73 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/19/10 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Live, Love, Fashion.This is the holy trilogy that Epiphany Modeling Troupe claims its members live by. This passion will be put on stage Friday as the troupe presents its first fashion show of the year.The show, titled “Stylish, Wearable And Gorgeous,” or “S.W.A.G.,” will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Willkie Auditorium.One of the co-founders of EMT, LaTroy Hampton, said the show will continue in the group’s tradition of portraying fashion in a creative and different way.Rather than having music blare through speakers and models walk up and down the runway, EMT mixes it up. Each of their shows is organized into a series of choreographed scenes, each highlighting a different trend or style in various ways.As EMT volunteer and junior Elliot Staples puts it, the shows are more than just walking down the runway.Friday’s show will highlight local boutiques like Pitaya and Cha Cha as well as franchised stores like Old Navy and the Limited, with 12 stores showing in total. Models will wear styles for the fall and winter seasons.“Attendees should expect to see styles ranging from business wear and preppy to young and trendy styles that can be worn every day or even on a night out with your friends,” Staples said.Epiphany offers those involved with the show more than just fashion tips, however. The organization, founded in fall 2007, is centered around the positive influence participating in shows can have.“The motivation behind any show is not just to display new trends or fashion, but to display confidence, class and hard work on the runway,” Staples said.This is something Hampton said is especially important at a place like IU. He said the group focuses heavily on maintaining and creating confidence in young adults that they may lose coming to such a large university. By involving models, volunteers and those in charge in every step of the process, Hampton said it creates a sense of family orientation and security.The group’s hard work has led it to gain a reputation on campus, something reflected in high attendance levels at previous shows. Last year, both shows were sold out, and EMT was forced to find a larger venue to have the show.“We really encourage a diverse audience,” Hampton said. “This is an event that everyone involved with the University can benefit from, and we’d love to sell out this show.”‘Stylish, Wearable and Gorgeous’WHEN 7 p.m. Friday, doors open at 6:30 p.m.WHERE Willkie AuditoriumADMISSION $5 in advance, $10 at the door and $15 for VIPMORE INFO Epiphany Modeling Troupe will present its first fashion show of the year.
(11/17/10 5:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As patrons of Serendipity Martini Bar sip their drinks Thursday, they will be soothed by the suave sound of the tenor saxophone. Saxophonist Sophie Faught and three Jacobs School of Music jazz musicians, Max Maples, Jeff McLaughlin and Nick Tucker, will be performing at 7 p.m. Faught, who has been playing the saxophone for 13 years, formed the group eight months ago. She said her initiative behind its formation was geared toward something not typically found in an academic musical group.“I wanted to create a positive environment for making and listening to music, where there isn’t an authority figure like a professor might be,” Faught said.As the bandleader, Faught does have some artistic decision-making power, but she said she wants to collaborate with the other group members as well. Maples, McLaughlin and Tucker are all current graduate students at the Jacobs School. Faught chose them because she said she thought they would be interested in creating soulful and energetic music.Tucker, a first year graduate student in jazz studies, plays double bass for the group. He said the collaborative aspect of the group is beneficial to all four musicians.“It has proven to be a good outlet for my creativity,” Tucker said. “She picks most of the tunes and writes most of the arrangements that we play, but we rehearse weekly to make sure everyone is in agreement about our creative direction.”That direction is centered on Faught’s focus on emotion and appealing to the audience. She said her love for the tenor saxophone lies in the tone’s similarity to the human voice, something she said allows the music to speak to those who hear it.“When you play it, its almost like you’re a singer,” Faught said. “It allows the audience to make a connection with the music.”In the fifth grade, Faught said she first became connected to music when she tried out for her elementary school’s band. The band director urged her to play the clarinet, but Faught said she repeatedly refused, insisting on the saxophone, because of its sound.The saxophone’s song also spoke to Tammy Schoch of Serendipity Martini Bar. Schoch said she was not only interested in having Faught perform because she was a young woman with a lot of talent, but also because of the quiet, smooth sound of Faught’s combo that works well with the environment of Serendipity.Faught spoke of her music as a living thing, something that should be respected and loved.She ensured the crowd can expect very exciting, inventive and powerful music that will move them on an emotional level. This sound will ring through the dining room at Serendipity as Faught’s fingers press the brass buttons to create notes that sing out of the saxophone’s bell. “I want the music to speak to the audience and breathe,” Faught said. “When playing, I hope it has an authentic, sincere voice.”
