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(09/12/03 5:03am)
Well, it is about time that Indy hopped on the fashion train. The first Saks Fifth Avenue in the entire state of Indiana opened its doors Wednesday. This is monumental. Shopping trips to Indy will take on a new meaning, along with the phrase, "Your account is past its limit." How exciting! As shown on the news, the price tags are outrageous. The lines of people waiting to spend $250 on a shirt were unbelievable. The fashion bomb has officially landed in Indianapolis. What I find fascinating about the whole ordeal is that Bloomington does not have an upscale store. \nHas anyone noticed the monstrosity being built beside College Mall? It is supposed to be a Target Super Center, but this new addition annoys me to no end. The last thing this town needs is another discount super center that sells cheap clothing and pays $6.50 an hour. Why did they close L.S. Ayres? Why did they close the Gap? The Gap had such cool commercials. Instead of replacing those with a better department store, they replace them with a super center. Where are the fashion gods when we need them?\nThe department stores here are bad enough. Most of the time all you can find is old lady clothes and ugly purses. Now we are going to be overloaded with screaming babies, badly constructed jeans and endless sales on soap. We don't need another super center; we need another department store. Stores like Dillard's, Von Maur and Marshall Field's are what this town needs. I would think a store that comes fully equipped with personal shoppers, in-house buyers and well made threads could be a boost to the economy. Of course, we do have a Limited and Express, but I understood the boot-cut jeans statement a long time ago. Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle are great if you're in high school. \nCollege students are here nine months out of the year, and frankly our clothing needs are ignored. Not everyone wants to wear American Eagle Outfitters, or look like every other girl in the party decked out in Pitaya. We need more stores that cater to our age group. I want to run out and be able to buy a really subtle dress that doesn't look like I came off of a prairie; cocktail dresses anyone? A place that offers Tommy Hilfiger, Baby Phat and Calvin Klein under one roof is a shopping nirvana. Let's cross our fingers for J. Crew.\nShopping is about options, and we need more options. Indy is a great place to shop, but IU is in Bloomington. Fashion is important to IU's lifestyle. Sometimes it is really relaxing to walk into a store and find a man playing the piano for your listening enjoyment. It is also nice to go to a mall and not want to leave in an hour. Besides, what else is there to do here on a Saturday afternoon? Go to Indy and shop at Saks.
(09/09/03 5:52am)
The upscale college clothing store Cha Cha has recently reopened it's doors after the local business caught fire early last year. The reopening of the boutique has been in the works for a year and a half. \nIn February, Cha Cha suffered a severe financial blow when a faulty florescent light caused Greetings, a card store next door, to catch fire. The fire caused severe water and fire damage to Cha Cha. Store owners Dianna and Jeff Green said they remain optimistic as they go through the woes of keeping alive their once flourishing clothing store. \n"We have had a significant financial loss," Jeff Green said. "We missed the 2002 school year and this past spring. Missing those seasons has had a negative impact."\n"We paid the overhead for 11 months without having a store," he added. \nThe situation forced the owner, Dianna, to set up office space across the street from the original store.\n"This is the flagship store," she said. "Not being open for fall and spring was significant," Jeff said.\nGreetings was able to recover and reopen after only six months, but the fire left Cha Cha and the Greens in a financial bind. In spite of this, they decided not to advertise for the reopening of the once popular store because they didn't know if the store would be up and running by this fall. Since the fire, Dianna Green has been in litigation with her insurance company, which delayed the reopening. Green also cites their location on Kirkwood Avenue as a reason not to advertise.\n"We don't need to advertise," she said. "We are on the main drag. The location is great." \nCha Cha, 427 E. Kirkwood Ave., is one of three stores on Kirkwood, including Pitaya and Urban Outfitters, that caters to trends popular among college students.\n"Urban Outfitters and Pitaya are friendly competition because they draw the same customers," Dianna Green said.\nThe Greens said the neighboring businesses were anxious about the reopening. \n"I'm happy for them," said Greetings owner Robert Jacobs. "We have a lot of the same customers, and they are an important ingredient to the retailers on Kirkwood."\nDianna and Jeff Green can already see their business beginning to regain its former clientele.\n"We have a high stack of applications, and a lot of people are coming back," she said.\nPrior to the reopening, the Greens only had to hire one new employee. The rest of the employees worked at Cha Cha before the store was forced to close.\nThey both said they expect business to pick up right where it left off.\n"It started off slow, but we absolutely expect business to pick up since school started," Jeff said.\nThe decrease in business during the off times like the holiday breaks, prompted the Greens to open two Indy stores.\nOne store is located in Broad Ripple, Ind., and the other in Carmel, Ind.\nContact staff writer Patrice Worthy at pworthy@indiana.edu.
(09/05/03 6:31am)
I lectured my little sister the other day as though I was her mother. She was complaining about not having new shoes for school.\nShe said, "I can't wait to go shopping I'm finna look so fly for school."\nI snapped: "Don't you go to school to learn?" While I was editing her paper I came to the conclusion that she really doesn't go to school to learn. My little sister goes to school to style and profile for her many admirers, and that got me thinking -- when is the fine line crossed between stylish dress, and dressing for attention?\nThis year I have started to notice there is a look on campus called the 'my shorts must be the shortest shorts' look. I find this a little inappropriate, especially considering the freezing temperatures in most lecture halls. Low rise jeans are also cool, but find ones that fit! No one wants to see your thong, or your butt crack hanging out during class or work. To the men on campus:: how about ironing your clothes and pulling up your pants? The velour suit is cute but not everyday. Never be a slave to fashion trends that don't work for you. Learning how to dress appropriately is an important part of growing up. There is a dress code for everything. \nCollegiate fashion does exist, and can actually be quite stylish. College is where we come to groom ourselves for our future careers. Learning how to look somewhat professional is a part of the process. No one is saying 'dress in business suits everyday', but adding small staples to your wardrobe doesn't hurt. This season's picks are perfect for anyone trying to add a more grown up look to their wardrobe. \nThe old college look is back. Classic fabrics and cuts such as tweeds, blazers, and pencil skirts are hot this season. In Style suggests pairing a white pencil skirt, with a tri-colored turtleneck, or white twill pants with a white turtleneck. The great thing about these looks is you can wear them with sneakers. Of course, no one can ever forget about the corduroy blazer over a turtleneck, with a dark pair of jeans; it's sexy and it's classy. Everyone should be prepared for their first internship without going out and buying an entire closet full of clothes. Classics like the ones that are in this season, are classic because they always have a place in our wardrobe. To the men on campus: invest in a pair of flat front khakis or slacks and pair them with a yellow turtleneck and a jacket. This season think bright and sleek. \nTrends are important, but save 'the man catching clothes' for the frat parties and bars.Think about where you are going before you decide what to where. 80 percent of your clothes should be investments, not something you can't wear next fall. So go to school to style and profile but for college sake, please learn how to write a paper.\n-- Contact staff writer Patrice Worthy at pworthy@indiana.edu.
