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(08/15/12 2:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three months ago, IU grads Mohammed Mahdi and Anthony Duncan had no idea that making a few batches of soap for fun could eventually turn into a small, local business.Mahdi and Duncan are two entrepreneurs who took a chance on soapmaking and created Sabun soap by Soapy Soap Company, located on the southeast side of Bloomington.“We like doing things on our own,” Mahdi said. “We dabble in a lot of different things — soap is just one we have become dedicated to.”On Tuesday, The Venue Fine Art & Gifts coordinated “The Art of Soapmaking” featuring Mahdi and Duncan. The pair demonstrated how to make soap with their own personal twist.“Most people use hot process to make soap, but we use what we call the volcano process,” Duncan said. “We experiment a lot and it’s interesting the way our soap turns out sometimes.”One characteristic Mahdi said their soap had which other soapmakers really appreciate is flotation.“We came up with our own method of soapmaking which sets us apart from other soapers,” Mahdi said. “The majority of our bars float, which we didn’t intend, but it’s still really cool.”Mahdi and Duncan have been making soap for about three and a half months. Throughout the learning process of making soap, they have discovered that there are a lot of intricacies involved with making soap. For example, putting sugar into soap makes it very bubbly and most herbs turn black when added to a soap mixture. They value a soap’s quality more than how it smells.“We believe in function over fragrance,” Mahdi said. “Whether it’s a moisturizing soap, a shave soap or even our dog wash soap — it might not smell very strong, but it is beneficial.”Due to legal standards, Mahdi and Duncan are not able to put words such as ‘moisturizing’ on their soap without paying money.“It costs thousands of dollars to get your soap tested to prove that it actually does what you say,” Duncan said. “As a small business, we can’t afford to pay that.”Though their soap may not carry a stamp of approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, it carries approval from local Bloomington businesses such as Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, the Venueand B-Town Flea Market.Recently, Soapy Soap Company has been making its way to different farmers’ markets, causing a rise in demand for soap.“We make soap pretty much every day,” Duncan said. “Mohammed’s mom got him this huge bowl from India which we mix it in. We make 30 pound batches, which is about 120 bars. We’ve had to make more lately due to the farmers’ markets and such.”Mahdi and Duncan plan on experimenting with their soap and adding different types of bars. Each soap recipe is unique and handcrafted, which is the way they plan to keep it.“Our soap is 100 percent vegan friendly and we use only natural ingredients,” Mahdi said. “We enjoy making it and though it isn’t what we expected we would be doing, it is turning out quite well.”How to: Make your own soaps1. Make the recipe and measure ingredients.Mahdi and Duncan create recipes that are animal-friendly and 100 percent vegan. The soap requires specific ingredients, such as olive oil, almond oil and coconut oil.2. Combine water and lye.After heating both to extreme temperatures, the lye is poured into the water and mixed vigorously.3. Heat it upEverything is heated again to temperatures reaching 200 degrees. The first mixture is then combined with their oil of choice and mixed until it resembles honeycomb.4. Let coolThe soap mixture is allowed to cool, but not harden. Additives such as oatmeal, fennel seeds, bentonite clay, cornmeal and other similar ingredients are mixed in at this point in the process.5. Pour into molds, cool and cutMahdi and Duncan hand-cut each and every bar once it has cooled sufficiently.
(08/14/12 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Settled comfortably on a rolling hill in Bryan Park, Bloomington residents Jason and Kristina Simmonds waited patiently for Krista Detor’s summer concert to begin.“We’ve never been to a concert in Bryan Park before,” Kristina Simmonds said. “I’ve heard about them, just never done it.”Starting in July, the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation organized free summer concerts in the park featuring local artists. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Sunday until Aug. 26, the park will continue the shows.“It’s always really fun,” Bloomington resident Joanna Butler said. “I also think it’s really funny because there are always guys playing basketball behind the stage. They even played behind the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra when they came.”On Sunday, local musicians Michael White and Krista Detor brought a great mix of music to the stage.White was a finalist in Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band competition.“It’s nice seeing you all out here,” White said. “And there is a bunch of you.”The crowd applauded White as he began his first song about a boy falling in love with a giraffe.“This is a song about relationships,” White said. “Boy meets giraffe, boy falls in love with giraffe, boy loses giraffe.”White sang a few more songs before handing the microphone to Detor.“I’m torn,” Detor said. “I want it to rain, I don’t want it to rain.”People stayed in their seats to hear Detor, despite the ominous clouds hanging low on the horizon.Detor has reached the No. 1 spot on the Euro-Americana chart, according to Fleming Artists’ website. Her music has been featured on NPR, PBS, BBC and multiple other U.S. radio shows.Detor is one of the many artists Fleming Artists represents. The agency also represents artists from the U.S., Canada, the British Isles and Australia.Detor played a variety of songs from both old and new albums, such as “Lay Him Down,” “Red Velvet Box” and “Waterline.”“Thank you for coming out, folks,” Detor said at the end of the concert. “All of you, thanks for supporting independent music.”There are only two concerts left in the season, and people are looking forward to the finale, Butler said.“This is the first time we’ve heard Krista Detor,” Butler said. “It’s great that Bloomington Parks and Recreation puts on these shows during the summer. It brings a great cross-section of the community together, and everyone really enjoys it.”
