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(04/28/08 2:33am)
The screeches of a lone trumpet faded into the steady beat of the bass all throughout Saturday night at the IU Auditorium. The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra played for one night only, lighting up the stage with the native sounds of Bourbon Street. \nNOJO, known for its immense talent and inspiring music for those who need some inspiration post-Hurricane Katrina, was led by trumpeter Irvin Mayfield. The 16-member orchestra, complete with drums, bass, piano, brass, saxophones and clarinet, kept the beat flowing with each song. \nEach member of the all-male orchestra bobbed his head to the rhythmic melodies, playing notes on an underlying beat, accented by numerous claps and cheers from the audience and shouts from fellow performers. Mayfield in particular was a crowd-pleaser, not only for his impeccable playing but also for when he spoke to the audience between songs. He even jokingly announced his run for president and commented on the heart and soul of Indiana: basketball. \nBut the best bit was on the blues. Mayfield read a poem he felt symbolized the blues, with the help of his gifted bassist who was “unfortunately from St. Louis.” The poem told the story of a love-struck poet dealing with the loss of a stone-cold woman. And when the band began to play, the story came to life. Closing my eyes, I saw the whole story unfold: the first look, the passion, the betrayal, the jealousy, the leaving, the hurting and the healing through each bar. It was the pinnacle of the evening.\nAnd while the blues number was my favorite, every song told a story. Each performer got “two bars” as urged by Mayfield, and all of them took full advantage, throwing out notes with such skill and range it felt that the instrument itself was speaking to the audience. Tales of joy, excitement, sorrow, spontaneity, pain, grief and unadulterated truth poured from trombone, trumpet and saxophone. It was a beautiful evening that captured a cultural essence.\nThe whole performance was one flame – shining its rhythmic light through the dark aftermath of a storm – only to grow brighter and stronger. And when Mayfield so coyly asked the crowd, “Did you like that?” I knew my answer would be the same as the crowd’s: a resounding “Yes, sir.”
(04/11/08 1:04am)
When you hear the name “Riverdance” what comes to mind? A line of dancers rapidly pounding out a beat with their legs while keeping their upper bodies perfectly still? I admit, I felt the same way as I walked into the IU Auditorium on Wednesday night to see the farewell performance of “Riverdance.” And don’t get me wrong; there was plenty of intense footwork and tacky outfits. But as the show began, I realized there was more to “Riverdance” than what meets the eye – or the ear, for that matter.\nThe show began with a poetic and slow introduction, dramatizing the discovery of Ireland by its first natives, who could all do an Irish jig quite well while wearing emerald and black. I thought it was overplayed, and it wasn’t my favorite scene, but I was impressed by the historical significance of the play. If I were of Irish descent, I’d be quite proud.\nOne of the most impressive parts of the show didn’t have any dancing at all. A group of choral singers performed a solemn hymn called “The Heart’s Cry.” This was my first “Riverdance” performance, so I had no idea there would be singing. The song was so rich in both history and harmony that it brought tears to my eyes.\nThe next few dances had strong performers, both male and female. Each song was intricately woven into the story of Irish legends. One dance in particular caught my eye, and not because of the strobe lighting in the beginning. “Thunderstorm,” performed by the men, was probably the manliest thing I’ve ever seen done by men dressed in tight black suits since “Mission: Impossible.” \nMy favorite scene, however, was in the second act. While the first act took place in Ireland and described the myths and legends associated with it, the second half took place in early New York. It began with the Potato Famine, which drove thousands of immigrants on an intimidating journey across the pond. While adjusting to new surroundings, a few skilled Irish dancers, led by one of Wednesday night’s principal dancers, Craig Ashurst, happen upon two expert tap dancers, Jason E. Bernard and Parker Hall. The tap dancers grooved to the beat of a lone saxophone, played by Daniel Dorrance. The Irish dancers and their fiddler, Pat Mangan, start a heated dance-off. After a few hilarious mimics of each other’s dance styles, the two cultures combined for one amazing collaboration which earned a standing ovation from the crowd. Mangan alone could work up a crowd. He played the fiddle so well it made “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” sound like child’s play.\nAfter that amazing performance I had no idea how the rest of the production could go on. But the Moscow Folk Ballet Company made it happen. Complete with high jumps and daring moves, including swinging a woman in between the legs of a male dancer, the Russian troupe really proved to be a showstopper even after the interlude between Irish pipe and saxophone.\nWhen I first walked into the IU Auditorium on Wednesday night I merely pictured an Irish jig. I was not expecting a show bursting with culture, history and talent. This show had everything from live instrumental music, to tap dancers, to Russian ballet, to Flamenco, to a Capella groups, to Irish dancers; each part of the production was amazing. Riverdance is truly a show worth seeing – even if you’re not Irish.
