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(04/24/03 4:21am)
It's not every day that a young singer wins the Metropolitan Opera's National Counsel Auditions. Upon receiving such a high honor, most would want to tell everyone they meet of their accomplishment, basking in all the praise and glory. But one of this year's winners, IU graduate student Christina Pier, remains humble. As colleague after colleague approaches her with enthusiastic congratulations, Pier shyly smiles and thanks them.\n"IU can be so overwhelming at first," Pier said. \nOriginally from Flagstaff, Ariz., Pier is currently working on her Master's of Music at the IU School of Music. \n"I came to IU because of the outstanding reputation of the music school," she said. "When you sit in the MAC and see a production, you can't think of any other place you'd rather study."\nBut the road to success has not been easy for Pier. Like many young singers, Pier has gone through years of intensive study to get where she is today. \n"As a young singer you have to be extremely patient," Pier said. "You really have to develop a solid technique before you begin to audition." \nPier began studying technique as an undergraduate with Professor Patricia Havranek, and later as a graduate student with Distinguished Professor of Voice Virginia Zeani.\n"I've always believed in her qualities," Zeani said. "Christina has one of the most beautiful voices in America today. She is a very hard worker." \nDuring her year off between her undergraduate and graduate program, Pier had the chance to study with Zeani while working as a babysitter: Her employers gave her singing lessons with Zeani as a Christmas present. She has now studied with the legendary soprano for four years.\n"Ms. Zeani has helped me to further develop my technique, as well as my dramatic connection to the music," Pier said. \nPier began her road to the winner's circle at the regional part of the competition, held at IU earlier this year. She and two other regional winners, IU students Christopher Burchett and Andrew Oakden, went on to the tri-state competition, held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pier was chosen as a winner there and went on to New York for the semi-finals round, where she competed against 22 other students. IU students Stephanie Dawn Johnson, Jung Won Shin and Kate Mangiameli also sang in the semi-finals round. From there, Pier and Shin were chosen as two of the nine finalists.\nDuring the week before the final competition, the chosen singers were able to stay in New York for a week. While there, they coached with some of the staff from the Metropolitan Opera and worked with directors on auditioning techniques. Four winners, including Pier, were picked from the final round to sing on the Met stage.\nAccording to The Metropolitan Opera's Web site, the auditions are a nationwide competition in which up to five winners can receive $15,000 with remaining finalists receiving $5,000.\n"I have some future plans now, but this has brought me offers for more auditions," Pier said. \nPier travels to Florida next to compete in the Palm Beach Opera Competition and will go on to New York to compete in the Richard Tucker Foundation Competition. \nPier will spend the month of May singing with the Glimmerglass Opera Company and will go on to cover roles at Florida Grand Opera in the fall. \nPier's advice to young singers is to find a teacher whose technique is crucial in one's belief.\n"But it's very important to be musical, as well as technical," Pier said. "An extensive language background is necessary as well." \nAfter all her time studying at IU, Pier looks back thoughtfully. \n"I've watched so many people grow up here," she said. "I remember when I was an undergraduate and I watched great singers like Angela Brown win the Met Competition. I'd watch older singers in rehearsals, and aspire to accomplish what they were accomplishing. Seeing them succeed gave all the younger singers the hope that it was all possible"
(02/21/03 6:28am)
Porn -- it's everywhere: on countless Internet sites, late-night television, and a topic of everyday discussion. But pornography wasn't always the high-definition, money-making business that it is today. \nOrganized by IU's Kinsey Institute, a film and lecture series is exploring the early roots of pornography. Linda Williams, professor in the Departments of Film Studies and Rhetoric at the University of California at Berkeley, presented a lecture titled "Between 'White Slavery' and the 'Ethnography of Sex Workers': Women in Stag Films at the Kinsey Archive" at the Fine Arts Auditorium Thursday night. \nThe lecture is part of a 50th anniversary series celebrating the publication of Alfred Kinsey's book "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female."\nThough the modern definition of pornography began to draw public attention in the 1970s, porn has roots in "stag films." Made the early 1910s through the 1950s. "stag films" were anonymously made films, with actors who remained anonymous, displaying hard core sex acts. Most of these films were destroyed by censors or the police shortly after production, but an estimated 2,000 "stag films" remain intact today. Of the existing 2,000, the Kinsey Institute owns 1,700.\nIn 1989, Williams published a controversial study of pornographic material titled "Hard Core: Power, Pleasure, and the Frenzy of the Visible." This book included the discussion of and reference to "stag films" from the Kinsey Institute collection. \n"Linda Williams is the expert on pornography in film," said Jennifer Bass, head of information services for the Kinsey Institute. "We would never show these films without some type of provided context. With Professor Williams, we have a scholar who is an expert in the field. In this format, we're able to look at pornography within an artistic and social context."\nDuring the film showing and lecture, four films from the Kinsey archive were shown: "Bring 'em Back Nude," "Getting his Goat," "Free Ride" and "Modern Pirates." All films were curated by Kinsey Institute archivist Rachael Stoeltje, and were from the early area between 1914 and 1934. While tame in comparison with any porn made today, these films were shocking in their day. \n"To a film scholar they can be fascinating for their preservation of primitive styles and modes of address that departed from the legitimate cinema long before the arrival of sound (in 1927)," Williams wrote in her 1989 novel. \nIn order to duplicate the environment in which these films would have been originally viewed, Williams played all four without any additional sound. Many audience members in the packed crowd laughed in parts, but remained silent for most of the viewing. \nWilliams followed the viewing with a lecture.