(11/17/10 5:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As patrons of Serendipity Martini Bar sip their drinks Thursday, they will be soothed by the suave sound of the tenor saxophone. Saxophonist Sophie Faught and three Jacobs School of Music jazz musicians, Max Maples, Jeff McLaughlin and Nick Tucker, will be performing at 7 p.m. Faught, who has been playing the saxophone for 13 years, formed the group eight months ago. She said her initiative behind its formation was geared toward something not typically found in an academic musical group.“I wanted to create a positive environment for making and listening to music, where there isn’t an authority figure like a professor might be,” Faught said.As the bandleader, Faught does have some artistic decision-making power, but she said she wants to collaborate with the other group members as well. Maples, McLaughlin and Tucker are all current graduate students at the Jacobs School. Faught chose them because she said she thought they would be interested in creating soulful and energetic music.Tucker, a first year graduate student in jazz studies, plays double bass for the group. He said the collaborative aspect of the group is beneficial to all four musicians.“It has proven to be a good outlet for my creativity,” Tucker said. “She picks most of the tunes and writes most of the arrangements that we play, but we rehearse weekly to make sure everyone is in agreement about our creative direction.”That direction is centered on Faught’s focus on emotion and appealing to the audience. She said her love for the tenor saxophone lies in the tone’s similarity to the human voice, something she said allows the music to speak to those who hear it.“When you play it, its almost like you’re a singer,” Faught said. “It allows the audience to make a connection with the music.”In the fifth grade, Faught said she first became connected to music when she tried out for her elementary school’s band. The band director urged her to play the clarinet, but Faught said she repeatedly refused, insisting on the saxophone, because of its sound.The saxophone’s song also spoke to Tammy Schoch of Serendipity Martini Bar. Schoch said she was not only interested in having Faught perform because she was a young woman with a lot of talent, but also because of the quiet, smooth sound of Faught’s combo that works well with the environment of Serendipity.Faught spoke of her music as a living thing, something that should be respected and loved.She ensured the crowd can expect very exciting, inventive and powerful music that will move them on an emotional level. This sound will ring through the dining room at Serendipity as Faught’s fingers press the brass buttons to create notes that sing out of the saxophone’s bell. “I want the music to speak to the audience and breathe,” Faught said. “When playing, I hope it has an authentic, sincere voice.”
(11/15/10 3:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The crowd jumped to its feet, roared in applause and danced and clapped along as “DRUMLine Live” marched onto the stage. “All we want to do is sing and dance and clap our hands tonight. Is that alright?” Slater Thorpe, the host of the show, asked the audience in the IU Auditorium. The answer was apparent in the energy filled room. “DRUMline Live” brought the band out of the orchestra pit and onto the stage Saturday. The auditorium was at full capacity, despite the rain, with a crowd ready to hear the beats of a marching band on a stage one-hundredth the size of a football field.The show depicted a chronology of music, and how different genres inspired the modern drumline. It began with scenes of African drumming, bright colors and tribal dances that grabbed the audience’s attention right off the bat. The first act theatrically depicted how soul music, gospel, Michael Jackson and contemporary rap and R&B music have influenced drumlines today.Sophomores Dan Russell and Marvin Reyes said they decided to come because the poster for the show caught their eye. Both Reyes and Russell agreed their favorite scene was titled “Midnight Magic” — where drummers wore glowing neon as they drummed underneath black lights to hip-hop beats. “‘Midnight Magic’ was the best so far because it was different from the typical band performance,” Russell said, adding, “but really the whole thing’s great.” Despite the differences in tempo and genres of music performed, one factor was consistent throughout each number — the energy. The drum major conducted each number with exaggerated and vitalized gestures, encouraging enthusiasm from both the players onstage and the crowd.The performers were all current students or recent graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Aheisha Duke, cast member and student at Florida A&M, said she has to have tons of endurance to complete the show. In the show, Duke plays the trumpet, drums and sings.“It takes a lot of energy, but I push through. Music is my life. I do it because it’s what I love,” Duke said.Duke and her fellow cast members were often interactive during their performance. Cast members came into the audience at many points throughout the show, waving their instruments in the air, and encouraging audience members to take their hands and drum.The second act opened with this same sense of interaction,and gave the auditorium a taste of what was to come later in the show. Three drummers onstage played beats typically heard at a football game and had the audience mimic with clapping.The echoing claps were interrupted by a voice similar to one that would introduce a basketball team before a game.“Welcome to halftime,” Thorpe’s voiced boomed through the speakers.This part of the show was a Historically Black Colleges and Universities tribute, where the band played HBCU classics typically heard at a competition or halftime show.Cast members delivered the percussive beats, strong brass notes and synchronized choreography that are trademarks of a marching band.After a final drum battle, the cast took its bows and thanked the audience for attending. Though the curtain was drawn, this did not conclude the night.Snares, bass drums, trumpet and trombones paraded through the aisles to the lobby, where they continued to play as audience members danced to the HBCU beats.