(04/11/08 1:04am)
When you hear the name “Riverdance” what comes to mind? A line of dancers rapidly pounding out a beat with their legs while keeping their upper bodies perfectly still? I admit, I felt the same way as I walked into the IU Auditorium on Wednesday night to see the farewell performance of “Riverdance.” And don’t get me wrong; there was plenty of intense footwork and tacky outfits. But as the show began, I realized there was more to “Riverdance” than what meets the eye – or the ear, for that matter.\nThe show began with a poetic and slow introduction, dramatizing the discovery of Ireland by its first natives, who could all do an Irish jig quite well while wearing emerald and black. I thought it was overplayed, and it wasn’t my favorite scene, but I was impressed by the historical significance of the play. If I were of Irish descent, I’d be quite proud.\nOne of the most impressive parts of the show didn’t have any dancing at all. A group of choral singers performed a solemn hymn called “The Heart’s Cry.” This was my first “Riverdance” performance, so I had no idea there would be singing. The song was so rich in both history and harmony that it brought tears to my eyes.\nThe next few dances had strong performers, both male and female. Each song was intricately woven into the story of Irish legends. One dance in particular caught my eye, and not because of the strobe lighting in the beginning. “Thunderstorm,” performed by the men, was probably the manliest thing I’ve ever seen done by men dressed in tight black suits since “Mission: Impossible.” \nMy favorite scene, however, was in the second act. While the first act took place in Ireland and described the myths and legends associated with it, the second half took place in early New York. It began with the Potato Famine, which drove thousands of immigrants on an intimidating journey across the pond. While adjusting to new surroundings, a few skilled Irish dancers, led by one of Wednesday night’s principal dancers, Craig Ashurst, happen upon two expert tap dancers, Jason E. Bernard and Parker Hall. The tap dancers grooved to the beat of a lone saxophone, played by Daniel Dorrance. The Irish dancers and their fiddler, Pat Mangan, start a heated dance-off. After a few hilarious mimics of each other’s dance styles, the two cultures combined for one amazing collaboration which earned a standing ovation from the crowd. Mangan alone could work up a crowd. He played the fiddle so well it made “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” sound like child’s play.\nAfter that amazing performance I had no idea how the rest of the production could go on. But the Moscow Folk Ballet Company made it happen. Complete with high jumps and daring moves, including swinging a woman in between the legs of a male dancer, the Russian troupe really proved to be a showstopper even after the interlude between Irish pipe and saxophone.\nWhen I first walked into the IU Auditorium on Wednesday night I merely pictured an Irish jig. I was not expecting a show bursting with culture, history and talent. This show had everything from live instrumental music, to tap dancers, to Russian ballet, to Flamenco, to a Capella groups, to Irish dancers; each part of the production was amazing. Riverdance is truly a show worth seeing – even if you’re not Irish.
(04/08/08 2:23am)
Born of the intricate moves and traditions of Irish step dance, “Riverdance” has traveled across the Atlantic and made its way to the IU Auditorium. As part if its farewell tour, “Riverdance” will visit IU at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.\n“It’s something (audience members) haven’t seen before,” long-time traditional Irish dancer Maria Buffini said. “The show is high-energy, very entertaining and there’s something for everyone, whether young or old.”\nBuffini has worked with “Riverdance” most of her career, following in the steps of her older sister. She has been dancing since she was 4 years old and feels a deep connection to the show.\n“Obviously, it’s becoming my life,” Buffini said. “Irish dancing was always a part of my life, but ‘Riverdance’ is more than I’d ever imagined. I feel like I’ve accomplished something.”\nBuffini is one of six leads in the production, along with Craig Ashurst, Liam Ayres, Alana Mallon, Christina Havlin and Marty Dowds, the Dance Captain. “Riverdance” is composed of three different companies that span three different areas: The Foyle, performing in Ireland every summer; the Corrib, performing in the UK and mainland Europe; and the Boyne, performing in North America. The three groups include Irish dance leads and the larger troupe, the band, singers, tap dancers and members of the Moscow Folk Ballet Company. \n“Riverdance” was first performed in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. This show featured Irish Dancing Champion Jean Butler, Michael Flatley and the Celtic choral group Anuna with a score by Bill Whelan. The production went on to be called “Riverdance the Show.” It is now controlled through the company Abhann Productions in Dublin by husband-and-wife team John McColgan and Moya Doherty.\nThe show is comprised of two different acts. The first act tells the history of Ireland, showing Irish ancestors forming the place they would call home, according to the “Riverdance” Web site. It emphasizes the importance of song and dance throughout the generations. The second act is comprised of bringing that tradition to another continent: America. Based on the vast immigration of the Irish because of the 1845-1947 potato famine, the show features the collision and collaboration of many different cultures.\nThe production, rich in Irish and American history and culture, will continue in Europe and Ireland, but this performance is the last opportunity to see the show in Indiana. Tickets are still available through the IU Auditorium Web site at www.iu auditorium.com.
(04/04/08 4:36am)
I’ve had a pretty nasty cold this week, thanks to the fickle Indiana spring weather. But Tuesday night as I watched a cast of about 15 dancers jump and jive all across the stage to the melodious sounds of Billy Joel hits, I forgot all about my cold.\nAdmittedly, I had not completely forgotten it when “Movin’ Out” began its first scene. I was still sneezing and dejectedly popping DayQuil while the dancers tried to light up the room. The opening was entertaining, but not thrilling, and all of the dancers seemed to be half-energized. Of course, that could be the DayQuil talking.\nBut soon, the numbers began to pick up as the suspended band, with the “piano man” leading the way, shot out hit after hit, including “Uptown Girl,” “She’s Got a Way,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and, of course, “Movin’ Out.” The chemistry between the dancers was enough to get anyone moving. The lovers actually looked in love, and the men had their cool male bonding experiences, all the while performing well-choreographed dance moves in unison. It was especially convincing that Brenda (Amanda Kay) and James (Eric Bourne) were two star-crossed lovers.\nWhat really struck me about “Movin’ Out” was the intense emotion displayed by the entire cast for every song. Whatever emotion it was – anger, joy, playfulness, fear, madness – the sounds of their voices reverberated throughout the room, filling the audience with whatever emotion had taken the stage at that time. The war scene, in particular, to the sounds of “Waltz No. 1 (Nunley’s Carousel)” gave me chills. The intense lighting in the scene, coupled with a simple but effective set, created shadows on the wall that felt as if they were haunting me as well as the main characters.\nAct II of the performance really showed off the talents of both Twyla Tharp, the choreographer and creator of “Movin’ Out,” and the dancers themselves. The intricate moves and perfectly timed interactions among the cast gave the more than 1,600 audience members a little more to cheer about, which they did in enthusiastic claps and cheers.\nThe performance was energetic, thought-provoking and fun. It captured the essence of the confused yet determined generation of the 1960s. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.