\n"There is an excitement and certain potential that pornography has," Williams said. "There's a hope for a spark of passion, that something will happen. But most often, that ends in disappointment, and a feeling of the mundane." \nWilliams went on to discuss the different ways men and women are portrayed in these films -- while men remained mostly clothed, or often disguised, women were fully naked and usually the initiators of the sexual activity. \n"Women in stag films were not coerced into pleasing men," said Williams. "Rather they engaged in sexual activity at the expense of men." \nAnother distinguishing factor Williams mentioned was the use of nature in "stag films" -- most of the sex scenes took place outside in "wild settings," giving the women "momentary sexual freedom."\nFor students and scholars of cultural history, the showing of "stag films" and discussion of their significance in society explores the attitudes that these films revealed about sexual desire at the time. \n"This type of event draws a wide audience," Bass said. "This appeals to students of film, gender studies, history and many other majors. It's important to understand pornography and it's roots -- deconstructing pornography can be an empowering thing." \nFounded in 1947, the Kinsey Institute is a private, non-profit corporation affiliated with IU. The Institute has been able to develop a specialized collection of resources for scholars and has many programs of research and publication today. The showing of stag films, as part of the Women's Sexualities lecture series -- "Portrayals and Perspectives 2003," is just one of the many venues the Kinsey Institute uses to share research and to educate.\n"The Kinsey Institute was able to establish relationships with police departments," Bass said. "The Kinsey Institute was able to bring confiscated items into the institute for study. The mission of the Kinsey Institute is to promote interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender and reproduction"
(02/07/03 5:05am)
We all remember pictures of Monica Lewinsky during the infamous trial with President Clinton -- Lewinsky in the crowd, vying for a chance to speak to the president, or Lewinsky running away from the paparazzi and frenzied press that pursued her for weeks. But photojournalist David Burnett presented a different view of Lewinsky in his photograph, when he captured her from the side, sipping a Cosmopolitan martini.\nAvid photographers, art lovers and anyone interested now has the opportunity to see the images Burnett has captured on film. His exhibit, "Measures of Time," will be shown through Feb. 27 in the Indiana Memorial Union Gallery. Burnett selected IU as one of the dozen universities with nationally known photojournalism programs where his exhibit will be shown.\n"This all started last year at my 35th college reunion," Burnett said. "My classmates wanted me to assemble an exhibit which incorporated pictures taken since we graduated until the present." \nA graduate of Colorado College, Burnett began working as a freelance photographer for Time magazine, and later Life magazine. Though initially based in Washington D.C., Burnett worked for two years in Vietnam during the war. He then joined the French photo agency Gamma, and continued traveling the world for the agency's news department. \nIn 1975, Burnett co-founded Contact Press Images, in New York, and has since worked for most of the major general interest and photographic magazines in the United States and Europe. Among his many prestigious awards are "Magazine Photographer of the Year" from the Pictures of the Year Competition and the National Press Photographers Association. Today, Burnett continues traveling around the world, producing photographic essays for Time, Fortune, ESPN magazine and many others.\n"Measures of Time" captures much of Burnett's work from the past 30 years. \n"His work ranges anywhere from art and entertainment, to sports, to key moments in history," said Susan Wilhoit, a junior human biology major who attended the opening of the exhibit. \nFrom Bob Marley to Flo Jo, to Bill Gates, Burnett captures a vast span of history and culture in an exhibit of fifty-one photographs. These photographs capture more than just the faces of famous figures in history. \n"A good photo has something that reaches out to you and gets you," Burnett said. "It should touch upon your sensibility, on some emotion, and you should immediately see the human element in the photograph."\nOne photograph on display that garnered such attention was the famous shot of Mary Decker in the 1984 Olympics. The 3000 meter long distance runner was favored for the gold medal, but forced out of the race upon colliding with runner Zola Budd. Burnett was able to capture the injured Decker, with a look of both pain and disappointment in the place where she fell.\n"I had been jammed in at the finish line with all the other photographers, and I only had minimum equipment," Burnett said. "I went to find a quiet place on the track away from the rest of the photographers, and Mary Decker just happened to fall right in front of me."\nLucky students and attendees who were present on the opening day of the exhibit were able to hear this story and many others from Burnett.\n"He really captures the emotions of people that you might not see everyday," said Carrie Johnson, a junior film and history student. "And other pictures you see and wonder 'how did he get that shot'?" \nBurnett was often able to get great shots in just one role of film. \n"He's really the consummate Washington photographer," said Professor Steven Raymer, friend and colleague of Burnett. "If you look at the contact sheet from his pictures of Iatola Khomeini, you see he got three photographs out of that one sheet. That's like hitting the jackpot for a photojournalist."\nFrom black and white to vibrant color, from comical to serious, Burnett's photographs offer a wide variety of people and events to see. \n"There is a power to a still picture that stays in our minds longer than any other form of communication we have," Burnett said.