(08/29/03 5:11am)
Monday is not only the start of another school year, but it is also Labor Day, a national holiday celebrated by vacationing workers all over the U.S. While many people will be spending the day in bathing suits and summer dresses, here in Bloomington, we will wake up with the dreaded decision of what to wear to class. Every school year students make mad dashes to places like Kohl's, Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, and J. Crew to ease the transition from summer to winter dress. We all know it can be scary and everyone has made the fall fumble, meaning wearing something totally inappropriate for the season, because the weather and falling leaves snuck up on you in your back- to-school haze. \nEveryone has seen the girl in the bright pink and yellow tank dress in October or the guy that had to wear that tropical shirt to class. It makes you want to scream, "Summer is gone, live in the now!" But instead it makes me ask, why can't we wear light colors during the cool seasons?\nAs we all know, fall is commonly associated with darker colors such as amber, forest green, purple, red, brown and so on. As a general rule, pink, baby blue and beach wear are pretty much crazy person attire until next spring. Of course, those are just unwritten rules. But what about the one rule common to every red-blooded American: the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule. \nThat rule has haunted me since my childhood. My grandmother and I would have fashion wars over white jelly sandals and skirts during fall. This absurd rule left me with a considerably smaller wardrobe, and low blows from grandma. Imagine your grandmother saying your butt is too big to wear white, let alone white after Labor Day.\nWell, I don't live with grandma anymore and both Kenneth Cole and Tommy Hilfiger say it is OK, so I am wearing white. White after Labor Day has not always applied to everyone. Audrey Hepburn wore white in the winter, and she is a fashion icon. In the 1960s, the mod look was sleek and futuristic. \nThis fall, not only are the skirts themselves white, but the boots are white, too. Last September during fashion week, some designers surprised many by dressing models in white skirts, yellow turtle necks, white pencil pants, white boots and big white bubble coats. It was refreshing to see bright colors sprinkled amidst collections that were dark and boring. Vogue is calling it space-age and fresh, and now it has become the official fall look. \nSay 'goodbye' to the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule. I think the current trend suggests we are moving forward and expanding our minds. It could also just be designers finding a parallel between the times now and '60s Vietnam. This is a rare moment when European and American designers are on the same page, and I say great minds think alike. No one needs a rule about white to make sure they don't wear strappy tees and shorts in the winter. If they do, they should be committed. So, wear your white boots and block dresses with a big pink coat. We don't all have to look like we are going to a funeral just because we're going back to school.
(08/04/03 5:13pm)
Nudie bars are popping up, closing down and getting ever more popular in Bloomington. The gentlemen's clubs, or strip bars, are a place where people can relax, see some friendly faces and other body parts. Most popular during the school year, these clubs also heat things up on summer nights. You can find anyone from locals to students and professors. Not only are they an escape for the males of Bloomington, but many women frequent these bars, and most are wilder than the men. The laid back atmosphere of the clubs, and the eagerness of the women, is more than gratifying for someone looking to have a good time and see some fine looking ladies.\nThe strip club scene isn't for just anybody. If you are shy, be warned, the ambiance isn't for the modest. Girls walk around in thongs -- or in stripper lingo, t-bars -- looking for a way to be in your company. Most of the bars encourage interaction with customers. \nStar, a stripper in the Legends Class Act Room, says she enjoys getting to know the clientele. \n"I like talking to the customers, because on stage you are exposed," she says. \nIt is hard to imagine that any conversation goes on at all, with sparkly thongs and titties flying around poles, but conversation is an important part of the job. \nCamilla, an IU student and dancer in the Class Act Room, says she enjoys talking with the more educated guys. \n"I like grad students, because I can have more intellectual conversations," she says.\nCamilla also says a lot of the guys she meets are stereotypically lonely, so of course conversation is an important tool to use. The benefit for the customer is that they are conversing while wearing just a thong. \nByron Fine, the manager at Night Moves, thinks the role the women play makes it easier for the patrons. \n"It is somewhat of a fantasy. It is easier for guys to talk to girls here. The girls approach them, not like at regular bars where they have to approach the girls," Fine says.\nAt Night Moves the women are a little more aggressive, and they walk around freely in sparkling thongs, approaching guys for lap dances.\n"I would like it to be fun without the guys being afraid of the girls," Fine says.
(07/31/03 4:00am)
Nudie bars are popping up, closing down and getting ever more popular in Bloomington. The gentlemen's clubs, or strip bars, are a place where people can relax, see some friendly faces and other body parts. Most popular during the school year, these clubs also heat things up on summer nights. You can find anyone from locals to students and professors. Not only are they an escape for the males of Bloomington, but many women frequent these bars, and most are wilder than the men. The laid back atmosphere of the clubs, and the eagerness of the women, is more than gratifying for someone looking to have a good time and see some fine looking ladies.\nThe strip club scene isn't for just anybody. If you are shy, be warned, the ambiance isn't for the modest. Girls walk around in thongs -- or in stripper lingo, t-bars -- looking for a way to be in your company. Most of the bars encourage interaction with customers. \nStar, a stripper in the Legends Class Act Room, says she enjoys getting to know the clientele. \n"I like talking to the customers, because on stage you are exposed," she says. \nIt is hard to imagine that any conversation goes on at all, with sparkly thongs and titties flying around poles, but conversation is an important part of the job. \nCamilla, an IU student and dancer in the Class Act Room, says she enjoys talking with the more educated guys. \n"I like grad students, because I can have more intellectual conversations," she says.\nCamilla also says a lot of the guys she meets are stereotypically lonely, so of course conversation is an important tool to use. The benefit for the customer is that they are conversing while wearing just a thong. \nByron Fine, the manager at Night Moves, thinks the role the women play makes it easier for the patrons. \n"It is somewhat of a fantasy. It is easier for guys to talk to girls here. The girls approach them, not like at regular bars where they have to approach the girls," Fine says.\nAt Night Moves the women are a little more aggressive, and they walk around freely in sparkling thongs, approaching guys for lap dances.\n"I would like it to be fun without the guys being afraid of the girls," Fine says.
(07/10/03 2:10am)
By Patrice Worthy\nIndiana Daily Student\nThe Latino population is one of the fastest growing population groups in the United States. Latinos are represented everywhere, and here in Bloomington, they are a huge part of the ethnic minority. The Spanish speaking population has grown so rapidly that many organizations have come together in order to help them adjust to living in North America.\nOne particular group is Centro Communal Latino. The newly established group is based in Bloomington and is meant to be an umbrella for the issues of the Latin community. Daniel Soto, president of CCL, said the main thing is to get people from the community to express problems.\nHe said he is concerned with problems most commonly faced by non-English speaking Latinos. \n"Before problems arise, we want to already have the answers," Soto said.\nMany of the immigrants who come here do not understand the vast difference between the judicial system, educational system and work force here and in their native countries. Maria File-Muriel, vice-president of CCL, said Spanish speakers don't have a way to express their concerns.\n"They don't know their rights when it comes to landlords and in the work place," she said\n"They don't know their responsibilities and oftentimes people assume it is the same here as it is in their country." \nCCL's goal is to create one place where Latinos can go to find help and meet other people like themselves. The group has a one year plan to establish a center, solve basic problems, gain non-profit status and work with other organizations in the community to sharpen cultural sensitivity. \n"Our plans are to raise funds for projects, but most of all we want to be good friends and neighbors to people in Bloomington and educate people about our differences," Soto said. \nLillian Cassillas, secretary and director of the IU Latino Cultural Center, said one of the goals of the CCL is to break down the language barrier between immigrants and the Bloomington community. The biggest obstacle is getting people to translate and translate correctly. The problems that arise between English and non-English speakers are most readily seen in the judicial and educational systems, she said.\nPedro Roman, executive director of CCL, said the judicial and law enforcement system can be challenging to Spanish-speaking people. \n"Communication problems with policemen and neither party knowing what to do is an issue we are trying to work through," he said. \nCassillas said she agrees.\n"Indiana does not have an official interpreter's training," she said. "There is an assumption that anyone can translate anything in Spanish, but there are medical terms and legal terms I wouldn't have any idea about." \nThe organization plans to establish an interpreter's class to alleviate that particular problem. They also plan to aid in helping parents deal with having a child in the North American school system. The language barrier and culture clashes often cause problems that hinder children from receiving a well-rounded education. \nMany immigrant parents don't know that they need to give their children extra help with school work. File-Muriel said she feels both the parents and teachers need to be more educated about the educational differences. It is also hard for a teacher to communicate with a parent if they don't speak the same language, she said. \n"The education systems are so different, the role of the family in formal education is different; parents don't need to be as involved in Latin America," File-Muriel said. \nThe CCL board is also being created to support the "Dream Act" -- a bill in the U.S. Senate to help immigrants in a state establish residency after they graduate from high school -- is being pushed by Sen. Richard Lugar, R.-Ind. This will allow high school graduates of undocumented immigrants to go to college and have in-state residency. Without the act, many of the graduates have to return to less privileged countries without the chance of a college education. \nThe board is also using Latino IU students to help immigrants in the Bloomington community. \n"Students work with families through volunteer services and tutor kids in English," Casillas said.\nUsing IU students to help in the process benefits both parties. Soto said many Latin students who come to IU don't speak Spanish, so it is an opportunity for them to have a human connection and immerse themselves in such a new culture. \nCasillas said she feels many Latino students don't feel so isolated when they help the people of the community.\n"Students have a family they can go and see if they don't go home for the holidays," she said. \nSoto said the CCL does want to solve every problem in the Latin community, but most importantly they want to encourage diversity. \n"Latinos come from all over and have many different cultures within our race," Soto said.\n"We encourage diversity; we think it's something we can contribute." \nMany service providers in Bloomington have partnered with the CCL in order to better unite the Bloomington community. \n"We continue to be in close contact with the Food Bank, Monroe County Library and other government agencies to help facilitate the needs of the Latino community," Soto said. \nThe CCL also encourages Latinos in the community to volunteer their services as well. \n"We want to find out who is really in the community and how they would like to contribute," Soto said.