(03/31/08 3:43am)
It was a rainy evening in Bloomington when Freddie Mercury came back to life, tight, white pants and all. \n“One Night of Queen” blew the roof off of the IU Auditorium Thursday night, featuring UK-based band “Gary Mullen and the Works” as the legendary Freddie Mercury and Queen. But everyone might as well have been sporting bell-bottoms and protesting the Vietnam War, because I was in the 1970s at a Queen concert.\nEach song built on the energy of the last, and after some prodding from “Freddie,” the crowd of 600 was on their feet. The dynamic band kept the classics coming, pumping out hits like “Under Pressure,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Somebody to Love,” “Fat-Bottomed Girls,” “We Will Rock You” and more. Every riff, gyration and flirtatious interaction among the bandmates cried in a loud, high-pitched voice, “Queen!”\nThe show included a fun encore where Mullen even pulled a few fans on stage. \nHe pulled a group of girls, each donning a different letter to spell out “QUEEN” onstage as well. The enthusiastic fans all said they felt like “rock stars” and that it was their “fifteen minutes of fame.” Juniors Katherine Baron, Leah Kraig, Danie Coulter, Emily Erdmann and Katie Drakos all spoke with Mullen after the show and even invited him to a party.\nThey waited along with about 50 other excited people for Mullen to come and greet and sign autographs. They did not leave disappointed, as the charismatic Mullen continued the show outside with pictures and compelling conversations, showing Mullen to be a rock’n’roller even offstage.\nMullen began his career on the UK-equivalent of “American Idol” called “Stars in Their Eyes.” Mullen has been a Queen fan since the age of eight and said he believed it was only appropriate to honor his hero with a tribute. And the tribute could not have been more realistic, with each song and movement perfectly mimicking a Queen concert.\nNo Queen fan left disappointed and even some new fans were made as the rock’n’roll show unfolded in front of a hand- clapping, singing and dancing crowd. There really is no other way to say it except that “Gary Mullen and the Works” worked just a little bit of magic in Bloomington.
(03/26/08 12:57am)
Electrifying guitar solos, belting out notes at the top of the scales and high-powered performances are common occurances for Gary Mullen and the Works.\nThe UK-based band is planning to rock the Indiana University Auditorium stage at 8 p.m. Thursday with their tour “One Night of Queen.” The tour is a tribute to the legendary rock band Queen.\n“It’s not a musical, it’s a rock and roll show,” lead singer Gary Mullen said. “It’s basically a tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen and it’s all for rock and roll.”\nMullen, a UK native, has been a Queen fan since childhood. He says playing Mercury on stage is a lifelong passion realized.\n“I’ve always been passionate about Queen’s music,” he said. “Now I get to be my hero on stage about two hours a night; it’s a pretty cool job.”\nMullen landed the gig after his wife and family applied for him to be on UK’s television series “Stars In Their Eyes” in 2000.\n“I didn’t even know I was going to be on the show,” Mullens said with a laugh, “but they knew my dreams and I won.”\nThe fairy-tale story is now a dream come true, with the happily-ever-after being a high-energy rock tribute show. The shsow began in the UK, touring to audiences numbering more than 10,000. Now the tour has come to the United States, with shows all across the country throughout March and April, with the battle cry of “We Will Rock You America!”\nThe IU Auditorium employees are excited to host the tribute.\n“The band and production recreate the excitement and atmosphere of a live Queen concert to unmatched perfection,” said Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium. “These songs will live on for years to come thanks to their impact on the music scene and the amazingly true performance of Gary Mullen and his band.”\nMullen agreed, saying, “Rock and roll will never die.”\nTickets for the show 8 p.m. Thursday night are available through the IU Auditorium Web site at www.iuauditorium.com.
(03/05/08 1:26am)
Multi-colored lights flashed from all angles as melodious voices filled every inch of the auditorium. The dancers’ strong synchronized steps in front of an ever-changing screen of historic footage were surrounded by authentic Latin art. \n“Evita” lit up the IU Auditorium Friday and Saturday nights. While the performances were amazing, the subject matter was undoubtedly dark. Was Evita, the woman who seduced a nation, really just an overly ambitious and promiscuous actress with no real heart for the people?\nEvita was released by dynamic duo Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the music, and Tim Rice, who wrote the lyrics. Since then, the play has been featured on Broadway, in London and in a movie adaptation starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas in 1996. The latest adaptation, which was performed at IU this weekend, is directed and choreographed by Larry Fuller.\nThe musical is loosely based on the life of Eva Peron, sentimentally nicknamed Evita. Evita was the second wife of Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron. \nThe musical does not follow a linear time line and starts with Evita’s death. It follows Evita’s life growing up poor and shows her meeting her future husband at a festival he organized to raise money for the victims of a 1944 earthquake in San Juan, Argentina. From then on, the couple is inseparable. Evita is allowed into important meetings, to the dismay of other leaders. However, the public adores her. Evita woos them with charities like the Eva Peron Foundation and The Rainbow Tour. She also champions her husband’s heavily populist political agenda. \nThe year before her death in 1952, the public calls for Evita to run for vice president. Many leaders, including her husband, disapproved of the appointment. She refuses the invitation because of the pressure and her declining health. She dies from complications of advanced uterine cancer, despite undergoing a radical hysterectomy and being the first Argentine to receive chemotherapy. \nThe musical makes reference to the disappearance of Evita’s body for the next 17 years after her death. A military coup called the Revolucion Libertadora removed Juan Peron from power. The group took Evita’s body and kept it hidden. Later, it was discovered that the group had hidden her body in a crypt in Milan, Italy, under the name Maria Maggi. While the play doesn’t reference any of this, it does leave the last interaction between Che, who serves as the story’s narrator as is played by Omar Lopez-Cepero, and Peron, played by Philip Peterson, for the audience to question. \nChe seems to be unaffected by Evita’s charming words. He might even be part of the revolution that would take over Juan Peron’s empire. \nThe musical portrays Evita as a manipulative fast-talker with a heart not for the people but for herself. It also portrays Juan Peron as a Nazi enthusiast, hell-bent on making Argentina into the next fascist regime. While the play was strong, visually entertaining and altogether a great show put on by a spectacular cast, it really ignores a lot of the real Eva Peron. It makes the Argentine people look like mindless sheep ruled by evil politicians, and begs an answer to the question: Was the only hope for the 1950s Argentina a power-hungry dictator and his seductive wife?