(04/30/12 4:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though the current school year is ending, another year of entertainment has yet to begin. The IU Auditorium has announced its upcoming 2012-13 season. The Auditorium will feature classic and contemporary Broadway musicals, comedy acts, holiday traditions and other renowned performances.“We are excited to present acts never before seen in Bloomington, including Bill Maher and the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma, alongside well-known favorites like smash-hit Broadway musical ‘Chicago’ and ‘Peter Pan,’ starring Cathy Rigby,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said in a press release. “Each year, we ask our patrons what they would like to see and then carefully select shows that resonate with their refined and eclectic tastes.”The first act to be featured is the musical “American Idiot.” Directed by Tony Award-winning Michael Mayer and inspired by the alternative-rock band Green Day, the musical “challenges shallow, media-saturated culture and inspires youth to explore life outside of suburbia,” according to a press release.Following “American Idiot” will be “Chicago,” a musical that has won six Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards and one Drama Desk Award. “Chicago” will make its appearance on stage in October, featuring songs such as “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “We Both Reached for the Gun.”Comedian and TV show host Maher will also perform in October. Maher started out his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979, was the host for “Politically Incorrect” on ABC’s Comedy Central from 1993-2002 and has anchored his own show, “Real Time With Bill Maher,” for the past seven years. He has been nominated for 23 Emmy Awards and ranked No. 38 on Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Standups of All Time.”Some of IU’s own will perform in the fall, as well. The professional a cappella group Straight No Chaser plans to return to IU, its birthplace, in November to perform songs from artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson.Springing forward to March, King Arthur will make his way to the stage on a quest for the Holy Grail in Monty Python’s “Spamalot.” Taken from the classic film comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the musical “spoofs famous historical events and pokes fun at classic Broadway musicals,” according to a press release. After receiving three Tony Awards and 14 nominations, “Spamalot” promises to be a musical full of hilarity and charm.Other performances including dance, world music, orchestras and more top Broadway shows and musicals have been sewn into the tapestry of the 2012-13 season. “We know audience members of all ages will relish the opportunity to witness the excellence of the artist and entertainers on the upcoming season,” Booher said in a press release.The new season begins in September 2012 and continues through April 2013. Ticket price information, ticket ordering, dates and times for all events can be found at IUAuditorium.com.