(02/03/03 5:54am)
Despite the bitter cold and quickly accumulating snow, a large crowd of students and Bloomington residents attended "An Evening of Contemporary Dance" Friday evening. The crowd lined the street, waiting for tickets, in anticipation of viewing the first ever performance from IU dance minors. Though delayed for nearly 20 minutes because of snow, the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre show was almost sold out.\nEstablished in the fall of 2002, the IU dance minor program already has 85 participants. Led by Professor Liz Shea, coordinator of the program, and guided by Gwendolyn Hamm, Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Kinesiology, many students are spreading the word about this new minor. \n"Before the dance minor program began, you couldn't really dance at IU if you weren't a ballet major," said Kelly Ferdinand, a junior majoring in English and journalism and minoring in dance. "I've been dancing since I was four years old, and when I came to IU, I could only take some dance classes at the HPER. But the dance minor program has provided a better challenge."\nCatering to all levels of dancers, from novice to advanced, the dance minor program aims to educate while providing performance opportunity. \n"There's not even an audition to be a dance minor," said Lindsay Woodall, a sophomore theater major and dance minor. "You just sign up for the classes that you think are right for your level." \nWoodall chose to become a dance minor in order to further her dance skills.\n"You can take some ballet classes, but being a dance minor allows you to take more diversified classes, like Celtic dance or the History of Dance," said Anjali Sharma, junior majoring in German and minoring in dance. \nThe diversity of modern dance as offered by the dance minor program was demonstrated Friday evening through the six works performed. The program began with "Novelette," choreographed by Shea, with the music played by pianist Kim Carballo. An abstract contemporary work, this piece put into dance the qualities of Francis Poulenc's musical composition "Three Novelettes."\nProfessor Iris Rosa, Director of the IU African American Dance Company, incorporated modern and African dance into her piece, "People of the Earth." Charting the beginning of life in the human form, this piece portrayed cavemen-like dancers in tribal paint and primitive clothing. Beginning and ending with a rain storm, this piece displayed the energy and distinctive movement of African dance.\nDance minors Brittany Crosby, Sarah Gates, and Brittany Snyder danced with sleek lines and flowing skirts in the third piece of the evening, "Undertoad." Choreographed by Diane Buzzell, founder and Artistic Director of the Indiana Dance Theatre, this piece celebrated movement and the art of dance.\nProfessor of theater and drama George Pinney danced along with his students in the fourth piece of the evening, "One Last Tango." Pinney, an Emmy-award-winning and Tony-nominated choreographer, portrayed a choreographer dying of AIDS. With the music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, Pinney featured dance minor students using ballet, musical theater, and jazz techniques. \nChoreographed by Hamm, "Variations," the fifth selection of the evening, featured dance minors Lori Madl, Sarah Milligan, Erin Romine, Leah Shaheen, Snyder and Salena Watkins. This piece explored change of movement during change of musical form.\n"Between Classes" concluded the program, and was choreographed by Laura Poole. Based on observation of students changing classes at the beginning of fall term, this piece featured students dressed in bright costumes exploring energetic movements. Walkway crossings, the Jordan river, friends meeting, and methods of locomotion were all cues in constructing the piece.\n"I was very pleased with the turnout," Shea said after the program. "The audience was very appreciative. It's so great to see people enjoying modern dance." \nFor more information about the dance minor in the Department of Kinesiology, visit www.indiana.edu/~kines.
