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(11/08/07 5:00am)
A bucket, a pitcher, a glass and a crowd help formulate "Bloomington's Best Drinking Game," Sink the Biz. For some, the strategy is to never sink the cup, but for others, drinking is the main goal.\nThere's no clear winner or loser in Sink the Biz, said Pete Mikolaitis, Nick's English Hut manager. \n"I guess everybody's a winner."\nSink the Biz has become a tradition at Nick's English Hut, where it was created. On a busy night at Nick's about 60 tables will be playing the game, Mikolaitis said. There are a few basic rules, but tables are encouraged to make up their own, he said.\nNick's provides customers with a 48-ounce bucket and a 60-ounce pitcher of beer for $12 Monday through Thursday or $16 on weekends. Customers are also given a five-ounce glass known as the high ball, which floats in the bucket. Players take turns pouring any amount of beer from a cup into the high ball, Mikolaitis said. The cup must be held higher than the handle of the bucket. The player who sinks the high ball during his turn must drink the five-ounce glass of beer.\nSenior Morgan Schutte said drippage is not allowed during pours when she plays Sink the Biz.\n"It has to be a steady stream," Schutte said.\nRules vary, and sometimes veterans try to use this to their advantage when playing with rookies. Graduate student Nick Rossi quickly discovered this during his first game of Sink the Biz.\n"They told me I had to drink the bucket if I sank it three times," Rossi said. "That's not an official rule."\nSenior Melissa Myres was sitting at Rossi's table Thursday, Nov. 1, during Rossi's first game. She said the best way to avoid drinking the high ball is to sit next to a rookie.\nIt's go big or go home when it comes to Sink the Biz for senior Alex Maloney. He tries to pour as much beer into the high ball as he can no matter what the situation.\n"I'm not one of those guys who lets a little drop," Maloney said.\nStrategies may vary, but after 108 ounces of beer, drunkenness is usually the result.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
"Hot Fuzz" is a genre-blending film with lively style and has a lot in common with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's earlier collaboration, "Shaun of the Dead." In fact, if I were inclined to take the harshest possible stance in light of the commonalities between the two films, I would say that with "Hot Fuzz," Wright and Frost are trying to recapture the success of their earlier work by copying it. Only this time it is about cops instead of zombies. \nAnother way of understanding the relationship between the two films would be to see them as part of what is growing into a cohesive body of work by Pegg and Wright. It's similar to the mockumentaries by Christopher Guest and company, which all have the same style and sensibility but delightfully different subject matter. My opinion falls between these two possible judgments, a little more toward the former than the latter, though I wish it were the other way around. \nOne important way in which "Hot Fuzz' is different than "Shaun of the Dead" is that while "Shaun of the Dead" focuses a great deal on the main characters' relationships and this is one of the film's strong suits, "Hot Fuzz" is about a man who has trouble maintaining relationships and the film's focal point is action rather than personal dynamics. "Hot Fuzz" has some especially worthwhile gun fight sequences that perfectly fuse action, suspense and comedy in the way that the rest of the film attempts to but sometimes doesn't quite do right. \nThe only well-developed relationship is between the characters played by Pegg and Frost. Pegg is good as protagonist Nicholas Angel, a zealous British police officer frustrated by his re-assignment from London to a small town where crime is not apparently a serious concern. Frost is believable but not particularly impressive as Angel's cumbersome but ultimately endearing new partner. He is basically playing the same role as he did in "Shaun of the Dead," which is disappointing because it would have been nice to see Frost mix things up a little bit. \nUltimately, I have mixed feelings about "Hot Fuzz." It is nowhere as near as good as "Shaun of the Dead" and it has some damaging flaws, as mentioned above. However, it is entertaining, certainly more so than the majority of films in theaters right now.
(04/12/07 4:00am)
Joel Hernandez\nHometown: Nuevo Laredo, Mexico\nMajor: Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography\nBusiness/Craft: Photography\nArtistic inspiration: Parents, Richard Avedon, Frida Kahlo, Alberto Crotez\nArtistic statement: “To show similarities in all relationships through photography and protest pending SJR7 law, which would ban same-sex unions”\nCurrent project: For his B.F.A. thesis, he is taking “passport photos” of immigrants and documenting their first-year experiences in America \nBeen at it since: Age 15\nYou might have seen his work at: Canvas magazine (2006 and 2007 editions), InSide magazine “Sex Issue” \nCost of work: Individual prints 8 inch by 10 inchfor $60 to $70 \nContact information: joeherna@indiana.edu, http://www.flickr.com/photos/el_conejo_cafe\nPlans after college: “Move to a bigger city that has a market and a place for my kind of artwork, maybe New York. Publish my work in books.”\nAdditional information: “I try to exhibit my work as much as I can and at those places my prints are for sale. It is difficult trying to sell my kind of work here in Indiana because it deals a lot with my personal life. Subjects vary from same-sex relationships to my immigrant background.”