(11/15/10 2:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The house at 214 N. Rogers St. may look to be a typical Bloomington residence with a unique blue door, but the creativity brewing inside is not so typical. This building is home to The Collaboration Room, an artistic space in Bloomington that initiates projects centered on, as its name suggests, collaboration.The space offers the Bloomington art community a variety of workshops and events open for participation and interaction. One such event is Sewing Labs every other Thursday, and another is a recent project called Collaboween. This project consisted of two weeks of Halloween-themed artistic events and shows.TCR was an idea Matthew Searle, the studio’s founder and director, said he had long before coming to Bloomington. He said he chose Bloomington for the location of the project because of the positive characteristics the city possesses.“Bloomington has unique factors that seemed ripe for beginning the project here: It is a smaller community, it has a constant influx of creative and talented adults and it seemed like a responsive forum for people of all ages and abilities to work together creatively,” Searle said.Searle worked at a children’s art and technology museum for two years before starting the room. He said he used the large, open workspaces designed for creative collaboration as inspiration for his studio’s layout.The main initiative behind the room is to bring people together through artistic participation, something Searle said is “magic.” He said he believes the key to successful participation is to first recognize that every individual, despite differences in artistic expertise, already brings a lot to the table.Lynn Beavin, sophomore and president of Collins Living-Learning Center’s Arts Council, said the studio has a unique capacity to reach out to a broad range of people.“This group is fostering community building and innovation, which is inspiring to me,” Beavin said.Beavin attended a participant meeting event at the room. These meetings are open forums for Bloomington residents with artistic ideas or programs that hope to partner with the studio for their projects. Beavin said the group was incredibly open to ideas and innovation from anyone.John Berry, a Collaboration Room key member, said he became involved with The Collaboration Room because of the vision he shared with Searle for a less institutionally approved art venue.The room runs on participation and outside ideas. Both Searle and Berry said they want people to use the studio’s space to help them do what they couldn’t do otherwise. The two said they believe there are some artistic goals that can only be accomplished when achieved by a group.“Simply put, there are times when a group of people can do something with more boldness, volume, nuance, exposure or vitality than an individual could do,” Berry said. “When that community is needed, we wanted to make sure The Collaboration Room could be that meeting place for Bloomington creatives.”
(11/12/10 3:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The walls of the IU Auditorium will be booming Saturday with sounds typically heard at a football halftime show. “DRUMline Live” will bring the sound blast of a marching band on stage at 7:30 p.m.The performance is one stop of the show’s international tour. Don Roberts, the show’s founder and director, became inspired to create the live show after working as the executive band consultant for the 2002 film “Drumline.” As a previous drum major for Florida A&M, Roberts had experienced the energy and vigor required to put on a band performance.“‘DRUMline Live’ is one of the most exciting and energetic shows on tour this year in the U.S. It is a thrilling, bombastic performance of a soulful marching band all on stage,” Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said. He said seeing the show is an opportunity students shouldn’t pass up.The foundation of the show lies in the marching band tradition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which began at Florida A&M. Bands from the HBCU circuit compete each year at events such as the Big Southern Classic and the Bayou Classic, showing their musical flare as they vie for first place.It is this showmanship flare, great music and dancing that Eric Love, director of the Office of Diversity Education, said will get the audience’s blood pumping. The show mixes older hits of bands such as Earth, Wind and Fire with hip-hop and R&B tunes by artists such as Kanye West.The musicians in HBCU drumlines and those in “DRUMline Live” aim for a different stylistic and aesthetic goal than the typical drumline, said Kevin Hood, junior and bass drummer for IU’s drumline. He said the drumming in the show will be focused on performing a visual show.Ben Rigney, sophomore and snare drummer for the IU drumline, said this difference will allow for an exciting show.“The style of drumming in ‘DRUMline Live’ is all about being as innovative and fun to watch as possible. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser,” Rigney said.Though some students may have seen the film, Booher said there are differences between the movie and show. He likens the show to the final competition scene in the movie.“Rather than the movie being played out on stage, this is a wall-to-wall musical concert from the brass and drums that makes ‘DRUMline’ such a compelling film,” Booher said