(02/01/03 3:01pm)
Tonight Bloomington will have a chance to enjoy the products of IU's newest addition to the Kinesiology Department -- the dance minor program. IU began this program last year, and already there are 85 students minoring in it. \nBut this is not a strict ballet program. Housed in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, the program concentrates in modern dance and is meant for anyone with an interest in dance and requires no audition.\n"I think that students were starved for modern dance," said Professor Gwendolyn Hamm, Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Kinesiology. \nHamm, a member of the modern dance faculty since 1970, has collaborated with IU Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Minor Program Liz Shea to give students a creative outlet for their interest in dance. \n"As a dance minor, a student will take intensive dance courses, dance history courses, and choose either dance science/teaching courses or performance/choreography courses," she said. \nDance minor students need three credits of modern dance and three credits of other types of dance, which can range from jazz to ballet to Celtic dance. Courses are offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Theater and Drama, African-American and African Diaspora Studies, and the Ballet department in the School of Music.\nBut this dance minor program is not entirely scholastic.\n"Performance is the ultimate venue," Shea said. "Getting our dancers performing is a major priority."\nThis Friday, the IU dance minors will get that performance opportunity at "An Evening of Contemporary Dance," marking the debut of the dance minor program. \n"This program features the eclectic choreography of six IU faculty members and will be a dynamic evening with lots of variety," said George Pinney, Professor of Theater and Drama.\nPinney -- a Tony-nominated and Emmy award-winning choreographer -- is one of six IU faculty members whose works will be performed. His piece will chronicle the last days in the life of a choreographer dying of AIDS. \n"This piece is about (the choreographer's) last moments on earth, passion for art, and one's life partner," Pinney said. \nAlso featured will be the work of IU Professor Iris Rosa, Director of the African-American Dance Company, called "People of the Earth." \nDance minor students will also have the opportunity to perform at the end of spring semester with a student concert. \n"Our job is to get our creative works out there and to give students performance opportunity," Shea said. "This is our research." \nShea's selection for the "Evening of Contemporary Dance" is called "Novelette," and is a work she originally premiered in Tallahassee, Fla. Both Shea's work and Hamm's work will be accompanied by Kim Carballo on piano.\n"I see a lot of potential with this minor," Hamm said.\n"An Evening of Contemporary Dance" will begin at 8 p.m. today. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, senior citizens, and children 12 and under. Tickets will be available at the Sunrise Box Office located at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. For ticket information please call 339-6741 Tuesday through Thursday noon to 6 p.m. and Friday through Saturday noon to 8 p.m.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A memorial service was held this past Saturday at Whittenberger Auditorium for Helen Walker, who died after being struck by a drunk driver in May.\n"Don't stop thinking about Helen, or talking about her. If we all do this, the memory of her will live on," said Townsend Teague, close friend and theatrical colleague of the late student. \nWalker was home in her native Texas following the completion of her junior year, and on her way to see a friend. \n"I was lucky enough to know Helen for two years, and she would want us all to celebrate the wonderful life that she lived," Teague said. "Let us gather today to share, enjoy, grieve, and rejoice together."\nFor the first time since the tragic accident, friends and family were able to gather to mourn the loss and share their memories of Walker, who would have been a senior in the technical theater program this fall. \nJunior Ann Aurbach, the event's organizer, is compiling a scrapbook of Walker for her family. Aurbach asked attendees at the service's start to help by donating any pictures or other items for the book. \nWalker, an active member in the theater at IU since her freshman year, served behind the scenes as production manager and technical director for many University and community theater productions. \n"She always worked so hard, she was always prepared for anything … we never had to ask her to do things, because she would already have done them," said Teague, producer of the 2001 B-Town Players, "A Chorus Line."\n Teague and Walker worked closely on many productions, and had planned a meeting to discuss the upcoming theater season when Teague was informed of Walker's sudden death. \n "I couldn't believe she was gone. It didn't seem real to me, because I couldn't imagine a life without Helen," Teague said.\n Bringing Walker's life away from Bloomington to her IU friends, hometown friend Maggie May Jacobs also spoke during the service, offering memories of a life-long friendship. \n "We were best friends since we were 18 months old, and we always took vacations together," Jacobs said. "Helen was one of those people who never lost her childhood sense of fun, and she always saw everything as an opportunity." \n Although Jacobs tried to reflect on Walker's life with a positive outlook, Jacobs became emotional when speaking. \n"[Helen] was so giving and kind," she said. "I say to everyone here -- be happy you've had the opportunity to love someone so special."\n After Teague and Jacobs spoke, Aurbach invited attendees to stand and share their memories of Walker. \nWalker was remembered as outgoing by graduate student Maria Strouse, a friend and fellow stage manager, who spoke about an experience the two shared.\n"My funniest memory of Helen was a night where we stayed up very late to rehearse for our T100 class," said Strouse, referring to an introductory theater course. "Helen and I had to act out a scene from 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' Even though Helen was only about 5-foot-1, she read the macho role of Stanley. There we were, at two-thirty in the morning, Helen screaming 'Stella' at the top of her lungs. That was the kind of person she was … she'd just give her all with utter abandonment, no matter what (the) situation."