(03/08/07 5:00am)
Walking down Kirkwood Avenue, you can find a mix of local eateries and chain restaurants. But just to the north on Grant Street, in an icicle-lit, purple home of a building, you’ll find a different kind of food experience called Cafe Django. \nCafe Django is a jazz bar showcasing local musicians and their performing jazz talents. Although the cafe is coined a jazz bar, all ages can enjoy the live entertainment while dining on Asian-fusion cuisine. \nThe cafe, named after Belgian gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, captures the spirit of a 1940s jazz hangout, complete with mood lighting, an upright piano, a classic microphone stand, posters of jazz greats and old brick walls. The small bar area is just the right size for the area and adds character to the environment. The intimate space has several open rooms, all connected, giving most patrons front-row seating to the live music. \nThose who perform at Django vary in age and experience, but the majority are IU students, such as the Ryan Imboden Quintet, which showcased its talents to a full house last Friday night. \n“Playing here is fun. All of our friends are here and we just have a good time,” said Imboden, a sophomore majoring in jazz. \nThe group, which has played at the cafe several times, says there aren’t a lot of places to play in town for people their age. \n“This place has a really friendly and open atmosphere. All ages can come and it’s a nice place to have a good time and hangout with friends,” said freshman Michael Moynihan, the group’s tenor saxophone player. \nRestaurant attendees, who turn out on performance nights, pay a cover charge of $3, which goes in full to the musicians. \n“This is a good place for students not only to make pocket money but to gain experience,” said the cafe’s owner, Kunyang Norbu. “I wanted to open this as a place for music majors to have gigs, play what they want and get some good experience.\n“This town is filled with so many talented individuals and creative people. We all love music – why not help each other out?”\nNorbu, who has collaborated with others to design her own original recipes, enjoys the art of creating food.\n“I love playing around with food, creating my own dishes,” she said. “It’s full of challenges, but I always look at it in a positive way.” \nThe cuisine is an eclectic mixture of Tibetan, Indian and Thai made to order, mild to extra hot, with several vegan food options. The cafe’s most popular item, “Nutty Noodles,” is a dish made with a choice of meat, sauteed noodles, seasonal vegetables covered with peanut sauce and topped with crushed peanuts for $6.85.\n“This dish was named in honor of one of my favorite former servers,” Norbu said. “His nickname was Nutty and he always put peanut sauce on his sesame noodles, and eventually it caught on, so we made it a dish.”\nThe cafe also has several popular drink options including pumpkin spice cappuccino. The cost of an entree varies, but an average lunch dish will cost about $5, with a dinner dish costing around $10.\n“I really like to eat here,” said senior Alyson Gross, a server at Django. “In the summer the patio is open and my friends and I sit out there at night and drink wine and listen to music.”\nNorbu, who did all the cafe’s interior design, considers it another way to apply her creativity to her business in addition to her culinary art. \n“I had a lot of fun doing it, we put a lot of good energy into the process, and I think people feel that when they walk in,” Norbu said. \nAs an active community member, Norbu has contributed much of her time outside of her restaurant to activities, such as helping to start the Tibetan Cultural Center in Bloomington. Norbu helped found the center with her husband and former IU professor of Tibetan Studies, Thubten Norbu, who is the older brother of the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.\nUntil 1999, Norbu and her husband helped to facilitate the center at 3655 S. Snoddy Road and orchestrated four visits from the Dalai Lama, beginning in 1987, when he came to bless the grounds of Changchub Chorten, the first monument on the site. His most recent visit was in 2003, when he returned to bless the TCC’s Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to return to Bloomington in October 2007.\nMore recently, Norbu divides her time between her husband and the cafe.\nNorbu, who spends long hours managing her restaurant, explains her dedication to the cafe.\n“In some ways it’s like a child,” she said. “You see it grow, you nurture it, you spend quality time and see it through.”\nCafe Django is located at 116 N. Grant St. It takes reservations for parties of five or more and often works with special events, such as wedding rehearsal dinners, work parties and graduation celebrations.\nThe cafe’s normal business hours are for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday at 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. to midnight and Sunday for breakfast and dinner at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information, call Cafe Django at 812-335-1297.
(02/22/07 5:00am)
Garlia Jones never got to say goodbye to a close friend who died of a heroin overdose last year.\nJones, finishing her master’s degree in African American and African Diaspora Studies, is the writer and director of the play “Against the Grain,” which debuts at 8 p.m. today at the John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St.\n“When he died, the best thing for me to do was to write,” said Jones, who wrote the play for her master’s thesis production.\nThe story focuses on the life of her young friend, who had many struggles, including drug addiction.\nActors from the theater group Black Curtain, founded by Jones in 2003, make up the small cast for the production. Junior Sara Alghani, president of Black Curtain, plays the role of “Zara” – a character based on Jones.\n“This play gives insight into the life of someone who is struggling to find sanity and happiness in their chaotic life – he turns to heroin,” said Alghani, who has been rehearsing with the cast since the beginning of January.\nJones created the play’s main character, Marcus, as a combination of her friend and a close family member. Junior Stevener Gaskin said he draws from personal experience to depict Marcus’s character.\n“I had a friend freshman year who did lines,” Gaskin said. “When it comes to drugs, being explicit is a good thing; it shows the reality of drugs. This is real, dealing with inner problems and showing what causes drug use.”\nIn several scenes, Gaskin’s character graphically depicts the behavior of a drug addict who rejects the help of those around him, including his girlfriend, played by junior Anna Abrams. \n“I think everybody has empty moments when they feel no one is behind them,” Abrams said. “A lot of people are like Marcus in that way and can relate to his character.”\nThe production will include a musical performance from musician and IU freshman Becca Johnson.\n“Against the Grain” will be showing Feb. 22-25 at the John Waldron Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for students in advance and $8 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.bloomingtonarts.info. For more information, visit Black Curtain’s Web site at www.blackcurtain.org.
(11/13/06 5:37am)
Melanie Graves wove a hodge-podge of music paraphernalia into her daughter's hair Friday. Clad in a sequined dress and go-go boots, IU freshman Marli Haddan wore a three-pound phonograph horn from an antique record player, 45s and disco balls atop a mountain of synthetic hair as Grave's model for Curl Up and Dye for the Arts.\nGraves, owner of Hair at Melanie's, 105 1/2 N. Dunn St., spent six hours crafting the music-themed hairstyle. Her creation won her a crown and the title of Bloomington's first "Hair Apparent" at a sold-out John Waldron Arts Center Friday night.\nThe council announced the event in an October media release as a "runway extravaganza where professional hairstylists and amateur hair artists compete to see who can create the most fantastical hairstyle."\nThe competition was a fundraiser for the council, a nonprofit group that supports public participation in the arts by developing, strengthening and promoting cultural resources, according to its Web site.\n"Hair is something not traditionally considered art, but if you think, there is a lot of creativity and artistic talent involved -- It's just a nontraditional media," said Jocelyn Robertson, director of performance and events at the council.