked deep sensations of connection with the earth, life, and L’affectivité paraît de prime abord pour le sens
breath. This experience was deeply emotional, leading her coomun um refuge de l’individualité, um jardin
to a visceral sense of creative expression that was enhanced secreto où naîtrait une spontanéité sans défaut.
by the collective energy of the group. Saxophonist 2, who Mais si ele s’offre sous les coluleurs de la sincérité
preferred to “explore more” and plan his music, found that et de la particularité individuelle, ele est pourtant
the laboratory challenged his expectations by immersing him toujours l’émanation d’um milieu humanin donné
3 7
in real-time improvisation. Initially, he struggled with the et d’um univers social de valeurs.
spontaneous nature of the activities, feeling that he had “done Emotions act as forces driving us to act and experience.
everything wrong” on the 1 day. However, the collaborative The laboratory environment creates a safe space for
st
environment helped him find his way; and by the end of the experimentation and creative expansion. Le Breton
workshop, he had successfully navigated the challenge of describes human beings as emotionally immersed in the
playing non-popular music. The validation he received from world, living an existence characterized by a continuous
the musician-researcher, who recognized his understanding flow of feelings – sometimes intense, sometimes diffuse –
of the laboratory’s proposal, marked a key moment of growth. that vary and contradict each other over time, depending
on circumstances. This emotional state often manifests
The percussionist’s experience also aligns closely through visceral and muscular changes, a shift in world
with the theme of group dynamics and its role in perception, and significant resonance in interpersonal
fostering creative development. His desire to introduce relationships. The experience of the world is thus an
unconventional elements into group situations, while emotion that each situation renews with its own colors.
innovative, also highlighted the tension between personal Even thinking is influenced by this emotional filter. Humans
creativity and group cohesion. The laboratory’s emphasis do not exist in the world as passive objects occasionally
on collaboration and shared improvisation challenged the affected by feelings, but as beings constantly engaged in
percussionist’s leadership style, prompting him to reflect their actions, relationships, objects, and environment,
on his “almost arbitrary” behavior in a social setting. As continuously shaped by surrounding events. 7
the percussionist navigated this tension, he became more
attuned to how his actions affected the group, leading to a 3 Affectivity initially appears in common sense as a refuge
deeper understanding of the social aspects of creativity. The for individuality, a secret garden where flawless spontaneity
laboratory, as a space for collective experimentation, acted would emerge. However, while it presents itself under the
as a mirror for the percussionist’s behavior, encouraging guise of sincerity and individual particularity, it is always
him to adjust his approach to better align with the needs of an emanation of a given human environment and a social
the group. This experience highlights how social creativity universe of values.

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 6 doi: 10.36922/ac.4782