\nWalker's mother and younger brother also spoke, thanking Walker's friends who had organized the event, for caring so dearly about Helen. \n"Helen loved IU, and it was our privilege, as her parents to give her what she wanted," Theresa Walker said. "We are so proud of her, because in the short time she had, she did what she loved and was surrounded by wonderful people." \nAurbach and other friends and family have organized a collection for Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Walker's name. \nThey will also continue to collect pictures and other memories for the scrapbook of Helen for the Walker family. \n"Helen always put others before her," Strouse said. "(In the theater and in life), there are many stars, but Helen allowed other to be stars. She did everything she could to ensure the success and safety of others. She was a truly amazing person"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A symphonic world premiere, as well as new traditional and modern choreography, was brought to the Musical Arts Center Friday and Saturday during performances of the Fall Ballet. The evening showcased several IU performers, including associate music professor Emile Naoumoff, the IU Wind Ensemble and the String Academy Chamber Orchestra.\nNow in its 14th year, the Fall Ballet has become a seasonal attraction for IU students and Bloomington community members. \n"This is the first time I've ever seen a ballet," said sophomore Jenny Triplett, a percussion performance major. "I enjoyed it all very much, especially the modern ballet at the end. The combination of the music and the dance was very powerful."\nThe final ballet of the evening was the "Earthdance Concerto," a symphony written by composition professor Don Freund. Freund set about writing a ballet to match Fall Ballet founder Jacques Cesbron's contemporary choreography. Although he only had a few months to compose it, Freund said he embraced the time constraint, which ended up helping his creative process. \n"Jacques and I have collaborated two times previous to this Fall Ballet, so I already had an idea of what he would like musically in my head. The time constraints actually helped to feed the creative process," Freund said. \nThe "Earthdance Concerto" featured Naoumoff as a soloist and was supported by the music school's wind ensemble.\nBesides the much awaited "Earthdance Concerto," three ballets preceded the collaboration. The first ballet of the evening was Vivaldi's "L'estro armonico" with choreography by Virginia Cesbron.\n"With this piece, you see the grammar of ballet," Jacques Cesbron said. "There is a barre in the middle of the stage, and you are able to see what goes on in the classroom." \n"L'estro armonico" featured many of the student ballet dancers and the String Academy Chamber Orchestra.\nThe Fall Ballet was originally accompanied only by piano, but with Jacques Cesbron's initiative, instrumental groups from the music school have been incorporated into the performance. \n"Valse Fantasie," composed by Mikhail Glinka and featuring the neo-classical choreography of George Balanchine, was the second piece in the Fall Ballet. \n"Balanchine was a Russian dancer who came to America in the early 1900s," Cesbron said. "With this piece after the classical choreography of 'L'estro armonico,' you're able to see the change in styles of dance and ballet as time has passed."\nChoreographed by music professor Violette Verdy and composed by Fritz Kreisler and Ernesto Lecuona, "Album" provided yet another style of ballet. It had smaller vignettes of solo dancers, rather than the larger ensembles of the previous pieces.\n"I really liked how you could see such a wide variety of styles in this Fall Ballet," said sophomore horn performance major Jonathan Kuhns. "I had seen 'The Nutcracker' last year, and that really sparked my interest to see more ballet. I think anyone can enjoy ballet if you see it performed as well as the Fall Ballet was performed here"
(11/29/01 4:30am)
It's that time of year again: crowded shopping malls, last minute gift purchases, countless holiday parties, numbingly cold weather and every students favorite -- final exams. With all of these December duties, it's sometimes hard to enjoy the holiday season. But the IU Ballet Theater's production of "The Nutcracker" is a holiday tradition that might alleviate those dull winter blues.\nThe IU Ballet Theater brings enchantment and excitement to its 43rd annual presentation of the beloved classic ballet by Tchaikovsky. Now a Bloomington tradition, "The Nutcracker" explores the world of Little Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Snow Queen and the Sugarplum Fairy. \n"This production is beautiful to watch," said Doricha Sales of the IU Ballet Department. "The sets are exquisite, and each scene outdoes the one before it." The designer of the production, C. David Higgins, is an IU faculty member who teaches set design and has designed ballet and opera scenery for theaters throughout the world. Higgins is know for his detailed, Italian painting style, and Opera News has described him as one of America's finest scenic painters. \n"We're so lucky at this University to have the best of everything -- sets, costumes, the orchestra," said Courtney Fraga, a sophomore ballet major. "This production is very well organized and all the dancers have a high level of maturity."\nJacques Cesbron returns as choreographer for "The Nutcracker." Cesbron has been an IU Professor of Music since 1986, choreographing several ballets including "The Rite of Spring," "Carmina Burana," "Souvenir de Florence," "Time Landscapes" and most recently the Earthdance Concerto, composed by IU Professor of Music Don Freund. \n"The choreography is still classical in style," said Sales, "but it has the same fire and intensity of Cesbron's personal style which Bloomington audiences will recognize." \nThis year's production of "The Nutcracker" will feature many talented dancers from IU's pre-college ballet program, who are from the Bloomington community. \nDuring the evening performances Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, "The Nutcracker" will feature American Ballet Theater stars Julie Kent and José Manuel Carreño in the respective roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. \n"The young IU Ballet Department dancers are given excellent role models to perform with in Ms. Kent and Mr. Carreño," said Sales. "These artists also bring their extreme talent and professionalism to the production, which heightens the level of performance at IU."