\nRobertson said she pitched the idea for bringing a fantasy hair event to Bloomington after a chance discovery. \n"I read an article about a hair show in New Hampshire. It had a great photo of the winner, and we were inspired by that," she said. "It's in the realm of what we do to encourage artistic and sculptural creativity." \nSixteen local stylists, representing 10 different businesses, created hair sculptures: Studio 6, Perfect Illusion, Mondo Salon and Spa, Be Hair Now, Hair at Melanie's, Elan Salon, Mira Salon, Hair Masters, Om Studio and Exoskeleton Cabaret.\nThe council brought in Jo Ratkovich, owner of Mondo Salon and Spa, 222 S. Walnut St., as a fantasy hair specialist who has traveled to Italy, London, Paris and Puerto Rico, among other places, to participate in competitions throughout her career.\n"I can't tell you how excited I've been. This is what I love, what I've done for 30 years. It's been a long time since something like this has been done (in Bloomington)," said Ratkovich, whose salon entered six women models and the show's only male model. \nNine Mondo stylists contributed to some of the night's innovative hair concepts. One Mondo model and regular customer, IU junior Kaela Mahoney, was dressed in an "industrial Renaissance" look, complete with a silver period-themed dress, mesh facial covering and mounds of designed hair pieces and extensions. \n"Besides having to be (at Mondo) at 8 a.m. to get ready, it's been fun so far," said Mahoney, whose mother was a hair model for Ratkovich in the '70s. "I always let them do what they want, but they've never done anything like this before."\nFollowing an introduction by the event's Mistress of Ceremonies Heather Lynn, Ratkovich took the runway to say a few words before the walk-off got underway.\n"Fantasy hair means anything you can dream up, whatever inspires you, a nightmare the night before, anything you can imagine and come up with," she told the packed audience. "Part of all of this is you'll never have clients let you do this type of thing to their hair, so that's what makes something like this fun. ... You can break all the rules."\nThe models hit the runway to the music of DJ Festus. The intricate nature of the designs made it apparent that each competitor had been through an arduous transformation process. Peacock designs, a Bloomington tree, natural beauty, a chandelier, a fairy godmother and an out-of-control vine were just a few of the fantasy ideas brought to life. \nJudges for the night included former Miss Gay IU Bianca Defy, Miss IU Pageant Executive Director Lindsay Shipps Etienne, County Councilwoman Sophia Travis and John Waldron Art Center Custodian Graham Montague. \n"This is my first time judging anything like this," said 2006 IU graduate Shipps Etienne, who has styled hair for pageants for five years.\nThe judges chose Graves' musical masterpiece as the best of 16 entries, while Exoskeleton Cabaret came in second with a glow-in-the-dark, Slinky-esque hairstyle. Exoskeleton Cabaret (www.exoskeletoncabaret.com) is a Web site maintained by IU alumna Libby Bulloff and dedicated to the production of synthetic hair and wearable art. \nGraves wore the highly sought-after Bloomington Hair Apparent crown, made partially of hair rollers, after her win. \n"I'm in shock. I'm so happy. We worked so hard," Graves said of the effort she and her model and daughter, Haddan, put into the competition.\nStill wearing the antique record player on her head, Haddan, who sported the winning music-themed design, said she was also in disbelief of the outcome.\n"I had no idea this would happen; I was completely shocked," she said, going on to explain the sentimental value of the winning design. Haddan's grandfather had given her the phonograph she wore on her head, she said. \n"My grandpa gave us the 45s for the costume," she added as the crowd surrounded the winning duo.\nBefore the audience members filtered out of the auditorium, Lynn offered them a friendly reminder.\n"Before you go, remember to tip your stylist," she said.
(11/06/06 5:55am)
Keith McCutchen had big shoes to fill Saturday night. \nMcCutchen debuted as the new director of the African American Choral Ensemble at the 13th-annual "A Potpourri of the Arts," following in the footsteps of James Mumford, the man who had been identified as the group's director since 1983. McCutchen had to prove himself not just to the ensemble as its new director, but also to the audience of more than 500, most of whom were familiar with the renowned Mumford's work. \nThe African American Arts Institute, currently directed by Charles E. Sykes, began the event in 1993 to bring the African American tradition of performance to the Bloomington campus and community. The theme of this year's performance, which took place at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, was "Seeing is Believing."\n"'Potpourri' was created to illustrate the diversity of styles presented by our three ensembles and to showcase our talented student performers through individual ensemble performances," Sykes wrote in the program that was provided at the event. \nDressed in all black, McCutchen took the stage along with the choir members, who wore their traditional black choir robes with multicolored paneling, to perform their first number, "Hold On" by Jester Hairston. Several other pieces followed as the group quickly shifted gears from solemn spirituals to fast-paced medleys. \nSenior Calvin Carrington and sophomore Shilan Douglas brought soul-powered solos to the group's repertoire. As the duo's \nperformance progressed, audience involvement increased as some clapped and waved their hands in response to the lyrics of the songs. The African American Choral Ensemble also incorporated lighting effects and movement in a way that had not been done in prior years. A small jazz band backed the singers on pieces such as "Spiritual Medley," arranged by McCutchen.\nThe next performance was a change in genre and energy for the audience members. The African American Dance Company, directed by Iris Rosa, performed several dance numbers with an all-female dance cast accompanied by one percussionist. The mood for their pieces started off on an energetic and light note but, by the end, had shifted to a more serious tone. \n"I found the dance company's performance to be very entertaining. I enjoyed the show and was really into the African-style dance movements," said Junior Kareem Harris during the intermission following the dance portion of the event. \nWhen IU Soul Revue hit the stage, it brought a burst of enthusiasm with a colorful infusion of sparkling dresses and silk vests and ties. A jazz band made up of horn and rhythm sections backed the group, which consisted of five men and six women. The ensemble, directed by Nathanael Fareed Mahluli, performed Motown hits such as "Mr. Big Stuff" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," which got some audience members out of their seats and dancing. \n"Soul Revue kept my feet tapping and my hands clapping," senior Jordan Braithwaite said. \nHighlights of the group's performance included a solo by junior Tony Cusic.\n"This has been a great start to the year," Cusic said after the show. "There's a lot of talent this year and a lot of growth. It finally felt like a family event"
(10/13/06 7:35pm)
By Annysa LaMantia\nalamanti@indiana.edu\nAt 5 years old, most kids are worried about GI Joes. But when William Brawner was that age, he was worried about popping pills and keeping secrets. \nBrawner was the keynote speaker at "RedVolution" Wednesday night at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, a benefit for Bloomington Hospital's Positive Link Emergency Care Fund, which provides free services for people with HIV/AIDS. The event also was aimed at raising awareness about HIV/AIDS in the black community.\nBrawner, who was diagnosed with HIV at age 3, contracted the virus at 18 months from a blood transfusion he received after suffering a severe burn. Tuesday, he turned 27.\nBrawner was one of several nationally recognized performers who traveled to Bloomington for the benefit. \nThe Emergency Care Fund raises money for HIV/AIDS sufferers to help them pay for everything from cell phone bills to home electricity costs. This service is vital for those with HIV/AIDS because, as Brawner reinforced, some people have to choose between having their lights on and getting their medication.\nAlthough Brawner himself has never been in such a financial predicament, he said all HIV/AIDS victims suffer physically, no matter how they contracted it.\nBrawner said initially a nurse told his mother the man from whom he received the blood had died of "Gay-Related Immune Deficiency Syndrome," which would later be recognized as HIV/AIDS. \n"My mom told me when I was 5 that 'you have a disease that may kill you, but don't tell anyone or they may treat you different,'" Brawner said.