(04/25/12 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Personal Accents: Accessories Around the World, an exhibit featured in the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, explores the meaning of accessories found in different cultures and their significance to people. Curated by Stephanie Smith, a graduate assistant in the exhibits department and a graduate student in the arts administration program, the exhibit houses a collection of both old and new accessories with a wide range of purposes. “Mathers gave me the option of choosing what I wanted to do when I first started working there,” Smith said. “In January, I got to go through all their collections and got some ideas, which I ran by them. I came up with the accessories idea because they are something that I like and something that everybody uses. Accessories are something that everybody can relate to.”The exhibit is located toward the back of the museum in an octagonal-shaped room. Three benches form an incomplete square in the middle of the room, so people may sit and rest as they explore the artifacts.The first case displays accessories ranging from a Ghanaian funeral hat to a Brazilian cane. The funeral hat is made out of cowrie shells, palm fiber and leather. Two horns rise from either side of the base. Small white cowrie shells cover the headpiece. Red, black and white strips of cloth hang from the front and back with leather tassels dangling from the ends. The Brazilian cane, though not as decorated as the Ghanaian funeral hat, is important to the people of Brazil. “Preto Velho,” translated as “old black man,” uses a cane like the one featured. The significance of the cane rises from an old legend and Umbanda, an afro-Brazilian religion that blends ideas from African religions, Catholicism, Spiritism, Kardecism and native folklore. A “Preto Velho” who uses the cane is wise, peaceful and compassionate. The next section of the exhibit displays “Unique Materials.” An Ecuadorean apron, specifically associated with the Jivaro people, hangs inside the case. Its vibrant blue, red, green and yellow feathers make it stand out., with a small toucan head protruding from the middle of the apron.“The apron is my favorite thing in the whole exhibit because it is so neat,” Smith said. “You would never be able to wear something like that today and get away with it, at least not in America.”Other accessories in this exhibit include a necklace made out of seeds and jaguar teeth from the Cofani people of Ecuador and a Suriname necklace with real, dead birds dangling from the base.“‘Unique Materials’ is definitely the most fun,” Smith said. “That part of the exhibit holds some of the most unique accessories.”In the “Ceremonial and Religious” section, a flywhisk lies on an elevated platform. Made out of lion and cow tails, owl feet and leather, the whisk was created by the Jukun people in Nigeria. Regarded as a chief’s symbol and usually carried in ceremonial settings, the flywhisk is used to keep both flies and witches away.The “Functional” accessories include a large blue military cape and coat hang as an example of 1890s military attire. The “Female” accessories section contains several objects related to a woman’s everyday attire, including a parasol from 1920. The parasol is made out of delicate silk, metal and wood and was placed in the exhibit courtesy of the IU Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection. A top hat made in 1932 out of beaver skin, leather and cloth rests in the “Male” accessories section, and sits in the left-hand corner above the other male-related accessories. The final section of the exhibit is “Accessories Representing Status.” A 20th centuray knife, called an “Ikul knife” by the Kuba people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, lies against the wall in its case . The last case sits at the edge of the room. Titled “Contemporary,” the case holds numerous accessories carried by people today. Familiar objects including a bike helmet, a graduation robe and cap, gloves, and a winter hat sit in the case.
(04/23/12 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a last-minute venue change from Assembly Hall to the IU Auditorium, Sublime with Rome entertained a full house Friday. The concert was the official Union Board Little 500 concert. Sublime with Rome is a collaboration between Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, formerly of the band Sublime, and singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez. Although the group primarily plays songs by Sublime written prior to frontman Bradley Nowell’s death in 1996, the group has produced one album of its own. The band was forced to change their name from Sublime to Sublime with Rome due to legal challenges. Gaugh has said he plans to leave the band soon, but Friday night, the band members played together as IU fans cheered them on.Because the Little 500 women’s race ended just before 9 p.m., the crowd continued trickling into the Auditorium well past the official concert start time of 9:30 p.m. The Dirty Heads performed as the opening act. The band, created by lead singer Jared Watson and guitarist and vocalist Dustin Bushnell, emerged onto the Southern California music scene in 1996. Their blend of hip-hop, alternative rock and vintage reggae captured the attention of the enthusiastic crowd.“Thank you, guys, for coming out tonight,” Watson said as the audience shouted, screamed and clapped to the music. “Now raise your voice if you’re gonna have a good time tonight.”The crowd roared in response. “Now, this isn’t a jazz concert in a garden somewhere,” Watson said. “So stand up for me real quick and let me know you’re havin’ a good time because this is a Sublime concert.”Many people jumped to their feet and raised their voices as the Dirty Heads commenced their first song.“This is the first time I’ve heard them play,” freshman Zach Greer said. “They are really good. I don’t like how we’re confined to our seats, and I wish it had been outside, but overall it’s been nice. A good mood set. I’m glad to be here.”Performing numerous songs from their new album, the Dirty Heads were well received by the crowd, which applauded loudly after each song.“Now we’re gonna have a guest come up here to play a couple songs with us,” Watson said. “His name is Rome Ramirez.”Cheering loudly once again, people in the crowd threw their hands in the air and raised their voices to greet Ramirez as he walked onto the stage.The Dirty Heads finished their evening with Ramirez and said goodbye to the still-roaring audience. Though the Dirty Head’s performance had ended, the headlining band Sublime with Rome came onstage after a brief intermission and took the stage by storm.The Auditorium’s lights dimmed, a warning that the concert was about to pick up again, and then a spotlight shone on the disc jockey onstage. Sublime with Rome came out and rocked the Auditorium.The concert went on for nearly four hours, and fans stood, waving their arms and cheering, until the last minute.“This concert was definitely awesome,” freshman Cassie Arnold said. “It’s good to hear such great bands come and play at IU.”