(02/27/08 1:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Unitarian Universalists are often misunderstood."Usually, when someone asks me, 'What do UUs believe?' it is a gentle way of asking, 'So who is your God, anyway?'" said junior Nick Kieper, and a Unitarian since he was 14. "Some UUs believe in God, some don't, some believe that God is more of a Buddhist/Daoist presence/force, and some say nobody can really know."The Unitarian Universalist Association was founded in 1961, and currently has over 1,000 congregations worldwide, according to its Web site www.uua.org. Only one in every 1,300 Americans are Unitarian Universalists, according to uubloomington.org. The Web site states that its small congregation is due to its excessive freedom, or that people simply don’t know of its existence. Unitarian Universalists believe that God is not in one person, but in everyone. Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion with a Judeo-Christian background, but no one religion is celebrated over another. Their religious authority is not in a book, person or institution, but in all people. “The central beliefs of the Unitarian Universalist church concern the fact that all people have inherent worth and dignity and that our actions in the world should seek to preserve that,” Unitarian Campus Ministry Coordinator Susan Blake said. “For example, from our belief in the worth and dignity of every person comes a concern for, and activism towards, democracy and social justice.”The Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, founded in 1949, has been a longtime staple in the local community. Because its main beliefs are in people, the church is very service-oriented in assisting various other organizations. It is involved with Habitat for Humanity; Children’s Task Force, which improves the lives of children in Bloomington; Green Sanctuary Task Force for Global Climate Change, which promotes sustainable living; and Rainbow Rights Task Force, which fights for rights of the Gay Bi Lesbian and Transgender community. Many Unitarian Universalists refer to this commitment to GBLT members as extremely important, said Kieper.Kieper said the church opens its doors to all GBLT individuals. He was raised in the Unitarian Universalist church after both his parents joined when they denounced their Catholic and Lutheran faiths.In addition to their open nature toward the GBLT community, Unitarians take pride in their openness to all backgrounds.Sophomore Drake Holston said the church welcomes any follower.“Unitarianism really encourages a plethora of beliefs among its members,” he said. “No matter what religious background you come from, they welcome you; there’s just not a lot of expectation.”The belief that people universally have worth brings about the unity embedded in the church’s name.“I believe in the equality of human beings and living things in general,” freshman Emily Mohler said. “I believe that everything is connected in some way and in the possibility of the goodness of the world as a whole.”The church has a very active student life with the Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry here at IU. The ministry is sponsored by the church in Bloomington and holds open events to all interested members of the campus community. The campus ministry meets at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in Ballantine Hall Room 004. It holds discussions and worship with a central focus on the social and spiritual needs of young adults.“Basically, it’s a chance to chat with like-minded individuals and feel like I belong,” Kieper said.Blake said the campus ministry group’s activities includes doing service projects – this past Spring Break, a few of its members went to New Orleans to help the rebuilding of a Unitarian Universalist church there – and providing fun for its members such as game nights and a monthly get-together. The Unitarians’ main values of truth, service, holiness and love are reflected in their actions on and off campus. Many live by the covenant listed in their “What We Believe” bulletin:
(02/27/08 12:28am)
An Owen County police officer got an extra surprise in his Spencer, Ind. fast-food lunch, and it was not a toy. The officer is pressing charges after finding saliva in his soda. While this is an isolated incident, many local officers find that it is something to be concerned about.\n“We’ve been conscious about it,” IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger said, “It’s an issue that police officers and other public officials have been concerned with for years.”\nMinger said that, because of the nature of an officer’s job, many people are bitter against police officers. He said many who give officers a hard time are usually those who have had run-ins with the police previously.\n“I always tell my officers, ‘You’re going to run into people who don’t agree with you because of your job or uniform,’” Minger said. “You just have to deal with it.”\nLocal fast-food workers said they were appalled at the incident.\n“It’s disgusting,” Subway employee Tim Little said. “We would never do something like that.”\nMcDonald’s manager Jeremy Carter admitted that such incidents could happen, but only rarely.\n“I think what happened in Owen County is outrageous,” Carter said, “Of course, you always have a bad seed or two, but we tend to weed them out pretty quickly.”\nDespite the fast-food employees’ claims, many officers still keep the thought of food contamination in the back of their minds while ordering.\n“We think about it all the time,” IUPD Lt. George Robinson said. “It almost always crosses our minds.”\nOfficers take precautions such as never having food delivered to the department, only ordering from trusted people and restaurants and always providing their own meals.\n“I bring my lunch a lot, almost all the time,” IUPD Lt. Laury Flint said. “It gets rid of that problem.”\nWhile similar incidents are rare, they do happen in Bloomington. One case involved an officer whose pizza had been laced with a hallucinogenic drug.\n“That officer had arrested the guy who made his pizza once, and he remembered that,” Robinson said. “So that happened right here, even though it was nearly 30 years ago. And that’s been the last incident.”\nWhile many fast-food employees and city residents find the Owen County incident unexpected, many officers find it upsetting but not uncommon.\n“Unfortunately, I’m not surprised, but extremely disgusted,” Bloomington Police Department Capt. Anthony Pope said. “These officers come to work every day ready to put themselves in harm’s way to help others. It’s very disappointing that someone would treat an officer that way.”