\nBrawner stood by his mother's words and did not tell family, friends or women with whom he was in relationships.\nAt 18, he lost his virginity to his high school sweetheart. She was the first person he ever told, and she accepted it. Later, they broke up and went their separate ways.\nAfter going off to college at Howard University, Brawner said he came home one night to a note on his door from the president of the university that read, "Contact the president's office ASAP." When he went into the office the next day, he was handed an e-mail. \n"The letter said William Brawner is HIV positive, and he is infecting everyone in your school," Brawner said.\nIt was sent by his high school girlfriend, the only person he had ever shared his secret with. \n"I decided to be extra promiscuous so that nobody would find out, so no one knew my status," Brawner said. \nAt this time, Brawner was taking medications with reactions so severe that his lips would turn blue, his eyes would turn yellow and he would be kept awake at night by fevers of 104 degrees on a regular basis. He said that even with four or five blankets wrapped around him, he would still experience extreme chills.\n"I could take sheets and ring them so the sweat would come out -- and then go to school the next day and was supposed to function as a normal student," he said. "I could have stopped taking medication, and I tried that, but then you end up in the hospital."\nIn a question-and-answer session that followed the talk, one audience member asked what the reaction was when he finally revealed that he was HIV- positive.\nBrawner answered that most people were extremely supportive, but some people resented him for not telling them. \n"I couldn't understand people being mad for me not telling them," he said. "Why should you have known? Because we smoked a blunt together in high school?"\nBrawner went on to affirm his dedication to spreading the word about HIV/AIDS. \n"As long as I have breath in my lungs, I'm gonna be on this mic and on this stage. Period," he said.\nQuddus, of MTV's "Total Request Live," singer Alexis "Joi" Carter, slam-poet Versiz and New York hip-hop artist Silk Hash Mills all joined forces for the fundraiser.\nEvent founder and graduate student Garlia Jones said many students also contributed to helping organize the show and events leading up to it. Senior Sherhara Williams co-hosted the event with Quddus.\n"The (community educators) have been supportive -- planning programs in dorms about AIDS leading up to the event," Jones said.\nEric Love, the director of diversity education, was in the audience. \n"I commend his honesty," said Love, who had previously been an HIV/AIDS educator. \nLove also praised the work done by students to pull the event together.\n "They've worked so hard for so long," he said.
(10/11/06 4:12am)
There was nothing distinctive about the Catholic school uniform that Garlia Jones wore in the mid-90s.\n A speaker came to her school one day to present information on HIV/AIDS. During the next four years, Jones said she distinguished herself by wearing a red ribbon -- a pin she received that day. \nJones has dropped the school uniform, but her dedication to the cause is still showing -- and this time she's doing something about it. Jones, who is now in her second year of graduate school at IU, is behind "RedVolution" -- an HIV/AIDS benefit scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.\nThe event is a fundraiser for Positive Link's Emergency Care Fund -- a service of the Bloomington Hospital that provides free care to HIV/AIDS patients and provides free, confidential testing to the public. \nBloomington Hospital and Black Curtain, an IU theater group, paired up to promote HIV/AIDS education in the black community. The theater group which Jones, started in 2003, uses theater for education.\n"I write plays specifically to educate through theater and arts," Jones said. \nOne of her plays, "Drums," outlines the lives of three young black adults who receive the results of their HIV tests. The idea of RedVolution was born out of the conception of this play.\nThe play's Bloomington debut will accompany several other performances. Headlining acts include New York hip-hop artist Silk Hash Mills, vocal artist Alexis Joi Carter and Detroit slam poet Versiz.\n"Anytime you can have people's attention -- that's the time to have a focused message and say something positive," Versiz said. The musician/writer/poet will deliver a piece titled "What Sound," inspired by a volunteering experience he had baby-sitting orphaned children with HIV/AIDS.\nQuddus, of MTV's Total Request Live, will host the event along with Sherhara Williams, IU senior and former Black Curtain president. \n"My hope is that we sell out the show but more that we spark a fire in those attending so they'll ask for it again next year," Williams said. "This is a big issue in the black community, and we're trying to get the message across that people need to protect themselves." \nQuddus, who also works as an actor and producer, came from Los Angeles for the event. Having mediated forums on AIDS awareness before, Quddus said he is ready for the event.\n"It's a great cause -- imperative. Statistics on HIV/AIDS are astounding," he said. "It's an epidemic that sometimes gets overlooked in America." \nHe said he believes that every day something can be done in the fight against AIDS.\n"Be the change you wish to see in the world," he said. "Having safe sex personally and talking with friends about protecting themselves shows that you care."\nWilliam Brawner, a 26-year-old black male living with HIV, will be the night's keynote speaker. According to Brawner's Web site, at the age of 18 months, after suffering a severe burn, he required a blood transfusion through which he contracted the HIV virus. Having lived with the virus for nearly 25 years, Brawner says, "My goal is to provide others with the knowledge and skills necessary to stop AIDS!"\nTickets for the event are 10$ for students and 15$ for non-students. For more information, visit www.redvolution.org.
(10/05/06 4:04am)
An assortment of water bottles sat at the feet of rehearsal chairs on the Auer Hall stage Monday afternoon. Filling those seats, a group of casually dressed coeds awaited instruction from director Jan Harrington. He appeared, conducting wand in hand, and a few short waves later, this seemingly average group of young people had transformed into a sophisticated, classically trained ensemble known as the University Singers.\nWith less than a week until its concert Sunday, the group stopped and started frequently, fine-tuning the complexities that can arise when performing a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach.\nHarrington, who is a professor and chair of the choral department, is in his last year directing the group. This year will also be his last teaching at the University, concluding his 33-year stay. With only three more concerts to go for Harrington, he said he carefully chose the song selection. \n"I try to do some Bach every year, and since it's my last year, I wanted to do this repertoire. It's a bench-mark concert," he said.\nHarrington and the rest of the choir are dedicating this concert to Robert Samels, Zachary Novak, Georgina Joshi, Chris Carducci and Garth Eppley -- music students who were killed in a plane crash last year. Samels, Carducci and Novak had all been members of the University Singers. The concert is also dedicated to Alfred Bailey, a graduate student who died this summer from an illness. \nHarrington said the performance will last about an hour and a half and will be filled with singing, occasionally accompanied by organ and cello. \n"The entire concert is Bach, so it makes for a heavy and intense performance," said graduate student Colleen Hughes, who has been a part of the ensemble for five years. "To me, Bach is the father of modern music -- music's very beginning. It's great music."\nHarrington, who has conducted the ensemble since 1973 -- his first year teaching at IU -- said the group isn't limited to singing Bach and other classics. \n"These singers are very skilled in singing a wide range of musical styles," he said. "I am very privileged to conduct singers of this caliber."\nAbout 400 students audition each year to become singers in one of the ensembles offered through the music school. Only about 32 become University Singers. Created more than 50 years ago, the University Singers remains the oldest continuing choral ensemble in the Jacobs School of Music. \nThe University Singers perform at 8 p.m. Sunday in Auer Hall, located in the Simon Music Library and Recital Center on Jordan Avenue. For more information visit the Jacobs School of Music Web site at www.music.indiana.edu/events.