\nKent, currently one of the worlds most famous ballerinas, has danced with the American Ballet Theater since her apprenticeship there in 1985. \n"She's a beautiful dancer and a beautiful person," said IU freshman ballet major Shannon Stobbe. "She is such an inspiration to all the dancers here at IU." \nKent was the only American to win a medal at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition in 1986, the same year in which she became a member of the American Ballet Theaters corps de ballet. Appointed as a soloist with the American Ballet Theater in 1990 and a principal dancer in 1993, she has created leading roles in "Americans We," "Baroque Game," "Rigaudon," "States of Grace" and "Without Words," among others. Last April, Kent became the only American to win the Prix Benois de la Danse.\nCarreño won the Gold Medal at the New York International Ballet Competition in 1987 and the Grand Prix at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Miss., in 1990. Carreño was a member of the English National Ballet in 1990, and a Principal dancer at the Royal Ballet in 1993. Appearing extensively in many lead roles throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States, Carreno joined the American Ballet Theater as a principal dancer in June1995. \n"The Nutcracker" will be performed 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. There will be matinee performances at 3 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2. All performances are held in the Musical Arts Center. Tickets, which are $20-26 for the general public and $18 for IU students, are available at the Musical Arts Center Box Office (open 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday).
(10/05/01 4:32am)
As the alarm clock blasts a warning during the wee hours of the morning, any college student might be tempted to repeatedly hit "snooze." Getting up for a 10 a.m. class can be a huge struggle, not to mention the effort it would take to even think about rolling out of bed for an 8 a.m. lecture. Now imagine that struggle to get moving in the morning after dancing for more than eight hours the previous day. \nWith all the demanding physical and mental aspects that accompany the art of ballet, fellow dancers, roommates and half-sisters Courtney Fraga and Shannon Stobbe try as hard as they can to make it to those 8 a.m. classes. \n"IU has the best ballet program of any college in the country. But we both decided to come here not only for the dancing, but also for the academics," said Shannon, a freshman. \n"You have no choice but to schedule 8 a.m. classes. Our dance schedules, which are in the afternoons and evenings, allow very little time for classes past 11 a.m.," said Courtney, a sophomore dance major, who is also pursuing an outside field degree in elementary education.\nStobbe said she also plans to begin an outside field degree in psychology next year.\n"I am very interested in keeping an outside academic interest like Courtney, but I needed time to adjust to my first year of college. I'm dancing more now than I ever have in the past, with all the classes that we're required to take," Shannon said.\nBoth girls began dancing at five years old and began serious training by 10. Growing up in Detroit, Courtney and Shannon attended regular school during the day, and trained in the evenings. \n"We took part in the Michigan Ballet Theater, in Rochester Hills," Shannon said. "This was a pre-professional program that offered classes, various rehearsals and many performance opportunities.\nWe were dancing six hours a day, and we thought that was a lot. But it's nothing compared to the training at IU."\nAs full time ballet students, Courtney and Shannon begin technique classes at 11 a.m., followed by pointe classes in the afternoon, and start rehearsals for their various performances at 2 p.m. These rehearsals last until 6 p.m. most weeks, but during tech weeks of performances, they can last until 10 p.m. \n"When you're a dancer on a physically demanding schedule, it's really important to get enough sleep and to eat well," Shannon said. "We try as best we can to do that, but it's really hard to stay on a schedule in college, where many students don't adhere to any kind of schedule."\nThese past five weeks have been particularly demanding for Courtney, who is dancing the lead in the "Valse Fantasie", written by Mikhail Glinka. \n"The George Balanchine (choreographer for "Valse Fantasie") is a neo-classic dance piece, and has a lot of modern dance elements. It is the hardest piece I've ever had to dance; it's very physically demanding because you're literally dancing non-stop for 10 minutes. It's like running a marathon," Courtney said. \nWith all their hard work from the past, and the persistent, demanding training of the present, both girls have big hopes for the future. \n"We'll continue to audition (for various ballet companies) as the years go on," Shannon said. "The whole dancing situation is always up in the air, and relies greatly on your continual progress. We'd both like to dance in New York, but we know it will be very difficult and take a lot of work to get there. Ballet, all dance, is so rewarding though, that it's completely worth all the hard work"
(10/05/01 4:28am)