(02/14/08 1:04am)
Anyone annoyed by telemarketers can have hope for quick relief – if they act fast. \nThe registration deadline for Indiana’s “Do Not Call” list is Feb. 19. If registered by this date, Indiana residents will receive fewer or no telemarketing phone calls starting April 1.\nThe “Do Not Call” list regulates calls made to numbers on the list, significantly reducing the amount and type of phone calls. For most, this will result in fewer or no calls from telemarketers.\n“Once you place your phone number on the list, telemarketers are restricted from calling that phone number,” said Staci Schneider, chief communication officer and press secretary for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. \nMore than 1.9 million numbers are already registered on the list, Schneider said.\nA few organizations cannot be restricted from calling, however, including newspapers, licensed real estate and insurance agents and charitable organizations. \nSome students find being on the “Do Not Call” list helpful.\n“If you don’t like being bothered it’s necessary,” junior Pat Hards said. “When you’re at home and your phone is ringing off the hook at around 5 or 6 p.m. and you don’t want to answer it, it makes you all stressed out.”\nOther students do not worry about unwanted calls.\n“Because I primarily use a cell phone, I don’t have problems with solicitor calls,” junior Leitia Webb said.\nHowever, students who do not worry about their cell phones acknowledge these calls are primarily a problem with landline phones.\n“When I’m at home I get annoyed,” Webb said. “I always answer and say ‘Sorry, no thanks, bye.’” \nTo register for the “Do Not Call” list, Hoosiers can call 1-888-834-9969 or go to http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral to register online. People may register after the Feb. 19 deadline, but the ban on telemarketers calling them will not be effective until later in the year.
(02/07/08 5:46am)
The IU Art Museum Provenance Project, part of a global effort to find the history of various art pieces, has turned its focus to the “degenerate.” The project is currently identifying the history of more than 600 pieces – paintings, sculptures and more – that were taken from Jewish owners and artists by the Nazis and sold in a “Degenerate Art” show in Munich 1937. \n“The Nazis did one of two things with the Jewish art: defaced them or kept them as artifacts,” said Dena Kranzberg, student president of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center. \nFrom 1933-1945, many Jewish artifacts were taken by the Nazi regime. In 1998, President Clinton signed a bill that requires art museums nationwide to participate in the provenance project, stipulating that art should have a well-documented history available to the public. \n“All American museums are legally required to participate,” said IU Art Museum Curator Jenny McComas. “But there was also a big focus on museums needing to take responsibility for (their) art.” \nThe bill was signed as part of a movement to compensate Holocaust survivors and their descendants for money and objects lost during that time period.\n“Nazi looting of art was not something very \napparent until later years,” McComas said. “Many things began to be restituted to their former owners. It started with money, but it moved to art.”\nThe program takes only pieces of art from that time period and seeks to identify all of the former owners through files kept at the museum, archives at museums around the nation and world and sometimes by the art itself.\nMcComas said the curators often find important clues on the back of art – from names of former owners to cryptic numbers.\n“Most of the time we can’t figure out the meaning of the numbers, but other times we find that they are auction or exhibition numbers,” she said. “So we do find quite a lot of information on the piece itself.”\nAfter finding these leads, people involved will follow up on them by searching records and archives for information on the owners. While the process is labor-intensive, the time taken for each piece varies.\n“Some museums and archives get back to me really quickly or we’ll have a lot of information on the piece already,” McComas said. “But usually it takes me a long time. It really just depends.”\nNearly every modern piece in the collection will be in the project. And while the focus is on this modern art, many other pieces’ pasts are being discovered.\n“We’re learning more about pieces from earlier times and what happened to those during that time frame,” McComas said. “There was a 17th century painting that we knew very little about until this project. Now we know exactly where it was in that time frame. Even if we’re a little less than successful at completely uncovering the piece, we still have found a lot of information.”\nMany of the campus Jewish leaders are excited, although some are hoping for a little more than just names.\n“I think it’s great as long as they don’t stop at that,” Kranzberg said. “I hope they look at the Jewish artist and see who he or she was and why he or she lived.”\nOthers feel it is a moral obligation.\n“I think its the responsible thing to do,” said Alvin Rosenfeld, IU English professor and director of Borns Jewish Studies Program.