(08/31/06 3:33am)
Love it or hate it, we are knee deep in moving season in our lively college town. There are the lucky few who have retained their residences over the summer, but for most it's cardboard box heaven as the process of unpacking begins. But with a new living space on your hands, a question presents itself : "Where's all my stuff going to go?" Just getting rid of the boxes is the setup strategy for some, but recognizing home as a sanctuary prompts others to carefully consider an ideal room layout. Such an intuitive sense of comfort is just what fuels the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui. \nFeng Shui, which translates as "wind and water," has traditionally incorporated geography, philosophy, math, astrology, aesthetics and religion, according to "The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui: Understanding the Ancient Arts of Placement." \nIt can be a complicated, technical philosophy with various charts and formulas to calculate energy levels, personality types and, ultimately, direction for furniture placement. \nSome IU students have already experimented with Feng Shui in their homes. Junior Troy Engelhardt, creator of the Facebook group "If its Not Feng Shui then I Don't Want To Hear about it, and Yes I am a designer," has a sense of humor about the topic but nonetheless finds it a very effective practice in the home. \n"There are practical reasons for the specific placement of furniture around the house," Engelhardt said. "It makes it look better but is also more welcoming. You wouldn't put a couch facing away from the front door; then you wouldn't be able to see the people come in. It's all pretty much common sense." \nStill, some who practice Feng Shui say people in Western cultures have since taken the tradition and simplified it to the general concept of maintaining a harmonious balance of self, home and nature. \n"Today's Feng Shui has been very Westernized," said Bill Land, owner of Lotus Tuan Feng Shui, a school and consulting business run out of Nashville, Ind. "It has gotten away from very complex Chinese astrology."\nLand, who has taught Feng Shui classes at Purdue University, Ball State University and IU-Purdue University-Indianapolis, said that he particularly focuses on homes, offices and stores. \n"I have been hired to Feng Shui students' apartments at IU," he said, noting that having an environment that is conducive to study is of utmost importance in a college environment. He suggests a few quick tips to make a college living space more supportive for success: working on a clean surface, minimizing clutter, removing old school projects from work area, having academically inspirational images around your work area and designating a place away from your desk for reading and relaxing. \nCarol Bridges, Feng Shui consultant based in Nashville, Ind., and author of "A Soul in Place: Reclaiming Home As Sacred Space," also said college students could benefit from using Feng Shui.\n"It doesn't matter your age -- your space should support the phase of your life that you're experiencing," she said.\nFeng Shui enthusiasts would suggest that the room is lacking good Chi flow, a well-known Eastern philosophy, which is defined as the life force of all living things, and needs a few simple adjustments to become a comfortable environment, if it is perceived as unwelcoming. \nSuggestions to spruce up a drab area would include allowing natural light to come in and using candles, mirrors, or still water to add energy to the space. In addition, Dwarf Bananas, Boston ferns, Peace Lilies or Lady Palms plants can be added to clean the air, according to "The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui." \nFeng Shui can be applied to other aspects of life: personal health, home gardens and cars. For example, it is believed that the human body has channels which enable Chi to run through. If the passageway is interfered with due to sickness or injury, the Chi is disturbed and therefore the body reacts negatively. In this situation, acupuncture is used and needles are strategically placed in the problem areas to relieve the blockage so that the Chi may pass through again.\nCars are even believed to have Chi and to reflect one's mental state (i.e., chaos and mental disorder directly correspond with a messy car.) Reducing clutter and organizing loose objects in the car are quick ways to improve your car's Chi. Also, any "unfinished" repair such as a broken tail light or rattling car part should be resolved.
(03/24/06 4:24am)
Beat box actor Yuri Lane will be performing his narrative drama "From Tel Aviv to Ramallah" at 8 p.m. tonight at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The performance, which debuted in 2003 at the New York City Hip-Hop Theater Festival, has been on tour ever since, showing primarily at festivals and on college campuses. \n"When I do college shows, I love the energy that the students bring," Lane said. "They know about hip-hop, more than people who just go to the theater. They can understand where my inspirations are coming from. This is the type of performance that a college-age audience can dig." \nThe show's storyline centers on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the toll that results from such living circumstances. The show incorporates beat boxing with gritty computer visuals. The show was both written and directed by Lane's wife, Rachel Havrelock, who traveled with him in 1998 and 2001 to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Ramallah -- an event that sparked the creation of this performance.\nAfter returning from their visit, Lane and Havrelock began work on developing the show. The process included Lane improvising with dialogue Havrelock wrote, which resulted in the creation of a storyline and 15 separate characters. Each character has his or her own story and journey throughout the performance. After they completed the script, the duo brought multi-media artist Sharif Ezzat to the performance team, who used computer imaging and photos to create the scenery for the show. \nThe show requires both acting and beat boxing talent from Lane, who deems himself a "beat box actor." He first began his acting career at age 13 in San Francisco, where he was also a member of a break dance crew. He claimed beat boxing was a way "to not get beat up" and he looked to such artists as Run D.M.C. and A Tribe Called Quest to influence his skill development. \n"Beat boxing takes tremendous discipline," Lane said. "The key is having rhythm. After that, it's your teeth, nose, diaphragm and lips that make the sounds. Whatever you do, its done simply with the human body itself," \nLane debuted a new show last year titled "Soundtrack City"-- a story that depicts Chicago life. He is currently creating a brand new piece, with the working title "Yuri Lane: The Life of a Human Beat Box," which he considers an autobiographical piece. \nTo learn more about Yuri Lane, visit his Web site at www.YuriLane.com. Tickets for the show are available at the Sunrise Box Office, located at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, or can be purchased by phone at 323-3020. General Admission is $15 and student tickets are $10.