(04/18/12 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Music blasted across Dunn Meadow as the Indiana Memorial Union Board presented the Little Five Kick-Off Bash on Tuesday. The event included activities such as a mastering a mechanical bull, climbing a rock wall and racing through an inflatable obstacle course, and it was enjoyed by IU students, staff and Bloomington residents alike. “I heard about this event because my friend texted me and told me to get over here,” freshman Joe Mayer said. “I participated in all the events, which turned into a highly competitive activity.”Throughout the evening, laughter could be heard soaring across the meadow as people got stuck on the obstacle course, didn’t make it to the top of the wall, were bashed around by large, soft sticks or were thrown by the mechanical bull.Junior Harrison Carter slowly stepped into the ring and approached the legless black and white bull. Moving quickly, he swung a leg over the mechanical bull and grabbed the small piece of rope sticking out of its back. He was thrown off within 10 seconds.“I’m a member of the Union Board and helped put this whole thing together,” Carter said. “It took months of planning, and I think it has paid off. It’s been a really fun event that brings people at IU together, and that’s what we like to do. And I have especially enjoyed this bull here.”As people challenged each other to the battering pit, freshman Hunter Tobe shouted words of encouragement from the sidelines.“C’mon guys, I won,” Tobe said. “Just do it!” Tamer events of the evening included free henna tattoos, caricatures and corn hole. All of the activities presented at the bash created a good turnout, Erin Brown, design director of Union Board, said.“We started setting up around 2:30 and were running a little behind,” Brown said. “We got things set up and running pretty quickly, though. We’ve been planning this for about five weeks, and we’re actually thinking about turning it into a yearly thing since the turnout was so good.”Free food was offered to students, and the line stretched across the entire end of Dunn Meadow.“The food started coming off the grill around 4:30,” Brown said. “That’s when the first big line started, and it was definitely big.”Scents from the grilled hamburgers and hotdogs filled the meadow, and people working the grill were kept on their toes as hungry students continued to come. Chips, soda and water were also served.Things were kept on a student-friendly basis as the word “free” greeted them from many angles.“Free food, free shirts, free fun, works for me,” Mayer said.Cotton candy, icees, Pizza X cups and Jimmy Johns sandwiches were also given away free of charge.While people were waiting in line, either for food, caricatures or activities, small dance parties sprang up everywhere. Inspired by the music blaring from the speakers, Carter danced a few steps with his friends.“I think this has turned out to be an awesome event,” Carter said. “It was a fun way to kick off Little Five week.”
(04/18/12 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students no longer have to wait — Little 500 week has finally arrived on campus. The week is well known for its races, numerous activities and concerts. However, there is another aspect of Little 500 that many students look forward to: the partying.“Last year, I went to Lil Wayne’s concert, a few frat parties and a few house parties,” junior Shan Shaikh said. “It was pretty tight. It was an all-out rager for a week. There was drinking, dancing, girls and all sorts of fun stuff.”But with the partying comes side effects, including blackouts.Jackie Daniels, a social worker at the Office of Alternative Screening and Intervention Services in the IU Division of Student Affairs, defined a “blackout” as the loss of memory someone experiences during an episode of drinking.“A person’s susceptibility to blacking out is increased if they drink too much too quickly or engage in ‘binge drinking,’” Daniels said. “This is defined as five or more drinks for a male in less than two hours and four for women.”Peter Finn, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and principal investigator in the Biobehavioral Alcohol Research Laboratory, described blackouts as “a block of time that you cannot recall during the period that you were drinking.”“Alcohol affects the neurons in the hippocampus, which plays an important role in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory,” Finn said. “In an easy-to-understand fashion, alcohol disrupts the hippocampus memory-encoding function to where it isn’t recording anymore. A person who experiences a blackout will never be able to remember what occurred during that time frame. When the hippocampus isn’t functioning, it isn’t recording.”Daniels described why a person experiencing a blackout is still able to function.“Basically, other functions controlled with the brain are not shut down completely,” Daniels said. “Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, causing the slowing of or depression of key bodily functions necessary to keep you alive — breathing, heart rate and consciousness.” People generally black out when they reach 0.20 blood alcohol content levels, Daniels said. Once a BAC level of 0.30 is reached, a person can pass out, and once a 0.40 BAC level is reached, a person can enter a coma.However, a person’s body tries to protect itself in many ways before reaching that level of intoxication. “Vomiting or running back and forth to the bathroom is an attempt to expel the poison you are feeding your body,” Daniels said. “Your body sends you signals at each BAC check point, and if you pay attention to these signals, you will know when to stop. However, this signaling system malfunctions if you drink more than one to two drinks per hour.”There are two types of blackouts: en bloc and fragmentary.