(02/07/08 5:19am)
Thousands of IU students walk around campus to the beat of their own drum, thanks to their iPods. What they might not realize is that the only drum beating is in their ears. Doctors say listening to iPods at a loud volume will increase hearing problems.\n“Of course, having the volume up is the trend right now,” said Lynn May, a nurse at the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic in Bloomington. “The music is just too loud.”\nThe clinic suggests keeping the volume on an iPod down to a minimum, which students find agreeable.\n“I try to keep the volume down,” senior Abby Evans said. “I hate it when other people can hear what I’m listening to.”\nMany student iPod users said they mainly listen to music on campus.\n“I usually use my iPod on campus or when I’m working out,” junior Audrey Katt said. “I guess just to pass the time.”\nThis trend has simple explanations from various iPod users.\n“It’s entertainment,” senior Chris Tucker said. “I use it to block out everything else for studying, but the main reason is I like to jam out from class to class.”\nBut each iPod user interviewed was in agreement: They don’t want to know what is going on around them while listening to music.\n“It really helps to tune people out when I’m reading or studying,” Evans said. “People don’t bother me as much with it on.”\nWhile the number is shrinking, there are still some who do not own an iPod. Those students interviewed also had similar reasoning for not wanting an iPod.\n“I think (iPod users) are missing out on things,” junior Marie Coomes said. “If they are in class, they close out possible interactions with people.”\nJunior Margo Sullivan agreed.\n“I think it’s sad when you see two people walking next to each other not talking, just listening to music,” she said.\nBut some students interviewed are not against all music players, just iPod. Freshman Adam Stuckey said he does not like anything made by Apple. \nDespite being few in number, these students do not hold grudges against their fellow iPod-wearing peers.\n“It doesn’t bother me,” Stuckey said. “I don’t look at people and say, ‘I hate you because you have an iPod.’”\nThere also does not seem to be a lot of pressure for students without iPods to buy one, although many agree they are more convenient.\n“It seems like every store only has MP3 accessories for the iPod,” sophomore Justin Greenberger said. “I like my MP3 player a lot but there are definitely not a lot of opportunities for it.”\nGreenberger described an incident he had at a local Best Buy that sold mainly iPod accessories and nothing for his Creative MP3 player. While he finds the situation frustrating, he does not hold any bitterness against people who do choose iPods.\n“I think its fine; I’m not really all rebellion against the iPod,” he said. “People can choose what they choose, but they definitely have a benefit over the people who don’t own one.”
(01/31/08 6:40am)
There is one word cast members are using to describe Indiana University’s production of the play “Metamorphoses:” unique.\n“This was by far the most unique show I’ve worked on,” said Graham Sheldon, a junior who plays the character of Vertumnus, among others. “I’ve never spent so much rehearsal time not reading in the text; it was scary and liberating all at the same time.”\n“Metamorphoses,” the most recent production of the IU Department of Theater and Drama, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1-8, and at 2 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Wells-Metz Theatre. Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Ovid’s classic tales will bring a different feel to the Department of Theatre and Drama, all under the direction of John Maness, a third-year Master of Fine Arts student in directing. “Metamorphoses” is his thesis production.\n“I chose this as my thesis project mainly because when I walked into the space of the theater it was being done in,” Maness said. \nThe play was originally produced with a giant swimming pool on-stage, with much of the action done in and around the water. Due to time and finance limitations, the Wells-Metz was not able to hold this aspect of the production.\n“We had to come up with an alternative way to incorporate (the water) and it became an interesting challenge to me,” Maness said.\nThe production uses many unusual rehearsal strategies and movements throughout the play to incorporate the style without the water, including techniques developed by theatrical director, writer and philosopher Tadashi Suzuki. \n“John Maness uses a lot of uncommon methods of rehearsal, and a lot with music,” said Jason Nelson, a transfer student from Purdue University who plays Phaeton, among other characters. “One exercise we did was to raise our arm in one interval of a song and lower it in the next.” \nThe Suzuki Method, IU Associate Professor Adam Noble said, is a way actors train themselves to act with their whole body. \n“A lot of actors today only act from the neck up,” Noble said. “The Suzuki method is applied for actors to work from the neck down as well.”\nHe said the method takes much of its movement from traditional Japanese theater, martial arts and ballet. “Its main focus is to get the same physical act of building flexibility and using the entire body, the entire instrument for acting.”\nMany of the actors and crew knew these movements and others by taking classes with Noble, who specializes in movement with the theatre and drama department.\n“About 90 percent of the ensemble had taken a movement class or workshop,” Sheldon said.\nAlthough the rehearsals have been intense and sometimes unusual, there have been a few fun incidents.\n“I broke a light with my trident the other day,” said Sheldon, commenting on his role as Poseidon. “I never thought I’d come home and say ‘today, I shattered a light bulb with my trident.’”\nThe play brings different timeless subjects together with little transition time.\n“It’s all about transformation, trials and tribulations of love, aspects of parent to child relationships, abandonment, incest; it’s a wide variety of ideas,” Nelson said. “It’s fluidity has been worked into much of the design of the show. It’s a very dynamic show in content and it has been a lot of fun.”\nMany actors and people involved commented on the relativity between the script and stage design, which was made by first-year graduate student Hyunsuk Shin, the scenic designer for the production. \n“We have a first year scenic designer who has adapted things and has done some interesting work that students will find exciting,” Director of Audience Development John Kinzer said.\nStudents are told that the play will hit close to home.\n“A lot of directors tell me that students should see a show just because they should,” Kinzer said. “But Metamorphoses will resonate with students.”