Aesthetic and aural beauty combine Friday and Saturday during the annual Fall Ballet. Presented by the IU Ballet Theater, these performances will encompass a wide variety of dance styles, exhibit choreography by four members of the Ballet Department faculty and feature a new composition by music professor Don Freund.\nJacques Cesbron, ballet professor and choreographer for the "Earthdance Concerto," initiated the first Fall Ballet 14 years ago. \n"Before that time, the Ballet Department only produced 'The Nutcracker' and the Spring Ballet," he said. "We had plenty of time to prepare for these two productions, but we also had a great deal of time in the fall semester which I thought could be filled." \nThe Fall Ballet keeps IU dancers busy during the first semester, with daily rehearsals that can last for up to three hours. Dancers attend a technique class from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. each day, followed by a two hour pointe class and then rehearsal for the Fall Ballet. With only five weeks of rehearsal before their first performance, this demanding schedule is necessary.\nFeaturing the choreography of Violette Verdy, Virginia Cesbron and George Balanchine, the Fall Ballet will present works from Fritz Kreisler, Mikhail Glinka and Antonio Vivaldi. \nCesbron, who is also the choreographer for IU's production of "The Nutcracker," made the decision of using not only pianists, but musicians from the School of Music to accompany the Fall Ballet. \n"We have (here at IU) one of the best music schools in the world," he said. "Why shouldn\'t we use these musicians in combination with our dancers?\"\nThis year, brings a new addition to the Fall Ballet. Composition professor Don Freund will introduce an original composition,"Earthdance Concerto." The fourth selection of the Fall Ballet production, "Earthdance Concerto" combines Freund's powerful composition style with Cesbron's love of modern dance. \n"This is the third ballet I've written for Jacques, though I think this is definitely the best," said Freund. "After Jacques knew what he wanted from a dance standpoint, he approached me with his ideas and asked me to compose a piece around them. Though there are immediate constraints that accomballetpany a collaborative work, these constraints begin to feed the creative process, and actually assist in the composition of the piece."\nFreund and Cesbron have recruited about 60 musicians from the School of Music to accompany the ballet for the "Earthdance Concerto." \nThe piece features a strong woodwind section, and provides a variety of moods and settings which are characteristic of contemporary dance. The "Earthdance Concerto" will also feature associate professor and pianist Emile Naoumoff, who has accompanied the ballet in past years.\n"The Fall Ballet is a performance that showcases many different styles of ballet," said Doricha Sales, Assistant Director of the Pre-College Ballet Program and ballet mistress for the "Earthdance Concerto." \n"It will give the entire audience a nice variety of dance to watch. Even if you've never seen a ballet in your life, this Fall Ballet is extremely beautiful, and anyone can appreciate it."\nThe Fall Ballet will be performed in the Musical Arts Center, Oct. 5th and 6th at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 - $18 ($10 for students) and are available through the Musical Arts Center box office.
(08/31/01 6:16am)
Hundreds of Bloomington residents and students will gather Sunday for Middle Way House's 13th Annual "Night at the Opera." This fundraising event coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Middle Way House, 404 W. Kirkwood Ave., which helps and empowers victims of domestic violence and abuse. \n"Night at the Opera" will feature student vocalists from the IU School of Music. Lyric-coloratura soprano Lisa Williamson serves as Musical Coordinator for this event -- Williamson, while still a student in the IU Music School, has performed throughout the country and most recently made her debut at Carnegie Hall. The students will begin their performance at 6:15 p.m. in the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave..\nDistinguished conductor Imre Pallo will serve as both Maestro and Master of Ceremonies for the event. Among the faculty at IU, Pallo remains an internationally renowned and respected conductor. \nGeorge Walker of Bloomington radio station WFIU, who has supported the Middle Way House as the evening's media sponsor, will host the event.\nThe evening will begin with a Silent Auction Preview at 5 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Though reservations must be made in advance for the remainder of the event, the silent auction is open to the public: hot air balloon rides, a Persian carpet, IU opera tickets, Willie Nelson concert tickets and IU football tickets are among the items upon which patrons may bid. \nThe musical performance will begin at 6:15 p.m., with a formal dinner at 8 p.m. at the Waldron Auditorium. \nThe dinner is being catered by Flora Ristorante, 620 W. Fifth St.. \nFirst established as a crisis intervention service to people in Bloomington, the Middle Way House began its crusade to help victims of violence in 1971. Acting as a volunteer organization, the House was quick to respond to the needs of community members: they provided counseling for drug and alcohol abuse, operated a clinic for venereal diseases and created a 24-hour crisis line for people in need of information, support or referral services.\n"Domestic violence is the most repeated, least reported crime in the nation," states the fact sheet provided on the Middle Way House Web site (www.bloomington.in.us/~mwhouse/). "(Domestic violence) is the single most serious cause of injury to women....You are not alone." \nTen years after its inception, the Middle Way House refined its mission statement to focus specifically upon abused women and children. While the 24-hour crisis line continued to operate, the agency additionally opened a domestic violence shelter. This shelter provided safe-housing, case-management and facilitated in-house peer support groups. Later in 1988, the Middle Way opened a Rape Crisis Center, and established a Legal Advocacy Program: this program provides abused women with any legal support they may need and the option of pro bono lawyers. \n"We've had a long history in the Bloomington community, but today in 2001 we are able to provide battered women and children with many options," said Jill Nielsen, fund development coordinator for the Middle Way House and Coordinator of the upcoming "Night at the Opera." \nMiddle Way has an "on-scene advocacy program", which allows area police to contact the House and inform them of any reported abuse situations. \n"Currently we have a comprehensive set of objectives," Nielsen said. "Not only do we help abused women and children, but we also provide assistance for men who may be concerned about an abused partner, or suffering from abuse themselves."\nTickets are $30 for the performance and $30 for the dinner. For reservations, call (812) 333-7404 ext. 200. Tickets for only the performance will also be sold at the door, based on availability. All proceeds will be donated to the Middle Way House.