(11/08/10 5:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The hallway outside the Willkie Auditorium was crowded Friday with a sea of white. Students clad in white T-shirts, pants and even a white fur vest waited outside as hip-hop beats radiated through the doors of the auditorium.After a technical glitch set the show back a half-hour, the doors finally opened to the College Dorm Life Tour. Students poured inside, singing along to “Best I Ever Had” by Drake.Kiwan Lawson of SoundProof Student Organization and Joby Wright of BFA Entertainment organized the tour. The evening was scheduled to be packed with R&B and hip-hop acts from start to finish.The first half of the night was filled with dance. IU’s Hip Hop ConnXion was the first act to perform.Morgan Milin, freshman and first-year member of Hip Hop ConnXion, said it was amazing to perform, and he said the energy is always better with the crowd and performers when there is a big stage and lights. Lawson said every group took advantage of the added stage and lighting, which added to their presentation.The next two dance groups to perform, Dynasty and Incognito, were both from Indianapolis.Lawson said it was slightly difficult to get many students out to support Bloomington artists, but those who did attend loved it. This passion and enthusiasm was visible in attendees’ desire to dance along to music and sing every lyric of every song played. DJs came on stage between each act, encouraging energy to stay high with lyrics like “put some energy up in this place”.The energy continued throughout the night, and shaped the course of performances, Lawson said. After a spontaneous dance-off between a crowd member and group member of Incognito, another battle broke out. Dynasty challenged Incognito to adance battle.The crowd parted and the two groups took over the center of the auditorium floor, challenging each other with their best moves, spins and even backflips. Freshman Danielle Graf said she came for the loud music and lights but ended up getting much more out of it.“I want to learn how to dance after seeing these guys perform like this,” Graf said.After the dance groups, hip-hop and R&B acts took the stage. Lawson said from the southern hospitality of Dat Boi Heazy to Yung Luciano’s ability to get the crowd on their feet, the audience loved every performance.The evening closed out with what Lawson claimed to be three standout performances. Lawson said Rikk Reighn and Lakyra Pharms both delivered stellar performances.“Lakyra stood out with her smooth, soulful, jazzy, one-of-a-kind voice that blew everyone away,” Lawson said.A Bloomington group was the last on stage for the night. “4 Reign delivered a 40-minute performance that could arguably be compared to Boyz II Men or Day26. They ended the event showing everyone why they are the best R&B male group on campus,” Lawson said.Though the crowd changed throughout the night in Willkie Auditorium, Lawson marked the concert as the iconic event they promised the campus.“Had we been able to extend the show, I believe attendees would have packed the room,” he said.The tour is scheduled to stay in the Midwest briefly before heading south to Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. Lawson said he hopes to have the tour back next semester for an appearance during the Little 500 weekend. Campus support is crucial to the success of these artists, he said, and he said he believes they have what it takes to make it big.
(11/05/10 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Willkie Auditorium will be filled with rock, R&B and hip-hop artists from across the United States. Musicians will be performing in the College Dorm Life Tour concert, presented by SoundProof Student Organization.The concert begins at 6 p.m. today with performances until midnight, and admission is free. Headline performers include Rikk Reighn and Yung Luciano from Ohio, DJ Hylyte and Dat Boi Heazy from Texas and IU’s Hip-Hop Conn-X-ion dance group.Kiwan Lawson, president of SoundProof, said the concept behind the tour is to market, promote and showcase undiscovered artists and to network with up-and-coming national recording artists from several labels. The concert is not reserved just for IU. The tour will be visiting college campuses throughout the Midwest and Big Ten area.The concert has a white-out theme, a decision Lawson said is an effort to provide a sense of school spirit and energy.“As a former track and field athlete, I personally know what it is like to have your peers cheering you on, so I want to give the artists of the show the same experience,” he said.Jasmine Collins, president of the Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, a co-sponsor of the event, said she expects a great turnout for the concert. She said all of those involved in publicizing efforts want students to feel welcome while attending.Lawson also highlighted the accessible nature of the concert and the chance for students to see their peers perform on a large-scale production tour.“No admission fee and no charge to perform at an awesome show! This will be a one-of-a-kind iconic event,” Lawson said.