(06/30/03 2:10am)
St. Louis, a beautiful city situated along the Mississippi River, is an eclectic blend of big-city expansion and Southern charm. The people are generous hosts, and its peaceful surroundings are a bed of relaxation. St. Louis is home to the popular rapper Nelly, three professional sports teams and some of the best shopping malls in the Midwest. \nThe quaint city also is home to the St. Louis Gateway Arch, a 630-foot monument you can see from 20 miles outside the city. The structure greets out-of-towners as it shimmers over downtown. The Arch sits on the river, providing a cool hideout in the city. At any given moment, you can find people hanging out on the steps and riding the tram to the top. \nSeth Berkowitz, a resident of St. Louis, said the Arch is a great spot to visit.\n"I would definitely say people should hit up the landmarks and visit the Arch and the arch museums during the day," he said.\nDowntown St. Louis is a playground for all ages. Located right across from the Arch is the Casino Queen, a four-story riverboat modeled after a 19th-century side-wheel riverboat. The Casino gives tourists a chance to gamble, eat and sleep, all while floating down the Mississippi. \nIf you are more of a sports fan, finding a game won't be a problem. The St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and the St. Louis Rams can be found here. The tickets are a steal, and the arenas are as good as new. \nThe Historic Soulard Market on Seventh Street is an example of the Southern charm the city has to offer. This market is four corridors long with a snack bar in the middle. It is jam packed on Saturday afternoons with people buying fruit, meats and flowers at an unbelievably cheap price. Aaron Berkowitz, a resident of St. Louis and junior at IU, works at the market and said many people hang out there. \n"It is so packed between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.; there are a lot of people here," he said. "It is the cheapest place to buy fruit in St. Louis."\nYou can even get a live chicken, sunglasses, hats, jewelry, art and Cardinal memorabilia.\nIf a person is looking for something a little more serene, Forest Park is the place to go. Forest Park is the biggest park in the United States. The park is 500 acres bigger than Central Park in New York City and holds some of the more popular visiting sites. It contains the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, the art museum, history museum and The Muny Opera. \nSeth Berkowitz said the park is a great place for tourists to spend time. \n"I would tell someone visiting to go to Forest Park and hit up the museums," he said. \nIf you are looking for something a little more hip and entertaining, the Loop is the place for you. The Loop is a historic part of downtown where trolleys would loop around in order to go in the same direction. There are no longer trolleys on the Loop; instead it is a strip of hip and trendy boutiques, clubs and restaurants. The Loop is located on Delmar Street, where you can find the St. Louis Walk of Fame. \n"Everyone from eight-year-olds to 68-year-olds hang out on the Loop," Aaron Berkowitz said. "I would say it is the most eclectic place in the city." \nThere is something for everyone at the Loop. You can find people with green mohawks, people doing Capoeira (a Brazilian martial art) and freestyle battles on the street.\nA particular store, Rag O' Rama, is a brightly painted retro used clothing store. Patrons walk in and out as a live DJ spins popular 80's music like Michael Jackson, INXS and The Beverly Hills Cop theme. Right next door is Good Luck, a hip/chic shoe boutique that has all the latest shoe fashions with the décor to match. \nThe Loop is also where the night comes to life. There is Pageant -- a concert night club -- The Delmar Restaurant and Lounge and Blueberry Hill. \nDJ Mike Davis, aka "Mike The 2600 King," said he would recommend Blueberry Hill for its live radio broadcast, "The Science" -- a classic hip-hop show. One of the more famous clubs is the Monastery, where people from Illinois and Missouri go to dance to the latest hip-hop. The Monastery is also where the latest dance "The Chicken Head" originated. If hip-hop isn't your scene, Davis suggested college kids party at Lo on Wednesday nights. \n"The Lo is a lot of 80's pop/dance music. About 100 to 150 college students party there along with a lot of art kids," Davis said \nAtomic Cowboy, an offbeat coffee shop/art gallery is another night spot Davis suggests. \nIt is an art gallery by day, but then DJs start spinning at night. The lounge caters to a 21-and-up venue. Davis said the crowd is a little more laid-back than other clubs. \n"It is a lounge and has a little more of a sophisticated crowd," Davis said. "They play a lot of electronic/hip-hop, but it is more electronic."\nTo get a slice of urban culture, visit The Wall or "Mural Mile." The Wall, originally a flood wall, is a mile-long display of graffiti. Mural Mile features artists from all over the country and the world. The colorful graffiti was a part of a Festival called Paint St. Louis and is now a haven for the best graffiti masterpieces in "The Lou."\nWhen you get hungry, there are plenty of places to eat. The Hill is a popular Italian neighborhood that is home to some of the best Italian restaurants in St. Louis. Ira Berkowitz, a resident of St. Louis, said if you like Italian, the Hill is the place to eat. \n"There have to be at least 30 Italian restaurants there. I would go to Cunetto's House of Pasta or Favazza's -- they are really good Italian restaurants," Ira Berkowitz said.\nThe restaurants serve authentic Italian food, and you can also find toasted ravioli, a popular dish among St. Louis residents. The dish is deep-fried ravioli served with a side of marinara sauce.\nThe Hill restaurants serve a variety of Italian food and desserts. The 30-plus restaurants also make it easy to find a place within your price range. \nYou can find other restaurants on Delmar Street. St. Louis Bubble Tea, a spot on the Loop, is a tea bar where you can find "bubble tea," a fruity drink and tea popular in urban areas. You can also find the drink in Chinatown where it was originally discovered.\nAfter dinner, there's only one place to go -- Ted Drew's frozen custard shop. This thick and creamy custard is unique to St. Louis and is an excellent treat on a hot summer night. It is very popular, and you can find a crowd of 70 or more people waiting in line to get their hands on a world-famous Concrete, the equivalent to a blizzard.\n"It is the best ice cream you have ever tasted, and they are fast," Aaron Berkowitz said.\nMany of the locals hang out there and eat ice cream. One of the best things about it is that it doesn't close until 2 a.m.\nSt. Louis in a nutshell: It is a great city with a lot of ways to keep busy and beautiful places to see. It is educational, historic, cultural and has a way of changing with the times. There is plenty to do, and anyone visiting won't have any trouble keeping busy. \nA word of advice for those planning a visit to St. Louis: don't do "The Chicken Head," many locals feel it is an embarrassment.