(01/18/08 3:24am)
The faint songs and immortalized words of thousands of performances and speeches still echo through the halls of the Indiana University Auditorium. For students today, the auditorium is a staple; it’s been here forever. Yet many, including Bloomington residents, do not know anything about its history.\n“I should, I’ve lived here my whole life,” junior Terrick Beitvashahi said. \nEven a few seniors have not been in the auditorium.\n“I’ve never seen a show there,” senior Megan Harris said. “But the IU Auditorium means excellent productions and world-class shows.”\nBut it was not always that way for Hoosiers.\nIn 1921, the IU board of trustees began to consider building an auditorium, a popular idea among students and alumni for decades. W.A. Alexander, who was on the board, started petitioning for a million-dollar plan. The funds would be used for “a Union Building which would include a large Auditorium; a Stadium for the athletic field, and a Women’s Dormitory,” according to documents from the University Archives. Despite later fund raising and site development, nothing would happen for another 17 years.\nThe board accepted an offer of $495,000 from federal funds to build an auditorium on Sept. 9, 1938, in the middle of the Great Depression. It was a part of the Works Progress Administration program. IU President Herman B Wells had a big hand in its construction, according to the documents. \n“It was the first building that Herman B Wells completed during his presidency,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said.\nIt was a collaborative effort between the Purdue president at the time and Wells to raise funds for both the IU Auditorium and the Elliot Hall of Music on Purdue’s campus. \nThe building, at 3 million cubic feet, was designed to house several theaters and could host more than one production simultaneously. It underwent a $13 million renovation in 1997, opening again in 1999. \nToday, the auditorium is home to many of the famous Thomas Hart Benton paintings, which were originally entered in the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, and depict the history of Indiana. The auditorium houses another Chicago-based item: its organ. Dr. William H. Barnes donated the massive organ on May 12, 1948. It was saved from Chicago’s Auditorium Theater’s scrap heap and restored for the auditorium, according to the IU Auditorium Web site. \nThe auditorium has attracted many famous acts, including Bill Cosby, Carol Channing, the musical group Peter, Paul and Mary, Leontyne Price, mime Marcel Marceau, “Les Miserables,” Red Skelton, Victor Borge and Mikhail Gorbachev.\nAnd students are looking forward to the upcoming IU Auditorium season.\n“I’m seeing ‘Evita’ in March,” Harris said. “I’m so excited.”\nAuditorium employees try to uphold its original values.\n“I think ... all of us who have had the privilege to work here take our responsibility seriously,” Booher said. “The great reputation of the auditorium is to see the best in arts and entertainment. We have the responsibility to give a common experience to students and the greater community of Bloomington.”\nSince its construction, the IU Auditorium has welcomed millions of students and thousands of productions. And it all began with student and alumni petitions, like the article from a 1914 Alumni Quarterly, for a place that would “go out and form the muscle of innumerable other social centers,” and where “men and women should come together often, and come together under inspiration.” \nThe rest is history.
(01/15/08 5:24am)
From driving to the store to downloading on the computer, renting movies has changed a lot in a short time. Now Netflix is taking it one step further by bringing the big screen straight to the small screen.\nNetflix is an online movie rental service that provides about 7 million subscribers with access to more than 90,000 DVD titles through the mail or PC. Many students on- and off-campus are already Netflix users for various reasons.\n“It’s great for new and old movies as well as TV shows,” 2007 graduate Michael Gart said. “And it’s cheap.”\nThe company will be collaborating with several electronics companies, starting with LG Electronics based in South Korea, to develop set-top boxes that will allow online rentals to be sent directly to the home TV. Subscribers will be able to rent the movies online as usual, but later this year, the choices will be sent through the Internet hook-up to the television, allowing programs to be viewed without a DVD. This will be a new option, and the others, including streaming movies on the PC and mailing DVDs, will still be available, according to the Netflix Web site.\nIU Netflix users are mainly excited about the alternative, but there are concerns.\n“I think the new adaptation is very interesting, but I would be skeptical about the quality of the picture if it was coming in through the Internet directly to my TV,” sophomore Danny Blumeyer said. “If the picture quality is as good or better than DVD, I would be on board, definitely.”\nOthers predict this is the beginning of a completely new direction for the movie rental trade.\n“The market and industry are heading this way, and Netflix is in front of it all,” 2006 graduate Kyle Vail said. “This is a great idea that will put Netflix in a position similar to Google and Apple today.”
(01/15/08 5:03am)
If walking were an Olympic event, IU would be Greece. Students have all made the long treks between Ballantine Hall, the stadium, various residence halls, the Indiana Memorial Union, Kirkwood and beyond. But is walking keeping us healthy?\n“Walking is definitely healthy,” said Andy Fry, assistant director of IU RecSports. “You are using the biggest muscles, which are your legs, for a sustained amount of time and if you do it at an elevated pace you can even get it into aerobic status.”\nThe National Center for Chronic Disease and Prevention and Health Promotion advises “moderate amounts of daily physical activity ... such as brisk walking for 30 minutes,” for people of all ages. By walking to class instead of riding the bus, students can get in that recommended time, as some students already know.\n“Walking is better than taking the bus,” said freshman Hannah Thompson, who walks, on average, about two miles on a given school day. “Walking keeps you active in some form if you’re not doing anything else.”\nEven a little bit of walking is beneficial to the human body.\n“As little as 2,000 steps in a day can reduce your risk of disease,” said RecSports Personal Training Coordinator Allison Chopra. “It’s a great way to supplement your exercise by getting extra walking in to break up lazy points.”\nOther exercise is a great addition to walking, although it is not always necessary, Fry said.\n“If you are active most days out of the week then you’re meeting the requirement of what you should have,” Fry said, “That’s the bare minimum.”\nStudents who are looking to lose weight might want to do a little more, and take a good look at other habits, Fry said.\n“If you’re walking yet your diet is horrible or if you never stretch or do any sort of strength training, then it may not be enough,” Fry said.\nHe points to five components of exercise as important indicators of health: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and body composition – which is the ratio of lean muscle in your body to fat. Walking only helps with some of these elements.\nBut some students believe it is necessary to exercise on top of walking.\n“Walking doesn’t get your heart rate going,” said sophomore Dan Tawfik, who walks an average of two miles a day.\nOthers said it would be better to exercise as well, but that walking is easier to fit in their schedule.\n“I don’t work out because I don’t have time,” said sophomore David Klapman, who walks at least one mile a day. “Exercise builds on itself, giving you a better chance of improving your health.”\nChopra said it is important that students enjoy whatever activity they choose for exercise. \n“With exercise, as long as it is the same intensity, it’s just as good,” Chopra said. “I always stress most to do exercises you enjoy doing.”