(11/01/10 3:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Jeff McLaughlin Quartet was named as the first winning group of the Emerging Jazz Artist Project. The four students at the Jacobs School of Music were awarded for their musical prowess. Their reward was a nationally released album in their name. The Quartet’s members include graduate students guitarist Jeff McLaughlin, bassist Ashley Summers, drummer Michael D’Angelo and junior pianist David Linard.This summer, the project was announced by Owl Studios, an independent record label based out of Indianapolis, and it was officially launched at the beginning of the school year. While there were many options of music schools to partner with, Jacobs was chosen because of its reputation, said Richard Dole, account executive for Owl Studios.“The IU Jazz Department graduates are some of the best jazz musicians around. They are the future of jazz, and we wanted to tap into that raw talent,” Dole said.The initiative behind the program lies in jazz education, one of the fundamental characteristics of Owl Studios, Dole said. All artists on the Owl label are not only musicians, but also educators. Dole marked jazz education as an important part to the future of the musical genre.One of these educators is Brent Wallarab, assistant professor of jazz studies at the Jacobs School and Owl Studios musician. Wallarab assisted in developing and coordinating the project with Owl Studios and said the amount of enthusiasm for the project was incredible.“Within the first month and a half of the semester, 14 new groups were formed and 42 new jazz compositions and arrangements. This is a remarkable amount of accomplishment for an entire school year, let alone the first month of a new school year,” Wallarab said.Groups that auditioned were composed of three to seven musicians who were current or recent graduates of the Jacobs School. To audition, each group was required to submit two original compositions and one arrangement of a pre-selected tune, this year’s being Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”.McLaughlin, current master’s student in jazz studies, was head of the winning quartet chosen by a five-judge panel. As winners of the EJAP, the group will release and market a professionally recorded album of its own songs.“Hopefully the music we create is honest, interesting and relevant,” McLaughlin said.When creating his group, McLaughlin said he chose musicians who he thought would enjoy working on the project with him. Because of his strategic choices, he said there is a mutual feeling of respect between the four group members, and they work well together.The quartet will record its album in December, but McLaughlin said the planning process has already begun. Writing and recording is, after all, the easy part, Dole said.“The hard part is the marketing, licensing, promoting and selling of the album. The business side is a whole different ball game,” Dole said.McLaughlin and the other members of the quartet will get to work with Owl professionals to learn how to promote themselves and acquire the skills that Dole said are necessary to have in order to make it inthe industry.Although there was one winning group, Wallarab said all groups that participated reaped some benefit. The process of creating a group, composing new material, rehearsing and recording was an important experience for all the musicians, he said.“It is an opportunity for creative growth for everyone involved,” Wallarab said.
(10/26/10 2:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The current IU College of Arts and Sciences’ Themester 2010 “sustain•ability: Thriving on a Small Planet” was highlighted with an unlikely partner on Monday — fashion. Natalie Chanin, creator and designer of the couture line Alabama Chanin, gave a lecture in the Whittenberger Auditorium.In the lecture, sponsored by the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design, Chanin spoke of the industry facing issues of fast fashion and fair trade. Chanin began her fashion career after receiving a degree in environmental design from North Carolina State University. After working in New York and Europe, she said she began to miss making things with her own hands, something she considers to be a beautiful thing.Another thing Chanin considers to be beautiful? Her wholistic company.Though it is not a term in the dictionary, Chanin has adopted this homemade adjective to describe her company, which uses recycled fabrics and T-shirts in many of its designs. Some people don’t understand that there can be levels of sustainability, Chanin said. “Recycled materials are good in smaller quantities but become unsustainable in larger quantities,” she said.Because of this, Alabama Chanin uses organic fabrics for the bulk of its garments and supplements with recycled T-shirts to the degree Chanin deems sustainable. Danielle Aden, a freshman apparel merchandising major, said this notion of organic and recycled materials is important and relevant.Chanin also highlighted the domestic characteristic of Alabama Chanin.