(06/30/03 1:27am)
The annual African American Cultural Juneetenth festival kicked off Saturday at Bryan Park. The "Celebration of Freedom" was host to many activites and many families from the Bloomington community. There were little children running around dancing to music with their mothers, and plenty of people taking advantage of the $2 plates being served. \nPeople from all over the community came to show their support, while organizations and businesses set up information booths. \nMike Bridavksy, technical director for the African-American Arts Institute, said the people seemed to be enjoying the activites. \n"The crowd fluctuates, people come and go, they eat food and listen to good music," Bridavsky said.\nThe day-long event started at 10 a.m. with a song called "Lift Every Voice and Sing," followed by opening remarks from Gloria Gibson, associate vice chancellor of Mutlicultural Affairs, and Marsha R. Bradford from the Mayor's Office. Both women welcomed all guests and thanked them for participating in such an important historical event.\nOyibo Afoaku, director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, said she was pleased with the event and the turnout.\n"I think the event has been wonderful and very successful," Afoaku said. \nAfoaku also said she was pleased at the diverse group of people that showed up.\n"The crowd is very diverse, it is good to see all kinds of people here enjoying the festival," she said.\nPatrons at the event said the racially mixed crowd was the biggest success at the festival. \nKeon L. Gilbert, graduate assistant for the Black Culture Center Student Outreach, said the diverse crowd was nice and he enjoyed talking to the different people.\n"I think it's very important not just to celebrate freedom, but to meet and greet the different people in the community," Gilbert said. \nAfter the welcome remarks, the festival jumped off with the opening of the children's actvites booth. The Bloomington Fire Department set up a trailer giving people simulated fire drills. The activity was there to show people not to panic and how to save their lives in an actual emergency. Other booths included Doi La-Koutur Fashion, selling traditional African clothing, the Cherry Hill Chrisitan Center, selling cupcakes, and the Warm Spirit Body Care booth, giving samples of exfoliants and body butters.\nPaulette Paterson-Dilworth from the IU School of Education was the keynote speaker for the event. She informed the audience about the history of Juneteenth, while emphasizing the importance of knowledge about such a tradition. Many nodded their heads in agreement while listening to the speaker's pride-filled message. \nAfter the keynote speaker, there was a high school graduation recognition ceremony. Disappointingly, only one graudate showed up. Allison Sanders, a graduate from Bloomington High School North came up to receive her gifts from the Culture Center. Though she was the only graduate at the ceremony, she wooed the crowd with her performance during the Open Mic Talent Show contest. \n"The high school graduate, Allison Sanders,' performance was the best one ... it was really good," Bridavsky said.\nMany of the patrons said they liked that part of the celebration.\n"The open mic was the most exciting," Gilbert said. "The mix of sacred and secular music is unique to the black culture, and we do it well."\nThe highly anticipated Afro-Hoosier Band was one of the last to perform.\nBridavsky said he thought the Afro-Hoosier Band was one of the best performances at the festival. They played music unique to African cultures from around the globe, including Afro-Cuban music, Jamaican music and music from Guana. When the band began to play, people from all ethnic backgrounds got up to dance with the tropical rhythms. \nOf course one of the best features in any African-American event is the soul food. There were barbecued rib tips, grilled corn on the cob, sauages and hotdogs, barbecued chicken, baked beans, angel food cake and cupcakes. \nBridavksy said he enjoyed the food the most, and Gilbert said his favorite was the grilled corn on the cob. Attendance dwindled down when the food ran out, but that didin't stop the remaining party-goers from having a good time. \nAfoaku said it was hard to decide what her favorite part of the festival was, but she enjoyed almost everything.\n"Lunch was excellent, open mic was excellent, the DJ has been good, but it has just been a lot of fun," Afoaku said.
(06/26/03 1:40am)
The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center will present its annual Juneteenth "Celebration of Freedom" on Saturday. The celebration will take place at Bryan Park and will last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.\nGloria Gibson, associate vice chancellor of multicultural affairs, will give the opening remarks, followed by the keynote speaker, Paulette Paterson Dilworth, from the IU School of Education. \nJuneteenth is a traditional festival that celebrates the end of slavery. It takes place most commonly in African-American communities. The holiday started on June 19, 1865, and quickly became a holiday celebrated throughout the United States. Grace Jackson, director of the African American Cultural Center Library, said she feels the celebration is very important and should be recognized as a tradition. \n"African Americans have celebrated Juneteenth throughout history," Jackson said. "It's been passed down from generation to generation. I think it's great they kept up the tradition."\nThis year's celebration is important because it will be a source of education to those who don't know what Juneteenth represents. Though there are many day-long festivals in the United States, some people in attendance don't know what they are celebrating.\nPresident Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves on Sept. 22, 1863, and gave his official Emancipation Proclamation speech on Jan. 1, 1863. It was not until two years later on June 19, 1865, that government officials were sent to southern states to order compliance with the Emancipation Proclamation.\nJackson said that is one of the most important facts in African-American history. \n"I think it is interesting when African Americans enslaved initially didn't find out until 1865, and no one was about to tell them," she said.\nRochelle Tinsley, a member of the Juneteenth committee, says she had no knowledge of the festival until she came to IU. This lack of knowledge is exactly why many people said they feel it is important for the history to be explained at the festivals, especially here in Bloomington. \nTinsley said she feels it is essential for others to know about the history.\n"It is important to share your culture and your history with whatever community you are living in," Tinsley said. "Otherwise, especially today, what you see on TV is what you become in the eyes of others -- a 'stereotype.'" \nThe way you share the history is as important as sharing the history, Jackson said. At the beginning of the festival Saturday, there will be a brief presentation sharing the history of Juneteenth and what it means to African Americans. \n"The speaker is a big part of the celebration," Jackson said. "A lot of African-American history is passed down orally. Spoken word is very important in our culture."\nOthers said they feel the celebration is important in the Bloomington community because of the lack of diversity outside of the IU campus. \nJoby Wright, head of the IU Lecture Department of Recreation and Parks Administration, said he feels the festival isn't just good for African Americans but for the enlightenment of the entire community. \n"It is good to have a greater appreciation of differences and the aspects of the different cultures that live here," he said. "It is good to get to participate in community activities that broaden the perspective about others who live here." \nThe celebration will not only be a history lesson, but a time to get to know people, have fun and eat some soul food. There will be children's activities, Hip-Hop Congress, lunch and dinner, a high school graduation recognition celebration, an open mic talent show, the Afro-Hoosier Band and a performance by the Anointed Harvest Choir. Wright said he is looking forward to the festivities and hopes his children also will gain insight from the experience.\n"I hope my children will benefit and become educated about Juneteenth and get a historical perspective," he said. \nTinsley said she feels it is an opportunity to have fun and get to know people in the community. \n"I look forward to seeing the various ethnic groups in attendance enjoying the festival, meeting new people and reflecting in the history of Juneteenth," she said.