(08/27/01 4:05am)
Religious leaders gathered in Dunn Meadow Sunday, hoping to attract new freshmen to weekly services. \nOrganized and sponsored by the Campus Religious Leaders Association, the fifth annual Fun In Dunn provided new and old students exposure to the unique and diverse religious groups on campus and in the Bloomington area.\n"Fun in Dunn remains a great way to partner students with their religion of choice, as well as to expose students who aren't as sure of their religious preference (to these organizations) in a nonthreatening way," said Ken Larson, member and association spokesman for the event.\nEvery year, the association invites all area religious groups to reach out to students of all denominations. By supplying plenty of free food, a bike giveaway and sources of information, Fun in Dunn continues to attract many students, Larson said.\nApproaching religion in a large college environment can be overwhelming, but events like "Fun in Dunn" are specially designed for students looking to find a friendly and comfortable religious environment, Larson said. \n"I'm in a Southern Baptist Church back home in Louisville, Ky., so I came here to find a church and people who have similar values," student Jeff Marcilliat said.\nChurches like the Free Methodist Church on Lincoln Street reach out to students and try to give them a home away from home, one parishioner said. \n"Just e-mail or call us," said parishioner Jan Lamm. "We'll give you a free ride to any of our services or activities."\nNondenominational and student-based groups also supplied information at the event. Though churches often have a community of Bloomington residents in addition to students among their congregation, the nondenominational groups at the event exist primarily for the benefit of students.\nGroups such as the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, The Navigators, Lutheran Student Fellowship, and ConneXion hold weekly group meetings, Bible studies, community service projects and special events for students. From the 400-member IU chapter of the Campus Crusade for Christ to smaller groups such as Fellowship of Collegiate Christians, these student religious groups come in all shapes and sizes. Other groups, such as the Intervarsity Fellowship for Christians of fraternities and sororities, have unique qualities that appeal to students. \n• The IU Christian Fellowship, has four houses on Eighth Street where students of the group can live with one another and run additional activities, such as an upcoming Hawaiian-style luau Sept. 7. \n• Although many standard churches and fellowships set up shop at Fun in Dunn, students were also able to check out faiths that provide alternative religious outlets. One of the churches, the University Baptist Church on Third Street holds a weekly "international wives fellowship." This outreach program helps international students and their families make friends, practice English and adapt to their new Bloomington environment. \n• The Baha'i Faith, an Iranian religion established in 1944, promotes diversity and the elimination of prejudice. Bloomington has its own Baha'i Center, where devotions are held every Sunday at 10 a.m. \n• Soulstice, a Christian a capella group established at IU, allows students to experience religion through music. In the past few years, Soulstice has recorded several CDs with everything from church hymns to contemporary Christian music and original compositions. \n• One of the newest organizations in Bloomington is the Center for University Ministry. Nicknamed the "Left Wing Religion," this inter-denominational ministry relies on a ministry team of six to eight students to assist in planning. There are several University Ministries in Indiana, but the Rev. Rebecca J. Jimenez came to IU two years ago to establish a center in Bloomington. \n"We're big on social justice, women's issues, sweatshop issues and domestic violence," said Jimenez, a doctoral student in the Higher Education State of Affairs and an ordained American Baptist minister. "We work on putting faith into action, on faith development. This is a very inclusive ministry, and we accept many beliefs."\nStudent Dan Gelok used last year's Fun In Dunn to find his religious outlet. Gelok, now a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd, found all of the sects represented at the festival helpful and is appreciative of the chance to investigate a variety of options.\n"During my freshman year, I spent two months shopping around for a group that I liked," Gelok said. "Though I decided on the church I'm in now, many other groups were very kind to me and always inviting. You just have to explore your options"