“Products are grown to sewn in America,” she said.From cotton grown in Texas used in fabric to textile workers and sewers in Chanin’s home state of Alabama, every step of the process takes place domestically. This process can also yield expensive garments, Chanin said.Chanin said she chose this homegrown, yet expensive process to combat the fact that in the fashion industry consumers just don’t care. Fashion is about 20 years behind the food and shelter industries in terms of sustainability, she said.When it comes to our clothes, Chanin said she believes consumers vote with their dollars — if they want a cheap dress, they will buy a cheap dress. Cheap clothing is often produced by compromising or taking advantage of those in poverty, Chanin said. “Producers will keep making cheap clothes until the consumer is willing to question the type of production that goes into a garment,” Chanin said.Chanin encouraged her audience to use its voice and called it a necessity to get the word out and make a change, a part of the lecture that resonated with Lauran Sanders, a sophomore majoring in apparel merchandising. Despite the fact that she didn’t have a plan, and while America can be so harsh, she took initiative and gained success, Sanders said.Alabama Chanin has expanded to offer products in addition to couture clothing in recent years. The company has published two books on hand sewing techniques used to create the couture garments, as well as kits to create the garments in each book.The books highlight sewing practices that Chanin said people don’t know how to use anymore. Publishing these techniques in a book fulfilled Chanin’s goal of cultural sustainability. She said along with recording oral histories of textiles workers in Alabama, she hopes to preserve parts of her world and work forever.Chanin closed her lecture with an excerpt from the lives of the women sewing in Alabama. She said that before the women sat down to begin a garment, they would thread their needles and speak to them.“This thread will make the most beautiful garment ever made. It will bring the person who wears it love and joy, prosperity and beauty,” she said.Deb Christiansen, professor of fashion design, said she valued Chanin’s refreshing perspective on the rewards and merits of working with her own two hands. She said she hopes to pass Chanin’s message on to students in the future and encourage them to continue with their passion to create.“Love your thread. It doesn’t get much better than that,” Christiansen said.
(10/22/10 3:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though theater performances are common on a college campus, Grupo de Teatro VIDA performances are different from the typical show — they’re not in English. Formed in 2006, the group annually performs plays in Spanish. Thursday marked the debut of this year’s performance, “Relaciones” at the Bloomington Playwright’s Project. The show is composed of four one-act plays. Performances will continue throughout the weekend at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the BPP.Marda Rose, a doctoral student in linguistics, started the Bloomington theater group. Her decision to start the group coincides with her academic aspirations and affinity for theater. “Indiana University was the only school I applied to for my Ph.D. that didn’t have a program in place that allowed students to do theater in Spanish,” Rose said.With the hope of filling that void and motivating Spanish students in a creative way, she created VIDA. Rose said most of those involved with the group share a love for language and theater and grow through their experiences, even to the point of switching their majors to Spanish.Education stands as one of the cornerstones of the group. Language learning and theater are very connected, Rose said, and teaching about language while directing often requires a hands-on approach.Professor Catherine Larson, chairwoman of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and faculty adviser for VIDA, said she values Rose’s strategy of learning by doing. “It involves undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in actively using Spanish in context and enriches their experience with the language and cultures of the Hispanic world,” Larson said.This aspect of practicing in a theatrical environment sparked the interest of freshman Bree Storey, who has been studying Spanish for six years. After hearing about the group in her Spanish class, she decided to give it a try. Storey said participating in VIDA has exponentially helped her pronunciation.Another aspect of VIDA Rose said she prioritizes is cultural outreach. Continued performance has led VIDA to gain enough of a reputation that its outreach efforts will now extend beyond the Bloomington community.“Relaciones” is the first VIDA production to be hitting the road, a milestone for the group in Rose’s eyes. The production will be on stage at the IndyFringe Theatre in Indianapolis at 8 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30.Despite the language barrier, the performances are rich with entertainment and what Rose calls “meaningful communication.” Theater provides a way of communicating thoughts, feelings and ideas with others, Rose said, and Spanish performance encourages cultural education.Larson said Rose’s experience, expertise and guidance have been invaluable to the group’s efforts. It is the combination of Rose’s love of language and of the stage that make the group successful. Ivy Howell, fellow Ph.D. student and director of one of the plays in “Relaciones,” said Rose’s capability to be involved in all aspects of the production is incredible, and her presence is fundamental to VIDA.This passion and dedication is present in the name of the group itself: VIDA. While the letters create the acronym for Vision, Identity, Drama and Art, to Rose there is further meaning. “VIDA means life. And life is at the heart of theater and at the heart of everything we do,” she said.