(04/21/03 4:05am)
The Black Student Union kicked off Little 500 week with one of the biggest fashion events of the season. The 3rd annual Little 500 Fashion Extravangaza held Thursday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre was the place to be. \nA diverse crowd packed the house. Popular hip-hop songs greeted the audience before the show's beginning. The show included an MC Battle and a performance by IU Essence, an all-female dance group, during the intermission. \nThe show started off with an intro scene that included an around the world theme. The models came out in Middle Eastern-inspired dress. Designers used ornately decorated scarves as bikini tops paired with jeans, with gold jeweled scarves draped over them. Some of the models wore flowing patterned baby doll shirts paired with jeans. The segment's surprise came when women in ethnic-style dresses came down the aisle with tambourines. \nAfter the Middle Eastern-style outfits, the show featured Asian-inspired clothing. The women carried black decorated fans and wore clothes in red and black. The show featured a short black kimono-style dress bordered in red satin, black satin pants paired with low cut wrap around and wide sleeve Chinese patterned shirts.\nAfrican-style dress was also a part of the show. Models wore short strapless beige dresses, while others wore long sleeved tarzan shirts with slashes in the arm paired with blue jeans. \nThe next scene was the nine-to-five scene. The models sported clothing worn to an office or business meeting. The women wore stylish white hats as the main accessory. Light colored slacks were used in most of the scene, paired with multi-colored draped shirts. Models also wore wore light colored or gray striped short jacket suits. The outfits were usually worn with open-toed sandals or with white leather boots. \nAn all-leather scene followed. The models wore leather and suede outfits donated by Wilson's clothing store. The scene presented a stylish outlook on leather fashion. This segment featured a brown, burgundy and carmel beige pant outfit, and suede halter tops were paired with denim mini-skirts. One of the models wore a tan suede mid-length coat trimmed with fur on top of a suede suit. Others wore suede suits in dark brown and carmel paired with suede floppy hats in matching colors. The next set of models came out as dominatrixes fully equipped with whips. Some wore black leather chaps over bright red shorts, while others wore leather mini skirts with halter tops or leather daisy duke shorts with fishnet stockings and halter tops. The male models wore red and white racing jackets in leather over white tees paired with jeans. \nThe intermission did not stop the show. IU Essence performed during the first half of the intermission. The second half of the show featured a short fashion show presented by Name Above Every Name, commonly known as NAEN, a local team of designers who decided to include their urban wear collection in the event. \nJermaine Ball, vice president of the company, was very excited about the debut. \n"I feel we have a comfortable and casual look," he said. "I feel like it will be accepted anywhere." \nThe collection was urban wear, but it had a creative twist. The female models wore men's shirts, which were tied and cut in a way to express a feminine street look. The shirts were worn long on one side and short on the other with slashes in the sleeves. One shirt was worn as a dress that was cut out and gathered in the back, with slashes in the sleeves. The male models wore jumpsuits in red, blue, and gray. One jumpsuit was made out of terry cloth. The accessories included hats and headbands. \nAfter the intermission, the show resumed with a lingerie scene, which included long satin gowns and sheer lace long-sleeved fitted dresses over matching white and black underwear sets. Some models wore cheetah print boxers, and teddies with lace trim. The men wore red satin robes paired with black fitted boxers, while others wore ocean blue drawstring pants with white tank tops. \nThe next scene was a formal scene. The men wore tuxedoes and the girls wore dresses. The dresses came in every color and style from neon green to beautiful hues of blue. Models wore silver and blue beaded corset top gowns as well as neon green fitted gowns showcasing the stomach and the back.\nThe next scene was the summer scene. It included white capris worn with colorful light-weight flowing tops. This part also featured a tropical print dress. The male models wore red and hawaiian print short outfits. The outfits were worn with open toe sandals and flip flops. \nThe last scene was an all white scene. Simple and laid back, the models wore white shirts, white bikini tops or tank tops and white bottoms.\nThe audience seemed impressed by the show's featured styles.\nFreshman Terrikay Smith commented that the music went well with the clothes.\nAt two and a half hours, the show might have been a little excessive. However, the show was well-coordinated and featured an impressive array of clothes and designers.\n"I think all the work paid off," said senior Kevin Mason, who organized the event for BSU.
(04/17/03 5:20am)
The Black Student Union will host one of the last fashion events of the year. The third annual BSU Little 500 Extravaganza is a creative and entertaining look at contemporary fashion, organizers said. \nThe show will include some of the hottest music from hip-hop artists, and it will also include designs from a local design team. The show will be at 8:30 p.m. tonight at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nThe coordinators said the audience will be surprised. Senior Brandy Davis, who is one of the show's coordinators, said she is anticipating the crowd's reaction. \n"The show is going to be entertaining," Davis said. "We are going to have a lot of interaction with the crowd to keep their attention."\nOrganizers said they have already sold more than 200 tickets. \n"We are expecting a lot of people; normally we get 300 to 400 people," said Kevin Mason, a coordinator for the show. \nForty-seven models of all races, shapes and sizes will take part in the show. Mason said she is excited about the show because of the venue and the diverse group of models. \nWhile the models will be displaying clothes, they will do so in a unique way, coordinators said. They will be dancing and voguing to the music being played by DJ B. Nasty. The music will include artists such as Busta Rhymes, Solange, Truth Hurts, Sean Paul and R.Kelly. \nThe show is being coordinated by seven different people each contributing their individual styles. The show features eight different scenes, each with a different theme: an introduction, a nine-to-five scene, a white scene, a leather episode, an after-five scene, a lingerie showcase, an abstract scene, a swimwear show and an outro section, which is a compilation of dances from various cultures.\n"We try to out-do ourselves every year," Mason said. \nDavis said she is excited about the outro portion of the show. \n"The outro is a collage of dancing; we tried to do something unique," she said.\nThe theme is around the world and will include a part of the Caribbean culture, Arabic culture and Latin culture. \nThe models will be wearing clothes from Pacific Sunwear, Deb, B. Moss, The Buckle, Wet Seal, Wilson's Leather, Garden of Eden and Bare Essentials. A local fashion design team will also present clothes at the show. \nThe show will have two intermissions. The first intermission will include the NAEM clothing line. NAEM, Name Above Every Man, is a team of local fashion designers. The team will be showcasing looks from its most recent collection. \n"A lot of people know about us, and a lot of people don't know," said Eric Saunders, one of the design team members. "This is good exposure." \nThe collection will include jogging suits, tees, dresses and a twist on men's clothing worn as women's clothing. \n"People aren't going to know what to expect," Saunders said. "I don't even know what to expect." \nIU Essence, IU's hip-hop dance team, will also be performing during the first intermission. \nThe second intermission will be host to a free-style battle for audience members. \nCoordinators said while the event is a fashion show, they try to keep all kinds of audience members interested throughout the event. \n"If people are expecting to see models just walk up and down the runway, they will come out saying 'whoa, what did I just see,'" Davis said.
(04/08/03 5:58am)
IU has not only gained a reputation in sports, but it is also receiving good reviews for its fashion scene. As part of an article on college fashion, Meenal Mistry, a fashion editor at Women's Wear Daily, decided to check out IU's fashion program. \nWWD, one of the most prestigious magazines in the fashion industry, covers the latest fashion trends, insider business and designers. Mistry is part of a team of editors sent by the magazine to visit 70 different colleges to check out the fashion scene and the resources schools provide for fashion students.\n"The article is covering what college students wear, what they like, who their influences are, and how much money they spend on fashion and music," Mistry said. \nMistry visited many places on campus; among them was the class H401, Cultural Aspects of Dress. There she passed out a survey asking class members where they buy their clothes and how much they spend. Mistry and many students were surprised at some of the answers. One student, Alexandrina Scheiber, said she was surprised at what students bought. \nAt every university she visits, Mistry finds students' opinions on the most stylish sorority on campus. Mistry asked the same questions at IU.\n"There is a general consensus that Alpha Epsilon Phi is the most stylish sorority," Mistry said. \nNikki Freedman, an AEPhi member, said she shares a common style with her sorority sisters.\n"We stand out on campus," she said. "We go along with trends that are different than the trends at this school."\nMistry agreed, saying it was obvious where the influence comes from.\n"You can definitely see the East Coast influence," she said.\nThough she said she spotted no trends unique to IU, Mistry was surprised at how fashionable the students are. \n"People are much more fashionable than I expected," she said. "There's sort of an aesthetic sense like people are paying attention. You definitely see a lot people mixing high-end and low-end fashion." \nThe mixing of such fashion is a very recent fashion trend seen in many fashion magazines like Elle and InStyle. \nMistry also thought the people reflect the campus. \n"I see it in the campus too -- it's a really beautiful campus, it extends to the people," Mistry said.\nMistry, who had just come from Syracuse University, sat in on a couple of fashion classes to take a closer look at the fashion design program.\n"We are looking at business schools and seeing if they offer classes specifically marketed toward the fashion industry or how much they concentrate on the fashion industry within their marketing program," she said. \nDeborah Christiansen, director of the costume construction technology program, said it was definitely an honor to have Mistry visit IU. \n"She was interested in more than the apparel merchandising majors," Christiansen said. "She wanted to get a general idea of fashion on campus. I think the feedback we got was that she was not just impressed, but pleasantly surprised."\nMistry was also pleased with the fashion program and said she would recommend the program to anyone she knew. She commented on the strength of the program, and said the professors here seem to have a clue.\n"I would say the program here is a cut above (other programs)," she said. "(Students) have already done their internships; it seems like a really career oriented program."\nWhat impressed Mistry the most is that the program isn't centered on the career. Mistry found that IU's fashion design and apparel merchandising programs involve all aspects of the fashion industry, not just creating money-making designs. She said most schools are stronger in either apparel merchandising or fashion design, but students here seem more savvy than at other schools.\n"It's balanced out by the amount of culture they get," Mistry said. "There is sort of an emphasis on both things which is really rare."\nMistry also had advice for up-and-coming fashion students. She said she would advise all students to do whatever they can for free if they are unable to find paid work. \n"You have to work for free; you have to get your foot in the door," she said. "People like to hire people they know."\nShe encourages all students to interview with as many organizations as possible. \n"You should never be afraid of rejection," Mistry said. "Looking back, I never got a job by anybody I interviewed with."\nMistry emphasized making connections in the industry through acquaintances and unpaid internships. \nNext on Mistry's agenda are visits to the University of Notre Dame and Wesleyan University of Connecticut.