(03/03/06 4:18am)
March is not just the month of basketball madness, it's also National Women's History Month, a proposed time to appreciate the dedication and perseverance of strong women.\nIn honor of the month, IU alumna Amy Fortoul will perform a one-woman show at 8 p.m. tonight at Rose Firebay in the John Waldron Arts Center. Her performance will expose the harsh realities that many woman face everyday. The piece, "This Is My Body," is a spoken-word performance, which she wrote, directs and performs in.\nSenior Alfonso Lerma of the Indiana Memorial Union board of directors said he saw the need for involvement in bringing this performance to campus.\n"In times of observance such as Women's History Month, it is important for Union Board to be active in demonstrating social awareness for issues that concern students," he said. "I felt that Ms. Fortoul's emotionally charged exploration of a woman's perception of self and the way in which that perception is shaped is of immense educational value to all students."\nThe show's content, intended for mature audiences, centers around eating disorders and sexuality. Lerma said he hopes Fortoul's performance will be thought-provoking to students and stimulate discussion. \nThe show's content projects the idea that culture and family play a strong part in forming a young woman's self-image, according to a press release. It tells the story of self-punishment in the form of anorexia, bulimia and sexual suppression, as well as the healing that comes when emotional strength is regained. \nFortoul, who was a theater major at IU, was treated for bulimia in 1995 at Bloomington Hospital's Eating Disorders Unit in an outpatient rehabilitation program. \n"The program both saved and changed my life," Fortoul said. "I feel a responsibility to help other women suffering from an eating disorder. I want them to know that healing is possible."\nTara Hayes, the forums chair for Mortar Board Senior National Honor Society, organized this event. \n"I think it's really important to promote awareness because this isn't a problem for just students or even on this campus, it's a problem in our country, our nation and I feel it really deserves the attention," she said.\nHayes said she believes Fortoul's piece, which comes at the end of Women's Awareness Week is a beneficial experience that will be well worth students' Friday evening. \n"It's not just a performance, but a really great way to outreach, to show others that it is OK to be going through these types of issues and there is hope for healing," she said. "Mortar Board really believed in this outreach and we took a vote and the consensus was to not charge for the event. It's not about money, but about promoting Mortar Board which was founded on raising awareness of women's principles and rights," Hayes said. \nStudents attending the event at the John Waldron Arts Center will have no cover charge, but the general public must pay $10. For more information on the event, contact the Waldron Arts Center at 334-3100.
(02/02/06 5:08am)
There's nothing quite like seeing a live show. True, movie theatres might have made advancements when they came out with surround sound, but you can't beat the riveting suspense that comes with a stage performance. Where else can you find women climbing tall ladders in spiky heels, tights and black leather underwear? Where else can you hear the resonating sounds of an operatic woman, only to find out it's a man in drag, or see men running around in top hats and tight black pants picking up women and carrying them around on chairs? The national tour of "Chicago," at the IU Auditorium this past Tuesday and Wednesday nights, had all that and more. \nThe show initiated as song after song began to unfold the tale of two self-centered women who had their eyes set on fame and glory by way of a career singing jazz music. Two separate sets or adulterous affairs involving the two main characters, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, lead to the murders of several people, landing them in a women's prison where they meet. During their prison stay, they compete for the limelight and are supervised by the prison warden, "Mama" Morton, who does them favors for money, like getting them the best lawyer in Chicago, Billy Flynn. \nFlynn with his slick, city charm convinces the media of their innocence and gets both women out of prison, all the while the women engage in jealous arguments. However, the show ends with the two reconciling by deciding to do a double act. \nI have seen the film "Chicago" and for that reason can tell you this plot with confidence. However, had I not been previously educated to the twists and turns of the plot, I may have spent more time trying to figure out what was going on, than enjoying the lavish song and dance numbers. Other audience members agreed.\n"I thought the musical was really good, but the movie was better, the scenes flowed better in the movie," said Freshman Kyle Benham. \nThe Broadway version lacked a bridge between music and character lines. Sure, a random character threw out the occasional narrative line, but the use of dialogue between the show's cast would have permitted more understanding of the story, than did the back-to-back musical numbers. \nThe jazz music in this performance was everything. It set the over-and-under tones for the show's plot, characters and dancing. For this reason, it was no surprise that the show's opening number was "All That Jazz" performed by Terra MacLeod as Velma Kelly. If movie go-ers had already seen Catherine Zeta-Jones perform this song, MacLeod's rendition would be the first indication that these two were very different. Visually she was fascinating with her crisp dance movements and intense facial expressions. She sang with a strong and rough, yet broadway-esque voice that struck audience members in different ways.\n"Her voice was good and it was jazzy, but it needed to be more forceful and more aggressive." said freshman spectator Christa Frye, comparing MacLeod to Zeta-Jones. \nBut regardless of varying singing opinions, many could easily be won over by the seductive dancing. The Tony Award-winning choreography by Ann Reinking was phenomenal. The sexual essence of the movements could hardly be ignored, and the wardrobe of the cast just added to the excitement. The choreography, which seemed to be influenced by ballet, was laced with challenging syncopations for the dancers. The flexibility of MacLeod and other performers was jaw-dropping. \nProps were used to create even more visual pleasure in these daring numbers. Chairs, over-sized white peacock feathers, glitter, ladders and lights told a story of their own. \nOverall, I was thrilled to have experienced the performance. It was a powerful, high-energy show that left people with a smile on their face and a couple of new songs to sing in the shower. The cast gave it their all, and in the end, that's all they can do.
(01/30/06 4:56am)
"Chicago," known to many as the star-filled musical that made it to the Hollywood big-screen, is coming to the IU Auditorium Tuesday and Wednesday. But what you'll see is not what you got from the Academy Award-winning film. In fact, the film originated from the Broadway revival that is coming to Bloomington. \nThe Broadway production of "Chicago" was so successful that it sparked its current national tour. The show's producers, Barry and Fran Weissler, have received Tony Awards, as have the choreographer and director. "Chicago's" success includes international fame as well. Canadian-born actor Terra MacLeod, who stars in the show as Velma Kelly, preformed in Paris, Canada and Japan before joining the American tour. \n"The great thing about this show is that it works in any language; I've performed in three different languages and everyone gets it, anywhere you go," she said.\nMacLeod describes the show as having a simple concept; it pokes fun at the media while simultaneously showing how powerful they are. The plot centers around two women who are charged with murder and shows how the media manipulate the minds of the public to believe certain things about the women. \nMacLeod said she considers the show a vaudeville piece, and not your typical musical. \n"It's not what you expect," she said. "It doesn't matter if you've seen the movie. This is live theater. There is an energy in the room that creates a different effect. There's nothing like it." \nShe encourages students to come out and see it, insisting that live theater is an art, which many miss out on.\n"Don't rely on movies to be the only art you see -- missing theater is missing art," she said.\nThe production of "Chicago" has taken different routes of delivery to audiences in its time, and with that reached people in different ways. \n"In any production of 'Chicago,' you have characters bring their own truths to the roles," MacLeod said. "So many people have done this show, and each brings their truth. That's what makes it so great."\nFor those who have experienced the film version of "Chicago," the colorful and dramatic stage settings for some of the music and dance pieces might come to mind, as well as the shining lights on a sign exclaiming "ROXY," or the audience full of awe-struck men in Queen Latifah's character's elaborate delivery of "When You're Good to Mama."\nBut MacLeod, who plays the Broadway role that Catherine Zeta-Jones held in the film, said the audience can expect something less lavish from their show,\n"The setting is different. Don't expect to see what you saw in the movie," she said. "In this production, we are the scenery." \nBoth performances begin at 8 p.m. Event ticket prices for IU students range from $17.50 to $37.50 and ticket prices for the general public are $34.50 to $57.50. Tickets are available at IU Auditorium Box Office or online at www.iuauditorium.com.