(12/07/07 3:26am)
With winter break approaching, many students will travel home, while others will make IU a part of their holiday celebrations. Residential Programs and Services offers housing for those students who choose to stay at IU during winter break. So far, about 70 students have signed up to stay. \n“It’s a very limited operation,” said Bob Weith, director of residential operations. “(The atmosphere) is very, very quiet.”\nStudents who are interested in staying during the holiday season have until 5 p.m. Monday to make reservations.\nThis year, students will stay in lounges and any available rooms in Eigenmann Hall. The dining facilities, mail center and desk services will not be open during winter break, but there will be resident assistants on site, according to the Residential Programs and Services Web site.\nThose who are staying in the residence halls during winter break will need to pick up their key Dec. 14. \nIn the past, there have not been many troubles when students stayed in RPS housing during winter break. \n“I’m glad to report that it’s always been tranquil,” Weith said.\nResident assistants who have stayed to work during winter break in the past said they have found the experience enjoyable.\n“Many of the students use the kitchenettes,” said Tiana Iruoje, the Briscoe Quad residential manager. “They’re friends, they like to live together.”\nStudents living in the residence halls this semester, except for graduating seniors, need to move out by 10 a.m. Dec. 15. They are allowed back into the dorms at 8 a.m. Jan. 2.
(12/06/07 4:49am)
About 30 students attended “Making the Most of Finals Week,” one of the workshops in the Fall 2007 College and Life-Long Learning Workshops series Tuesday night at the Teter Quad.\nThe workshop, which was put on by the Student Academic Center, specifically focused on organizing time to study for finals.\n“It is a hectic and stressful time, so we are offering very practical suggestions to allow people to feel that they are controlling the time rather than the other way around,” said Matt Van Hoose, School of Education instructor and discussion leader. “Ideally, this is a time when above and beyond all the stress, people can appreciate how much they’ve learned in the course of a semester, and that can only happen by being proactive and confronting that in a strategic way.”\nFreshman Matthew Keach attended the workshop and said he felt it was very helpful because of all the added pressure of receiving good grades.\n“I’m pretty nervous about finals because it weighs so much on the final grade,” Keach said. “He explained how to plan accordingly well.”\nOther students also said the tips presented in the workshop were beneficial.\n“The session offered helpful hints on how to do better,” said senior Ashley Norman, “It had a lot of ideas on how to prepare and for time management.”\nThe best advice the workshop instructors gave the students was similar on all sides. \n“Take the time to thoughtfully schedule your studies from here until your last exam and create that schedule on a critical assessment on where each exam falls in a prioritizing ranking,” Van Hoose said, “And breathe.”\nGraduate teaching associate Brandi Kraft, who also helped organize the workshops, agreed with Van Hoose.\n“Breathing is good. The most important thing for most is to remember (is) to eat and sleep during finals,” Kraft said. “There is a difference between two hours and eight hours and how well you’ll function.”\nThis workshop was the last of this semester, but more will be offered in the spring. For more information, go to http://www.indiana.edu/~sac/programs.html.
(12/04/07 4:30am)
Opposition to Duke Energy’s planned coal plant continued to go up in smoke Nov. 20 as the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission gave the go-ahead to Duke Energy for the construction of a technologically advanced “clean coal” power plant in Edwardsport, Ind., about 50 miles south of Bloomington.\nThough the project still needs to receive an air permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to begin the plant, construction could begin as early as next year, with the plant producing power by early 2012. But opponents are looking to extend the window of opportunity for further public discussion about the issue, citing higher energy costs and environmental concerns. \n “It fits Indiana’s energy plan to turn homegrown natural resources into an economic engine and be self-reliant for power,” Jim Stanley, president of Duke Energy Indiana, said in a press release. “It’s part of our overall plan to meet growing customer needs with cleaner coal technology, energy efficiency and renewable energy.” \nThe plant will be about $2 billion to construct, and will be funded by about a 16 percent increase in energy rates for Duke customers, phased in from 2008 to 2012. It will replace an existing power plant that has mostly coal and oil units built between 1944 and 1951.\nThe price hike for customers and the plant’s possible environmental harm is stirring up some controversy in surrounding areas and throughout the state. The Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, one of the plant’s main opponents, said the plant will not only create unnecessary costs for consumers because of the rate increase, but will also cause a 785 percent increase of carbon dioxide emissions.\n“We lead the carbon emissions per capita in the U.S., and even more than most countries here in Indiana” said Kerwin Olson, the Citizen’s Action Coalition’s public outreach coordinator. The state is ranked 11th in the world for carbon emissions, Olson said. \nOlson also points to more cost- and eco-friendly alternatives as better possibilities.\n“First and foremost, Duke needs to invest more money in energy efficiency, which is quicker and cheaper to implement,” Olson said. “We’d especially like to see them get serious about wind power.”\nThe organization urges residents to “take action” by writing letters to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management asking for more time to be available for public comment on the project, according to the Citizen’s Action Coalition of Indiana’s Web site. A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20, with the comment period closing Dec. 31, but the group wants this time period extended to late February. \nThe Web site also suggested that Indiana should echo the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s recent denial of air permits for two proposed coal-fired power plants due to the health and environmental hazard of carbon dioxide.\nBloomington’s City Hall was filled with 180 Knox County residents, both advocates and opponents of the plant, during an August meeting about the proposal. Knox County resident Elizabeth Ellis cited the economic impact of the coal plant as the main reason for her support. \n“Last year, Knox County was ranked the poorest county in the state,” Ellis told the Indiana Daily Student in an article published Aug. 31. “This year it was the second poorest. We have a median income of $24,000. We need this.”