(04/07/03 4:25am)
Students from the apparel merchandising program and the fashion design program teamed up Wednesday to show their peers what they have been doing for the past year. Students presented their creations at the annual Apparel Merchandising Organization banquet and fashion show. The show was host to 14 fashion design students and several looks put together by the students in the apparel merchandising program. An eager audience attended, waiting to see one of the best fashion shows put on this year. \nSophomore Lindsay Cannon said she could not take her eyes \noff the runway.\n"I thought it was pretty cool," she said. \nThe organizers of the show transformed the Indiana Memorial Union Almuni Hall into a chic fashion event. The program included a dinner, an award ceremony and a raffle. \n"I think it was a very realistic fashion show," said senior fashion design major Sheri Staff. \nThe fashion show took place on a lit up runway. The models strutted to techno music, while a huge screen displayed colorful designs in the background. \nSenior fashion design major Heidi Schaller, whose designs appeared in the show, said she was impressed with the turnout.\n"It's bigger and better than last year," she said.\nThe models wore outfits from Urban Outfitters, Pitaya, The Buckle, JR Stallsmith & Co, Jim's Formal Wear, and Nedra's Formal & Bridal. Along with formal tuxedos and dresses, the models also wore beachwear. \nThe theme for the male styles primarily mirrored a California surfer boy's style. Long trunks with tropical prints hit the runway. Denim pieces paired with zip-up jackets and tees also figured in the show. For the men, blue was the main color, with outfits ranging from a Puma jacket with relaxed jeans to light and dark blue striped shorts with a light blue top. Male corsets were also included in the show, paired with snug fitting leather pants. \nWomen's fashions used pink as a base color, but bright colors made up the color scheme. The clothes were bright and funky. The outfits included white chinos paired with a white tank shirt and a black and white ruffled tie and black suspenders. Models also wore low slung flared jeans with brightly colored bikini tops. A '50s style striped A-line skirt with cascading ruffles in back and a tight black top made up one of the most memorable looks. \nThe Costume Construction Technology students showed off their tutus at the fashion show. The students met the challenge of making tutus for specific ballets. One student presented an orange, yellow and burgundy-striped corset with a burgundy tutu, made for "Don Quijote." "La Bayadere" inspired a dominatrix tutu, made with a black leather corset and a bright red tutu with leather pieces on top and chains hanging from it. \nShannon Bracy, a sophomore, said she was impressed by the tutu parade.\n"I thought it was good," she said. "The tutus were my favorite (part)." \nThe show ended with a formal scene with the women wearing formal dresses and men wearing modern tuxedos in shades of gray and black. The outfits were picked out by apparel merchandising students or designed by CCT and fashion design students. Just as at the end of a professional designer's show, the models stood on the runway applauding the coordinators as they took their bows. \n"The show was exactly as I imagined," Staff said at the end of the show.
(03/11/03 4:27am)
People danced the night away Friday when Vertigo and the Brazilian Association played host to the Carnaval. This year marked the first Carnaval after a two year hiatus. The event wasn't a traditional Carnaval, which is usually held outside, but the ambiance was there. The atmosphere welcomed everyone -- Brazilian and not. Even if one didn't know how to Samba, the organizers encouraged everyone to give it his or her best shot. The usual coordinator of the Carnaval, Marlene Martins, was in Brazil, so her two daughters Vania and Valeria De Castro decided to give it a try.\nThe dance floor was always full. The Culata Band played live music as the crowd cheered it on and danced to the Brazilian rhythms. Brazilian pride was apparent that night as the Brazilian flag hung behind the band, and many spoke Portuguese to each other, though the crowd consisted of people of both American and Latino descent. \nVertigo owner Nathan Dotzlaf said keeping the venue open to different musical styles is good for the business. \n"I think we're more open to different events and different music styles," he said. "I love Brazilian music."\nAlthough it was a Carnaval celebration -- traditionally a costumed masquerade in Rio de Janeiro -- not many people wore costumes. The organizers did not impose a costume requirement. Nonetheless, many people were surprised at the lack of costumes. Graduate student Dietrich Willke, dressed up as a Carnaval angel, expressed his disappointment as he was one of two people wearing costumes. \n"I thought more people would wear Carnaval costumes," he said.\nThe turnout for the Carnaval wasn't what many expected either. \n"I think the crowd is great but from what I hear we did better in past years," Anita De Castro said. \nDotzlaf felt good about the turnout, though.\n"It isn't a bad turnout," he said. "It's a pretty good turnout for where we're at," referring to Vertigo's location in relationship to the campus. \nNevertheless, people danced the night away to the sounds of the Culata Band until 3 a.m. The energy was high and almost no one sat down for longer than a couple minutes to rest. \n"Brazilians start late and they dance all night," Dotzlaf said.\nThe surprise of the night came when Anita De Castro got up on stage to show everyone how to Samba. \n"I volunteered to go up on stage and show the crowd," she said. \nThe crowd cheered her on, as her mother Valeria De Castro stood in awe at her daughter's moves.\nAnita De Castro even welcomed audience members up on stage to dance with her.
(03/10/03 5:33am)
Emcees went head-to-head Friday night in Teter Quad, showcasing their freestyle talents in a competition organized by the Hip-Hop Congress.\nThe sign-up started at 7:30 p.m. as nervous emcees walked in, sizing up the competition. There were people playing video games at the entrance while others crowded around waiting for the battle to begin. \nBloomington resident Chad Richardson said he had his own reasons for coming. \n"I am doing it just to do it," he said. \nRichardson said he used to practice freestyling frequently but doesn't consider himself great. \n"I am assuming defeat," he said. "Why not test myself?" \nA.J. Jeoffroy, "MC Halfblown," has won many emcee battles in Bloomington. \n"I'm not worried about tonight, as long as the D.J. keeps it fresh," Jeoffroy said. "It's all about the D.J." \nThe competition kept in tradition with old school emcee battles, where the competition is judged by the loudest response from the audience as the host yells out emcee names. \nIn the third round, Jeoffroy upset "MC D-Nice" with intense lyrics that made the audience laugh.\nOne of the surprises of the night was junior Andrew Shaw. Shaw showed his skills when he flowed incessantly to a beat that his competitor, "MC AG" couldn't adapt to. Although Shaw had to rap on a microphone that had a short in it, he flowed over "MC Dwela," who was also highly ranked in the competition. The two emcees went at it to "Shook Ones" by Mobb Deep, but had to stop because of microphone trouble. Shaw finally claimed victory to "Welcome To New York" by Jay-Z.\nOne of the heavy hitters to step up was freshman Mike Chun, or "MC Versatile." Chun won the crowd over during his battle against "MC Big Test," calling him a "Ghetto Urkel."\nThe final round arrived and it was down to three men -- Shaw, Chun, and Jeoffroy. Jeoffroy and Shaw battled three times in order to decide out the winner. Jeoffroy came out on top and went on to face Chun.\n"I actually didn't expect to make it to the finals," he said.\nIn the first battle, Chun dominated the microphone, with his graphic lyrics. His rhythms made the crowd go wild as both flowed to the same old school '90s beat. In the second championship round, the crowd voted for Jeoffroy to go first against Chun. Jeoffroy came back with a heavy response, dissing his Korean competitor's race. \nChun said he doesn't mind the racist jokes and ignores them. \n"Obviously that's the first thing they see, but I joke and laugh it off," he said "It's all good." \nIn the final round, both Jeoffroy and Chun faced-off again. The crowd voted for Chun to go first, since he lost the previous round. Jeoffroy won the battle and told the crowd to praise Chun for being the only real emcee there. After the battle was over, Jeoffroy rapped to his girlfriend as she looked on and smiled. \nAfter the competition, Jeoffrey sized up the competition by saying, "there is none," walking away with a $50 prize.