“En bloc is when you cannot remember anything from a specific period of time,” Daniels said. “Fragmentary is more commonly called a brownout, when you can only remember snippets of an event or conversation. Fragmentary are more commonly experienced, but both are equally dangerous.”After experiencing a blackout, Daniels said, most students she speaks to feel anxious and regretful.Director of IU Counseling and Psychological Services Nancy Stockton shares a similar attitude.“Students come in and talk about experiencing blackouts,” Stockton said. “They say that their friends tell them things that they can’t remember, and by and large, it’s usually disturbing to students. It’s kind of a wake-up call and maybe one of the things that brings them in to CAPS.”Though drinking alcohol in excess is a major contributor to blackouts, there are other factors that come into play that might tip the scale toward actually experiencing a blackout, Finn said.“How alcohol affects a person has to do with that individual,” Finn said. “Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol, others less so. It has to do with tolerance.”Oftentimes, the rate at which individuals consume their alcohol is the deciding factor of whether the person actually experiences a blackout, Finn said. When alcohol is consumed quickly, a person’s BAC quickly increases, as opposed to slow consumption, which allows the body to adapt to the presence of the alcohol.“When a person goes from a BAC level of zero to 0.15, which is about six drinks for your average 140-pound person, in a short amount of time, they more or less shock the system,” Finn said. “That can trigger a blackout. If alcohol is consumed slowly, certain adaptive processes are engaged that are able to handle that amount of alcohol. Of course, once a person reaches a certain level, even if they have been drinking slowly, they can experience a blackout.”Fatigue, hunger and stress are other factors that affect how fast the alcohol content in a person’s blood rises, Finn said, which in turn affects whether a person experiences a blackout.Finn said the number of students who experience a blackout at IU is undoubtedly high.“I do a lot of studies regarding people who have alcohol problems, including students at IU,” Finn said. “We have diagnostic interviews where we ask questions, like, ‘how often do you experience blackouts?’ As to how many actually experience blackouts, my general impression is that it is quite prevalent, at least in those who report heavy drinking. Higher than one might think.”Last week, the IU Student Association established a Culture of Care week to address the safety and social issues that are happening on campus and in the Bloomington community. Former Chief of Staff Megan Lillie worked with other IUSA members to make students more aware of the dangers of alcohol abuse. “The purpose of this week is to change the current culture and emphasize the need for all community members to step up and be Hoosiers,” Lillie said. “This means intervening in situations where students need help, specifically in situations related to sexual assault, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse.”On Thursday as a part of Culture of Care week, IUSA focused on alcohol and drug usage.“Thursday, we focused on the dangers of binge drinking and recognizing when it has taken a turn for the worst,” Lillie said. “Blacking out is the body’s last attempt at preserving life, and oftentimes this phrase is used in a humorous context to describe a night’s activities. The current culture at IU embraces this phrase, and it has led to many tragedies on campus.”In 2002, researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University in North Carolina wrote an article titled “Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Blackouts Among College Students: Results of an E-Mail Survey,” which was featured in the Journal of American College Health. After surveying 772 college students via email, the authors found that “approximately 51 percent of those who had ever consumed alcohol reported that they had experienced a blackout at some point in their lives.”Other results of the survey showed that 40 percent of those surveyed had experienced a blackout the year before. Among those who drank in the two weeks before the survey, nearly one in 10 reported having experienced a blackout, according to the article.After working with students who have talked about experiencing blackouts, Stockton said students often regret having blacked out.“People in general don’t like feeling out of control,” Stockton said. “They are made very uncomfortable by the fact that they may have behaved in ways they don’t remember.”Daniels said she understands that alcohol is inevitably going to be a part of campus life and that she wants students to be safe.?“My general impression is that students would not black out if they knew how not to do so,” Daniels said. “I’m invested in making sure students know as much as possible to make sure they are drinking safely, not just legally, but so they survive without harm.”With Little 500 week already in full swing, students are attending concerts, events and other activities that are all part of the experience. To have a successful week, Shaikh said students just have to watch themselves.“I can have a good time without overdoing it,” Shaikh said. “I’ve seen people whose weeks have had to end early, and that’s just not cool. All you have to do is watch yourself, and you will have an awesome Little Five week.”