(01/24/06 4:53am)
It is no secret the world of hip-hop is invading mainstream pop culture. What once started on the streets as a culturally derived art form has now commercialized into one of the most recognizable influences in today's society. It is prevalent in all forms of media -- music television, commercial ads and most recognizably on the radio. \nYou know that hip-hop has hit the big time when you turn on your radio to the enjoyable beats of a hip-hop song, only to discover seconds later that what you thought was the "newest jam" was in fact a McDonald's commercial. \nI know I couldn't have been the only fool who fell for such marketing schemes, but even through my embarrassment I can see hip-hop is an attention-getting platform.\nWith the popularity of hip-hop in mind, sophomore CommUNITY Educator Laura Patton thought an event based on hip-hop might attract and educate students. \nFellow CUEs agreed with Patton, so they teamed up with the Hip Hop Congress and created an event called "Hip-Hop and the Resistance to Struggles", held Sunday night at the Willkie Auditorium. The event consisted of a discussion based on the roots of hip-hop and how the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. influenced hip-hop culture.\nThe CUEs asked three IU professors knowledgable in hip-hop to sit on the discussion panel: Ana Owusu Tyo, Fernando Orejuela, and Mark Miyake.\nThe Chapter Head of the Hip Hop Congress, Alex Pyatetsky, moderated the event, questioning the panelists on the connection between the civil rights movement and hip-hop. \n"They weren't directly tied, but soul music was the bridge to hip-hop," Orejuela said. "They were related as far as social power." \nMiyake added today's hip-hop artists had parents during the time of the movement, offering Tupac Shakur, whose mother was a member of the Black Panther's organization, as an example.\nAs the commentary progressed, the idea of hip-hop as politically conscious music was introduced as a relevant similarity to the civil rights movement. Panelists used examples such as Public Enemy and NWA to illustrate hip-hop artists who spoke out against the government. \nHowever, it was acknowledged that the aggressive way these groups voiced their concerns was different than King's peaceful followers in the movement. \n"Who do we have in today's music that speaks out in the social and political way that these old-school icons did?" asked an audience member. \n"Kanye West would be an example of a message rapper today," Orejuela said. "Most other message rappers went underground when the 'studio gangstas' took over." \nOwusu-Tyo agreed. \n"Kanye West is the most commercially politically aware person," she said. "However, he will write a song about diamonds in Sierra Leone and turn around and get a diamond watch from Jacob the Jeweler -- he's not advocating a boycott on diamonds." \nSome may ask, 'what's the big deal if hip-hop music doesn't have a political message?' Many attending the forum believed that hip-hop has become so popular that it is in the ears of too many to go without being used for positive expression. \nOne audience member said he knew young children who could recite lyrics from all the latest hip-hop songs. "Younger generations learn from Sesame Street and they learn from BET," he said. This is a truly interesting comment to consider. If that is the case, what type of things would they be learning -- is it what they should be learning? \nAs the event came to a close, my mind was racing, as were the minds of many others still highly engaged with questions and comments. To me, that signified the importance of such an event and furthered the need for more of its kind.
(01/12/06 8:06pm)
The Indiana University Departments of Kinesiology and Theatre and Drama unite this Thursday and Friday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre to present "New Frontiers/Contemporary Traditions," a performance in its fourth year of production.\nThe performance is open to the public and will consist of various forms of art including music, dance and video sequences performed by student dance groups.\nThe program was named after the New Frontiers grants received by IU's Contemporary Dance Program faculty members Laura Poole and Elizabeth Shea. \nFaculty members from the School of Music, the School of Fine Arts and the African American Dance Company, as well as guest artist IU Alumni Liz Monnier, worked in collaboration on the production. \nAfrican American Dance Company director Iris Rosa choreographed two pieces which will have African, Cuban and hip-hop influences and will premiere in the show. \nBut students are the program's centerpiece.\n"Many IU Students take part in the production," said Shea. "It is simply a fantastic evening of performance art, that will engage the audience on many sensory levels, and they will leave feeling fulfilled." \nShea believes that attending the event will leave audience members with a new appreciation of modern dance and promote acceptance for new approaches to dance performance. Shea also hopes the production is a positive educational experience for the dance students involved. \nAbi Rich, a junior majoring in dance and performing in the event, has high hopes for the audience reaction. \n"I would like the audience to feel engaged in the performance, whether it be thinking about movement in a new way, developing some sort of connection to part of the performance, or simply feeling interest or appreciation for what they saw and heard," she said.\nRich's expectations come as a result of the time and effort invested in this production by students and faculty. \n"The students began rehearsals as classes were starting in September, and those working behind the scenes began work long before that," Rich said. \nTickets for students, seniors and children under 12 are $13 and $16 for adults and can be purchased at the IU Auditorium Box Office, or online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Rush tickets will be available to IU Students 30 minutes before the performance begins.\nFor more information visit http://www.indiana.edu/~kines/dance_new_frontiers.html.