(03/07/03 3:31pm)
Carnaval may have just ended in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but here in Bloomington things are about to get hot. \nThe Brazilian Student Association at IU is hosting its own Carnaval tonight at Vertigo, 107 W. Ninth St. It will be packed full of exotic eye candy, Brazilian music and non-stop dancing. For the BAIU, the Carnaval is one of the most anticipated events of the year. One of the many coordinators of the event Vania de Castro, Spanish and Portuguese professor, says this year the Carnaval is special.\n"It is special this year, with live music and in a different place from years before," she said.\nIn the past, the celebration was usually held at Second Story, but this year the change of venue is more suitable for the event.\n"It usually lasts until closing," said Culata Band member and Italian instructor Valeria De Castro. "Second story closed at 2 and Vertigo closes at 3 a.m."\nThere will be a big screen TV showing the two-day parade in Rio de Janeiro. The parade is one of the most popular carnaval events in Brazil. This is the second time since the Bloomington celebration began that live music will be available at the event.\n"The live music and band practicing all the time gave us the incentive to plan for the event this year," De Castro said. "It's hard to find people to play live Brazilian music, so to have a live band is exciting."\nThe live band she is talking about is the Culata Band, made up of several professors and students of both Brazilian and U.S. descent. De Castro said the live band adds something special to this year's event.\n"We did not have carnaval for the first time in 12 years last year," De Castro said. "This time we had to come back with a bang."\nThe Culata Band consists of eight members and will be playing a wide range of Brazilian music. They will be playing Frevo, Samba, Samba reggae, Xote, marcha-naucho and Baiao.\nVania Castro said she appreciates the live Brazilian music.\n"Live music gives it a better taste," she said. "It is nice to see a mixture of American and Brazilian people making music."\nFor many of the band members, it is their first time playing for a carnaval. \nMaria Christina Eisen, an IU senior and band member said she is excited. \n"It is the biggest thing I've ever done," she said. \nBecause of her diverse background -- she's half Jewish and half Brazilian, she grew up listening to the kind of music she now plays.\nCastro, along with other band members, is expecting a big crowd. Everyone hopes to match the high attendance in the past.\n"Every year we have between 200 and 400 people," Valeria De Castro said. "One year, we had over 600."\nThe organizers expect people from Wisconsin, Chicago and Indianapolis to travel to Bloomington for the event. The crowd is usually mixed with many Latinos, but also includes a lot of Americans.\n"A lot of Americans like this kind of party," De Castro said.\nThis is a great opportunity to meet new people, or to get to know people, Castro said.\n"You always make a link," she said. "It is a great time and everyone is relaxed. It is a good time to become closer to people you know."\nCastro also encourages people to wear costumes.\n"We usually wear costumes," she said. "Some Brazilians do so for tradition."\nCarnaval costumes are usually flamboyant and include political costumes, funny costumes, sexy costumes and skeletons.\n"They are not like Halloween costumes," Castro said. "In Brazil, the costumes are very political; if it were here, you would see 300 Bush's running around."\nThe costumes are usually masked with a lot of glitter and feathers for women. Men's costumes include brightly colored soccer club shirts and face paint. If people don't have costumes, Castro encourages people to wear something bright or yellow.\n"It is very common for men to dress as women and women to dress as men," Castro said.\nAlong with the celebration tonight, the BAIU will also host a children's carnaval Sunday. The carnival will include Brazilian games, music and activities for kids.\nThe event starts at 10 p.m with the showing of the actual Rio de Janeiro Carnaval video. The Culata band plays at 11 p.m. Admission is for those over 21 and $7 with a valid ID. For more information, call 360-0049.
(03/04/03 4:26am)
This weekend the Indian Student Association hosted several events to celebrate Masti -- a cultural event for South East Asian students. The celebration included dinners, a basketball tournament and a fashion show. \nThe fashion show, held at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, was a grand event. The show included dancing, rapping, mini movies, and of course, great clothes. Everyone was decked out in the latest fashion, and hip-hop music dominated the theme. Amrita De, public relations coordinator for the event, said ISA had been planning the show for about three weeks. \nThe show's four hosts -- Chiraag Ganghar, Saab Grewal, Amir Raza and Ashwin Murthy -- joked continuously to keep the crowd interested. The first part of the show included a mini-movie, called "What Does Masti Mean To You." The movie -- one of several shown during the night on "Masti TV" -- showed the four hosts walking around campus asking random people what Masti meant to them. The video was humorous and kept the audience laughing. \n"I thought it was good and really funny," said Amy Jani, who came from Purdue to visit the celebration.\nThe mini-movies were played after every fashion segment and included a remake of "MTV Cribs" called "Masti Cribs," and a remake of "Joe Millionaire" called "Jagdish Millionaire."\nThe first fashion presentation had an urban theme and included the song "Disco" by Slum Village. The clothing was donated by local Urban Stylz clothing store and worked well with the urban element. The girls wore light blue and white tank top sweat suits. The show also included a few black and white jumpsuits with zip-up jackets and pants worn with oversized sunglasses and a black newspaper-boy hat. The models didn't walk down the runway in a traditional manner, but instead danced to the hip-hop music. \nThe hip-hop didn't stop at the urban fashion, but continued when IU Essence, the IU hip-hop team. The women came out in black and white outfits, dancing to P. Diddy, Missy Elliot, Sean Paul, R. Kelly and 50 Cent remixes. The crowd enjoyed the performance and cheered the women on when "In Da Club" by 50 Cent played. The performance was lively and went well with the theme. \nThe urban fashion segment continued with men's clothing donated by Urban Stylz. The models walked down two runways that extended from the stage. The clothing included sweat suits and denim outfits. The main designer was Akademiks, which the men wore proudly. Outfits included a white sweat suit with maroon and black blocks on the sleeves and legs, a baby blue and navy sweat suit, and a nicely made black denim outfit. The latter outfit included a mid-thigh length jacket and baggy jeans that showed the seams in blocks.\nThe surprises of the show were Murthy freestylying on stage and Raj Bhardwaj, a student from Purdue, popping and locking to Indian-style hip-hop. Murthy freestyled about the inequalities Indians face in American society and the pride of his ethnicity. The crowd cheered him on as he gave a great and energetic performance. \nMany people from the audience said that was their favorite part of the show. \n"I thought it was funny and creative," said graduate student Katherine Bryant. "My favorite part was the rapping." \nJani also agreed, saying her favorite part was the freestyle. Some were surprised at the amount of western influence in the show. \n"It was interesting how hip-hop was such a part of the whole show," Bryant said. "It was very westernized."\nOthers weren't as surprised, saying it was to be expected.\n"It was expected to some point; it is a mix of two cultures," said junior Pallav Shai. "The hip-hop part is almost common nature."\nThe next fashion segment was the evening wear. The models wore clothes donated by Bare Essentials. All the dresses were full-length floor gowns. One of the highlights of this part of the show was a pink beaded outfit -- a full-length dress that tied in the back and gathered at the rear. Other dresses ranged in colors from turquoise to blue to red. There was a mermaid-fitted strapless showy red dress, and a princess dress with a pink corset-like top with a full skirt. The men wore tuxedos, some traditional; others were more original and stylish. There was a stylish tuxedo with a knee length white coat over a gray vest with a matching tie and black pants. One of the models wore an all-white tux with a tie. Others wore traditional tuxes.\nThe next fashion segment was traditional Indian clothing donated by Rivas in Chicago. It was spectacularly beautiful. The models danced to traditional Indian music as they modeled the clothing. The men wore long tunics, mostly white or beige, under vests that were embroidered around the collar and matching pants. One man's outfit included a white tunic with a light green vest and white pants. Another striking outfit included a long black tunic with a white scarf and white pants. \nThe women's clothing was a little more ornate. There was a pink beaded pant outfit with a knee length tunic and a green beaded vest, a scarf over an olive green tunic and matching pants. \nSome of the women wore full length, full cut, hip slung white satin skirts, with white halter tops to match. The outfit is traditionally called a gagra and the scarves are called deptas. These outfits are made of raw silk, spun silk or satin. There was also a beautifully made red pant outfit with a spaghetti strap top and a cowl neckline with wide leg pants. The entire outfit was gold beaded. Bright colors and ornate beading dominated that portion of the show.