(04/17/12 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Microphones, flanked by a keyboard and drum set, stood tall and lonely on the stage of Wilkie Auditorium on Saturday as the African American Choral Ensemble prepared for its annual Spring Concert.“Good evening, everyone,” said Charles Sykes, executive director of the African American Arts Institute. “It is my pleasure to welcome you to the African American Choral Ensemble Spring Concert. I won’t keep you waiting any longer, so without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, the African American Choral Ensemble.”Applause followed Sykes off the stage as the ensemble made its way onstage. Wearing long black shirts with red designs, the vocalists took their places behind the microphones and opened with “On Green Dolphin Street.”Freshman Alex Young performed a solo on the saxophone in the middle of the first song. The saxophone issued forth clear, smooth notes, which resounded throughout the auditorium. The second song the ensemble performed was “Mary Was the Queen of Galilee” and included a solo from doctorate student and Choral Ensemble Road Manager Johanna Moffitt. The mysterious song echoed throughout the room as the ensemble repeatedly asked who Mary was and then answered its own question. At the end of the song, the ensemble members worked in unison as they drew out the word “Galilee” while Moffitt sang the name “Mary.”The ensemble also sang “Amazing Grace,” which was the theme for this year’s Spring Concert. As the singers rocked slowly back and forth, their voices rang loud and clear.Picking up the pace a bit, the ensemble members moved their hips and clapped their hands for the song “Free.” Motioning to themselves and to the audience, they sang “I’m free” and “you’re free” as the audience clapped along to the beat.The performance concluded with a passionate song titled “Trying to Make a Change.” As the performance turned into a small dance party onstage, the ensemble members “put their hearts into the music,” Bloomington resident Kaley Kaul said.“I thought the performance was amazing,” Kaul said. “Some songs tore at my heartstrings, and others made me want to get up and dance.” Keith McCutchen, director of the ensemble, had a few sentimental words for its singers that he shared with the audience.“Now, this group behind me has been with me since I’ve been here,” McCutchen said. “They are very talented, committed people with a lot of integrity. I believe that they have wonderful lives and careers ahead of them, and I have enjoyed every moment I’ve spent working with them. So give them some more love, would you?”The audience clapped enthusiastically as the singers bowed and made their way offstage. “That really was a wonderful performance,” Kaul said. “They had a lot of great musical choices, which they sang beautifully. This was my first time coming, and I’m really glad I did. I am definitely looking forward to next year’s Spring Concert.”