(11/07/05 4:51am)
The Buskirk-Chumley Theater was home to a packed audience Saturday night as the African American Dance Company, African American Choral Ensemble and IU Soul Revue came together for their annual event, "A Potpourri of Arts." \nThe African American Arts Institute created the collaborative event in 1993 and has performed it each year since then. The AAAI created the showcase to show the wide range of African American performance produced by the Institute. \nIn past years, the "Potpourri of Arts" event has been staged at various other locations, including the IU Art Museum, the Musical Arts Center, Alumni Hall, the John Waldron Arts Center and the IU Auditorium. However, regardless of the location, the audience for the program has increased each year. \nThe show opened to the upbeat feel of the IU Soul Revue -- a group comprised of four male and five female students. A small jazz band accompanied the group, which was under the direction of Nathaneal Fareed Mahluli. They combined soulful music, emphasizing funk sensibility with choreographed dance moves, for a performance that had audience members out of their chairs and dancing. Musical numbers performed included Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" as well as songs by En Vogue and Mase. \nGroup member Charles Henderson, who also performed with the African American Choral Ensemble, said preparation for the event was intense. \n"I had practice almost every day for a month, singing and dance choreography rehearsals, but I think all the preparation was worth it," he said.\nPerforming next was the African American Dance Company, which chose to showcase Latin American music and music from the soundtrack of the film "Malcolm X." Under the direction of Iris Rosa, the group performed several dance numbers to the beat of a drummer/guitarist and a cellist. \nDuring intermission, audience member sophomore Andre White reacted to the first part of the show.\n"I feel all the groups work well together because they illustrate different facets of African American culture," White said. "I'm looking forward to the African American Choral Ensemble. Their singing is inspirational and they're always entertaining."\nDirector James Mumford began the African American Choral Ensemble's performance by acknowledging two new members of the choir, who were evacuees from New Orleans. Mumford dedicated the performance to the two students, saying he hoped healing would soon come for all those impacted by the event. The group sang as an entirety, but smaller ensembles also took the stage, showcasing the voices of many of their members with solo performances. \nBy the end of the night, audience members were given the opportunity to see three genres of performance and various displays of talent. \n"I think people benefited from the concert," Henderson said. "They came out to have a good time and see their friends share their talent. I can't wait to partake in this event again next year"
(09/26/05 6:09am)
The intersection of Washington Street and Kirkwood Avenue was ablaze with color Friday and Saturday as community members gathered for this year's LotusFest.\nSince its 1994 inception, the local music and art festival has brought an international flavor to Bloomington every year. This year's celebrations had roots from all around the globe.\nKusun Ensemble, a Ghanaian dance and percussion group that performed both nights of the festival, led traditional African blessing ceremonies and performed dance numbers during their down-time at the festival.\n"The blessing is good ... but we don't know what they're saying," said Mary Athieno, a visiting student from University of Southern Indiana and a Uganda native. "This type of thing looks sort of strange in the middle of the street. It's like out of nowhere, people don't know what it is, they're just following."\nAlthough skeptical, Athieno was entertained by the festivities and danced with her cousins. \n"These blessings have different \nmeanings in different African countries. Where I am from, ours means something specific to us, but they are all religious," she said.\nIn addition to the Kusun Ensemble, other local artists showcased their talents. Local musicians played drums and other instruments as spectators held large poles complete with colorful flags and rotating face masks.\nBloomington resident Summer Vergiels appeared visually enticing as she stood barefoot in the middle of the circle of people and set fire to what appeared to be balls at the end of a pair of nunchaku, a martial arts weapon. \nVergiels made controlled movements with the flaming balls, and afterward, explained her art.\n"I'm a Poi Spinner," she said. "It is a traditional art which is practiced in Samoa, Guam and New Zealand."\nVergiels, who taught herself the art, said she does not feel spinning is dangerous as long as people step back while she performs.\nThe "Street Parade on Kirkwood," which was scheduled for both nights, allowed people of all ages, nationalities and interests to form a circle and participate in an improvised event. Lotus volunteers made their way through the crowd, handing out colorful flags and large masks on sticks for people to wave around.\nJunior Mea Kinder said she thought the parade created a festive atmosphere.\n"I normally don't do the whole parade thing, but tonight I wanted to do something a little different," she said.\nOther notable sights during the parade included ringleader and the mastermind behind the concept, "Parade King," Keith Romaine.\n"This idea is a collaboration that stemmed from an impromptu parade a few years back when an artist left the stage and led a parade around the festival," Romaine said.\nHe also credited many others with their contributions to get the parade up and running. \n"The parade should reflect people and be about people, and when the two come together, it is successful," he said. \nThe parade's energy reverberated indoors, in places such as the First United Methodist Church, where Teada -- a traditional Celtic group -- performed Friday night. As the acoustics of the church projected surround-sound quality to the packed pews, many onlookers were captivated by the sounds, tapping their feet and bobbing their heads to the beat. \nBrazilian acoustic performer Badi Assad was just down the street at the First Christian Church. She performed wildlife impersonations that were so lifelike that some attendants felt as though they were actually surrounded by wild animals.\n"This is crazy," whispered one audience member.\nChecking wristbands outside the church, senior and Lotus volunteer Hannelore Meier was happy to be helping out with the event.\n"It's a free ticket," she said. "But also because I've been a part of this community for the past four years, I enjoy being around all of the community members and getting a chance to interact with them."\nOutside the John Waldron Arts Center, people packed into a tent where artists Rachel Davis and Jake Armerding were performing acoustic contemporary American folk music. Sophomore and Lotus volunteer Sibo Lin was guarding the entrance. Lin is not a newcomer to the LotusFest. Originally from Evansville, he attended Signature School, a small charter high school that brings its students to attend the Bloomington festival every year.\n"The school is focused on global awareness," he said. "I'm back again this year because I like the music and didn't want to pay for a wristband because it's expensive. I'm a college student. But I really like this musician playing right now; I want to get her CD." \nLin and many other volunteers had to endure not-so-ideal weather conditions Friday night, but Saturday evening proved to be more tolerable.\n"The timing of the rain meant quick last-minute changes for a lot of things … we had a few glitches but everything is going well," said Tamara Loewenthal, sites coordinator for the festival. \nLoewenthal added Saturday's turnout was better than Friday's due to the change in weather.\n"We've sold a lot of student tickets tonight; a lot of students have come out," she said. \nBloomington resident Sierra Klahn, a listener at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, reflected on LotusFest as a local event.\n"I feel so fortunate to have been born and raised in such a wonderful and diverse town where I can experience an event like this," she said. "It's a blessing"
(09/22/05 4:36am)
IU isn't the only commodity to call international attention to Bloomington. The annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival is an important event that brings in dozens of world musicians to Bloomington streets every September. It is a highly anticipated gala that makes a statement about the diversity in town and beyond.\nThe Lotus Festival is one of three festivals of its kind in the entire Midwest, joined by Madison, Wis., and Chicago. It is a life-celebrating event that showcases all aspects of music, art and culture that since its founding in 1994 has developed into a phenomenon that has far surpassed the expectations of creators James Combs, Shahyar Daneshgar and Lee Williams. "Lotus Fever" has since spread rapidly to Bloomington-area residents and has slowly reached IU students.