(02/27/03 5:47am)
Controversial author Michael Eric Dyson spoke candidly to a diverse audience on African-American issues and hip-hop music Wednesday night. \nDyson is reputed for supporting hip-hop and and criticizing pop culture and its influence on American culture and perceptions of blacks around the globe. \nHis lecture, which was a keynote address in honor of Black History Month, touched on topics from African-American culture as the center of pop culture to criticizing leading political figures to affirmative action and the degradation of black men and women in U.S. society. The audience voiced agreement with many of his views as he spoke on topics sensitive to the African-American community. \nOne of the most surprising topics was his criticism of popular African-American figures, such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell and Al Sharpton. \n"We didn't need Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice to tell us black people could think," Dyson said. \nDyson criticized Rice for not taking her experiences in Birmingham, Ala., and turning them into something meaningful and standing up for blacks in the White House. He also criticized Clarence Thomas for voting against the retrial of an African-American male on death row, who Dyson said was tried unfairly. \n"It is a self-defeating practice to support these people just because they are black," Dyson said.\n"Jews don't support Jews that deny the Holocaust." \nThroughout the entire speech he emphasized that listening to hip-hop and its message is the only way to be able to critique the subject. \n"When it comes to hip-hop, people think they are qualified to talk about something they haven't studied," he said. "You have to listen to it to understand the complexities."\nDyson's support for hip-hop is strong, but he also encourages African-American youth to critique the music they listen to. \n"We need to intervene intellectually by studying it, aesthetically by listening to it and critiquing and critically analyzing its components," Dyson said. \nDyson also stressed the profound influence the African-American culture has had on pop culture, music and sports, calling the influence a "stamp of blackness." \nHe criticized the film industry and its denial of giving blacks complex roles in American cinema. \n"Why didn't Denzel win an award for Malcolm, but he won an Oscar for portraying a crooked cop?" Dyson said.\n"Halle Berry's role in 'Monster's Ball,' was socially degrading and intensely complex," he said. "Is this the only representation of black female identity sought?" \nThe author also spoke about other black films such as "Shaft," "Superfly" and the film "Birth of a Nation," saying the film borrowed from stereotypes about black people. \nHe called the stereotypes portrayed in these films and other films a "lazy person's" way of thinking of other cultures, saying they portray African-Americans as ignorant, buck-eyed and highly emotional. He said they miss the most important part of the African-American legacy -- the pursuit of literacy.
(02/26/03 5:01am)
Paul Gilmartin from the popular TV show "Dinner and a Movie" graced Bear's Comedy Caravan stage with his presence Monday night. The stand-up comedian decided to stop in Bloomington and visit his old stomping grounds. Dressed in everyday attire and reading a newspaper, he seemed at home. Gilmartin graduated from IU in 1986 majoring in theater and drama. \n"It is fun; I went to school here. It is really nostalgic," Gilmartin said. \nComing back isn't much of a shock for him. Gilmartin said everything is pretty much the same. He was here last year when the Theatre and Drama Center first opened its doors. \n"I was here to see 'Death of a Salesman' and visit old professors," he said.\nGilmartin said he tries to come back every now and then. He decided to come back to campus about three weeks ago, citing the campus' proximity to Indianapolis where he had been performing. He said he was expecting a big crowd, and said he came here last year to a show that sold out in about four hours. \n"Every time Paul comes it's great. We get people who don't usually come, because it's a big name," said Wilhelm. \nThe line up included Isaac Whity from Chicago and Tom Mabe from Louisville, Ky. Tom Mabe also does the "Bob & Tom Show" alongside Gilmartin. \n"Whenever he is doing stand up in the area I try to go," Mabe said. "Paul is the Real McCoy and he is clean and funny and can get laughs."\nGilmartin has a bond with Bear's. He said the place was a regular hangout during college. \n"I used to come to Bear's place and watch the stand up acts there and just wish," he said. \nHis wish came true when he left IU to go back to Chicago, his hometown. From there he did stand-up at The Second City Theatre. The theater is very popular and is where he and many Saturday Night Live stars studied the art of improv. \n"I love Chicago. It is a much better city to live in than New York," Gilmartin said. \nFrom Chicago he went to L.A. and auditioned for the show "Dinner and a Movie." \n"I was surprised when I got the job, because Annabelle and I got into it at the audition," he said.\nThe natural animosity between him and his old co-host Annabelle Gurwitch, was exactly what made the show a hit. "We had a natural brutal honesty, and we took what was natural and got it on camera," he said. \n"Nothing is more boring than watching two people get along," Gilmartin said. \n"Dinner and a Movie," part of the TBS lineup, is entering its eighth season and has a new co-host, Lisa Kushell. \nGilmartin gets along well with Kushell, and hopes the change is successful. "I love Lisa. We get along beautifully, but we are still trying to find our flow," he said. \nAlong with "Dinner and a Movie," he also works on "The Bob and Tom Show." The comic is also looking for more projects that suit his personal interest. He is planning on performing on the Bill Maher show on HBO, and he is working on a play about the Middle East. \n"I am really looking forward to doing the Bill Maher show because it is uncensored, and I am always looking for things uncensored," he said.\nRecalling his childhood in Chicago he says he wasn't much of a class clown. \n"I hung out with a lot of funny people, but I was more afraid of getting in trouble," he said. "Amongst the family, I was definitely the clown." \nGilmartin was raised in a Catholic family and feels his material is inspired by his upbringing. \n"I make fun of a lot of the hypocrisy in organized religion," Gilmartin said. \n"I have a problem with people using politics to infuse religious beliefs or using the Bible to back up their prejudices." \nDuring his show Gilmartin warned the audience about his topics of discussion. \n"If you are a proud Texan that takes your religion serious, there's the exit." Gilmartin made fun of everyone from Bush to Michael Jackson to Muslims, reciting laugh-out-loud poems such as "Sister Joan," and "Bad pickup line." The crowd laughed out loud as he told bad pickup lines, "Kick my balls. I don't care, I count it as touchin," he said to the audience. \nHe made fun of Yasser Arafat, and terrorists. "There are two billion Chinese. If China kayacked over (to the U.S.) they could still put up a good fight," he said. \nPresident George Bush was also a strong topic, and these jokes didn't seem to offend anyone . He made fun of Bush's pronunciation of nuclear, calling it "nuclur." \n"With Bush as president I am terrified as a citizen; delighted as a comedian," Gilmartin said. \nGilmartin even made fun of Bedford and its small community.\nGilmartin says his content is too edgy for some people, and sometimes people have to leave the club. The crowd at Bear's didn't mind the edge. They laughed hysterically. Wilhelm had no problem with the material, "He does a TV show so people think that means no edge, but I haven't heard anyone complain," said Comedy Caravan host Brad Wilhelm. \nWilhelm changed his mind once he heard the act saying, "I guess I was wrong about the non-offending stuff."\nNo one left during the performance and the crowd couldn't stop cheering.