(04/16/12 1:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whispering excitedly, the audience watched as graduate student Kristina Downs balanced precariously on slack ropes strung between two trees. Moving slowly forward, then backward, Downs awed the crowd with her talent at the Folklore and Ethnomusicology Student Association Festival on Friday in the parking lot of 800 N. Indiana Ave.Students in the department worked hard to bring numerous talents, a henna tattooist and refreshments together to create the festival, Event Coordinator Chris Roush said.“It started with the director of the Ethnomusicology Institute, Mellonee Burnim, several years ago,” Roush said. “She came up with the idea for the festival and wanted the undergraduate student association, FESA, to get together and plan this event to bring everybody from campus together for a festival that represents folklore and ethnomusicology and what we do.”Students in the department study vernacular arts and the historical, cultural and social contexts in which these arts are embedded, FESA academic advisor Krystie Herndon said. “Though it’s the end of the year and the students are really busy, they managed to pull this festival together,” Herndon said. “The idea for it has been around for about five years, and this group of students finally made it happen.”Featuring acts native to places from the Appalachian Mountains to Tahiti, the festival had performers who wowed the numerous spectators.“This has definitely been an interesting festival,” freshman Alex Burgan said. “I thought the slack rope act was really cool.”Sitting down, swinging slowly back and forth on the ropes, Downs told a brief story about a basket and a cobra before proceeding. Putting both legs behind her head, Downs put a wooden recorder in her mouth and started to play. Using her arm, she wiggled it in front of her, imitating a snake. She unwound herself and leapt to the ground, where enthusiastic applause greeted her.Junior Jordan Jackson and senior Kip Hutchins also performed in the festival. Carrying tunes all the way from Boone, N.C., Jackson and Hutchins performed with their voices, a guitar and a mandolin.“Kip is one of my good friends, and he’s the one who got me to perform in the festival,” Jackson said. “He was like, ‘Come play some country music,’ and I said, ‘I’m in.’”Eric Morales performed a Tahitian dance as he donned traditional clothing.His headpiece was made out of tapa, which is Tahitian bark cloth. The rest of his attire included a necklace made of mother of pearl and shell, a loincloth held on with tapa rope and raffia leg pieces.“Tahitian dance is performed everywhere,” Morales said. “I’ve studied Tahitian dance for many years, and my research paper I am currently writing focuses on the globalization of Tahitian dance.”The final act of the evening featured full, colorful skirts and chiming zills, or finger cymbals.A troupe of belly dancers shook their hips on the small stage and danced in sync as they moved together and formed a tight circle.At the end of the act, they invited the audience onstage to learn how to belly dance. Many people, including Hutchins and Morales, went up to learn the dance.“I hope there weren’t too many pictures taken,” Hutchins said as he made his way off the stage with a grin on his face.Roush said he was glad the festival came together on Friday the 13th, a day of significance to many cultures.“Everybody worked hard to pull this together, and I think the students did a great job,” Roush said. “I’m glad it finally happened.”
(04/13/12 3:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Excitement surrounded the IU Auditorium, and eager concertgoers waited for doors to open at 7 p.m. The first concert of Little 500, featuring Mac Miller, the Cool Kids and the Come Up, premiered last night and kicked off with a bang as doors opened and people flooded through security checkpoints.“Mac Miller is really tight,” junior Jordan Daniel said. “He’s an independent artist, and the fact that he’s doing it on his own is pretty awesome.”Mac Miller, a 19-year-old hip-hop sensation from Pittsburgh, Pa., “couldn’t have chosen a better place for his concert,” Daniel said.Doors opened at 7 p.m., but the actual concert didn’t begin until 8 p.m. Mac Miller appeared on stage at 9:30 p.m. with flashing lights and his lastest album, “Macadelic,” as background. Heavy bass shook the auditorium floor, and fans wearing neon tank tops screamed in excitement. “I’m here to have a good time,” freshman Maclaran Webb said. “Mac Miller has done a great job of reaching out to high-school and college students alike. I think that what he does, for the musician he is, inspires a lot of people. Granted it may not be the most socially acceptable music, but he gives his audience the music they want to hear.”Mac Miller’s fan base typically resides in the 15- to 23-year-old age bracket, according to the Boston Urban Music Festival, a festival he performed at last year. Mac Miller has built up his following through Internet-released albums and a variety of YouTube videos.Before the concert, a meet and greet took place at Dope Couture, an apparel store on College Avenue. The Cool Kids signed posters and took pictures with excited fans.“The Cool Kids have always had a lesser-known presence,” freshman Jacob Fehlhaber said. “I thought they would eventually break the mold, but it hasn’t happened yet. They pride themselves on their ability to maintain artistic integrity and have a very lax attitude about their music, for as much work as they put into it.”The Cool Kids are a hip-hop rockabilly group from Illinois, who released their first album through their own label, C.A.K.E. Recordings. Rapper Evan “Chuck Inglish” Ingersoll said this was the group’s first appearance at IU.