(10/15/10 1:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Visit any Residential Persons and Services dining center on campus and there will be rows and rows of aluminum bottles on the shelves for sale. These bottles are part of the new refill program launched by RPS this semester.The chief goal of the refill program is sustainability, said Sandra Fowler, RPS dining Services director. In launching the program, there is hope that the new system will reduce the landfill and could save money, Fowler said.Bottles can be purchased at RPS dining locations for $3.99, and each subsequent refill costs $0.55. The only beverages that can be used under the refill program are sodas, teas and lemonades. The program excludes milk, coffee and fruit juices. This is not RPS’s first attempt at a refill program. This is the fifth launched program since 1996. The difference this year lies in the bottles — all previous receptacles have been plastic, but this year they are aluminum. Sophomore Ashley Dillon said she thought investing in a bottle made both financial and environmental sense.“I have a small meal plan, and every time I’m sure it adds up. So I’m sure it saves money, and the environmental advantage was a plus,” Dillon said.Freshman Steve Ambrosini did not share the same positive sentiment that Dillon did, however. Ambrosini said the lack of financial incentive was the reason behind his choice not to participate.RPS staff members said they have already seen the results of the program, and there has not been as much refilling as they had hoped. This was the case at Wright Quad Food Court, which Fowler said is one of the top two program participant locations.Wright Food Court General Manager Mark Winstead said there hasn’t been much success in the return rate for refills and attributed this lack of return to on-location “hydration stations.” He said students are more often seen using their own receptacles and filling them with water rather than paying for another beverage.Fowler also noticed the trend of bottles being purchased yet not refilled. Yet, because of success at certain locations such as Wright and Collins Living-Learning Center, she said she remained optimistic about the potential of the program.Winstead said Wright has been selling about 100 water bottles a week.
(10/07/10 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kevin Kunkel, Rena Kimura, Rose Wollman and Colin Sorgi have been distinguished as some of the best collegiate musicians at IU. They are members of the 2010-11 Kuttner Quartet, a group that changes annually to feature four of the top strings players in the Jacobs School of Music.Though Sept. 26 marked the group’s formal debut performance, these four musicians had been playing together long before. Last semester, Kunkel, Kimura, Wollman and Sorgi formed a quartet in preparation for the audition process, or as they call it, competition.Music is so engrained in each of these players’ minds that they said it was as though they had been practicing for a lifetime for the short audition.Regardless of their different musical backgrounds, these four very different personalities come together to create something they all say is beautiful. “We each have different rehearsal and performance styles, but I think we bring out the best in each other,” Wollman says.As members of the Kuttner Quartet, each player stated a sense of pride, recognition and responsibility to not only perform well, but also to represent the musical face of IU.“We get to do what we love every day,” Sorgi said.The Kuttner Quartet performs next on Dec. 4 in Auer Hall.KEVIN KUNKELKunkel, the group’s cellist, hails from Chicago. He said he was first drawn to his instrument because of the sound it makes. “Its range corresponds with that of the human voice,” he said.Kunkel admitted his affinity for the world of music, marking himself as a “classical music snob” who would rather plug in to Puccini’s Madama Butterfly than Lady Gaga. After getting his Bachelor’s and Performance degrees at IU, he said he hopes to move on to play in a professional orchestra.RENA KIMURAMusic is more of a family matter for Kimura, who became fascinated with the violin after seeing an orchestra performance on TV. Her mom is a pianist, and her dad has been a long-time collector of all things related to classical music.Kimura said the value of her music lies in her ability to communicate with the audience.“Music has the ability to move you in such a deep and emotional way that touches the core of your being. Nothing else can really replicate or parallel that feeling.”Kimura said she was originally studying pre-med in New York but transferred to Bloomington two years ago to study and hone her music, and she hasn’t looked back since. COLIN SORGIA violinist for the quartet, Sorgi, has family ties to his musical beginnings.Both of his parents are violinists, and after trying the cello and piano, Sorgi said he begged them to let him try the violin, loving it after the first sound.Sorgi said the payoff for playing music for him comes when it is time to go on stage. “Performance is the reason why I play music,” he said, adding that performing is, in a word, “Exhilarating.”ROSE WOLLMANWollman, the group’s second member, plays the viola. Currently working on her doctorate degree at IU, Wollman has played in a variety of locales, from New York to Switzerland to Tokyo.Wollman said the most appealing aspect of music to her is the collaborative nature of it. She said she also enjoys every step in the process, from the rehearsal to the end of the performance. After completing her studies at IU, she said she hopes to continue to play and teach at a college or university, enriching musical minds like her own.