“My DJ went and graduated from IU so I’ve heard a lot about it,” Ingersoll said. “I’m happy to be here and finally get to experience it. I’m excited about the show tonight and I hope that everybody enjoys it.”Prime Social Group, the promotion company endorsing the Macadelic Tour, representative Sinclair Wheeler said this was its second show at IU.“The first person we brought was Janelle Monáe in the fall,” Wheeler said. “I enjoy bringing concerts to IU because I went to school here and we have a really good relationship with everybody at the auditorium. It is a beautiful venue and a great place to throw concerts.”Wheeler attended IU for nearly two years and then dropped out to pursue his music career. More than a week before the concert, Union Board released a statement saying, “tickets are almost sold out” and that the 3,200 auditorium seats were almost full. The first concert of Little 500 week was undoubtably popular with students and local residents alike.“I’ve been listening to Mac Miller since before anybody knew him,” Bloomington resident Brandon Wilson said. “I went to the concert last year when he opened for Wiz Khalifa and he was amazing. “Honestly seeing him grow from last year, opening for Wiz, to this year, having his own show, is incredible. He’s gotten so much better in just one year. This is gonna be one hell of a show.” — Contributed by Raven Carpenter
(04/12/12 1:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As he geared up for the grand opening, owner Brent Thackery said East Bloomington Glass Blowers was created to give back to the community.“I’ve been blowing glass since 1997 and made it my profession in 2000,” Thackery said in an email. “The idea for EBGB’s came about as a way to give back to the community. The idea is to create a space where local artists can sell their work on consignment and folks looking for local art at great prices can come together.”Ranging from glass art to painting to fossils and limestone carvings, EBGB’s houses the work of many different artists.“I met Brent at the Indiana Festival last year,” artist Stan Weddington said. “I believe I was the first artist whose work was featured in the establishment.”Weddington’s work is fractal, or algorithmic, and features digital lines that crystallize into one pattern of media. Though EBGB’s works to sell art created by aspiring artists, it also serves as an inspiration for those same artists.“When I came up with the idea for EBGB’s, I didn’t want to just sell art. I wanted to inspire young artists to pursue their dreams,” Thackery said. “I wanted to help them realize that they can make a living doing what they love.”Working together with his wife, Amanda, Thackery said the fundamental mission of EBGB’s was “to elevate the frequency or spirits of anyone whom we come into contact with.”Aaron Steele, a sculptor whose work is featured at EBGB’s, is a long-time friend of Thackery’s and said he was impressed with the establishment.“I’ve known Brent for years,” Steele said. “I used to own a couple bars on Kirkwood which were replaced by Kilroys. I met Brent through a friend of mine when I owned the bars, and we’ve been friends ever since. EBGB’s is another fine accomplishment that can be attributed to him.”Working mainly with limestone, Steele said he sees a positive future for EBGB’s.“I don’t think Brent’s going anywhere soon,” he said. “A lot of people from around the state come to him for his work, and now they have a good place to get it from.”People can purchase artwork from EBGB’s, but, for some artists, the space works as a great place to showcase.“Today it’s all about marketing,” Weddington said. EBGB’s was not built directly in Bloomington. Located off of Highway 46, it aims to attract people driving by on the highway.“We chose this location due to the high visibility,” Thackery said. “But the main reason we chose to be outside of the city was respect for the law. We were informed that glassblowing is now considered ‘heavy industrial’ and is forbidden within city limits. I am aware that there are other glass studios that have gotten away with it, but I didn’t want to risk it.”Thackery said the purpose of his business is to raise awareness of the arts, and he hopes to continue this work.“As far as the future goes, our intent is to remain as a wholesale art depot for artists and customers,” Thackery said. “It will stand as long as people support the arts.”
(04/06/12 2:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>BeatStreet, the biggest event of Arts Week Everywhere, kicked off at 5 p.m. Thursday, and music traveled through Dunn Meadow.“All right, all you music lovers out there,” IU sophomore and event stage manager Charlie Wood announced into the microphone. “Time to get this show on the road. Give it up for Regal Rhythms.”Applause greeted the performers on stage as people in the mingling crowd paused to listen. “BeatStreet is our project for the music class we’re taking with Monika Herzig,” Wood said. “It has taken us all semester to get it together, and we’re happy with the way everything turned out.”The IU Jacobs School of Music and bands such as Elephant Quiz, the Main Squeeze, Marshall Robbins and the Phunk Nasty’s and 800 lb. Gorilla continued to play all evening.“BeatStreet is presented by the Music Industry I class that I teach,” said School of Public and Environmental Affairs Arts Administrator Monika Herzig. “We created the concept at the beginning of the semester, put in a proposal to Arts Week and got accepted as a spotlight event. Since then the students have been assigned to committees in preparation. We’ve been planning this throughout the semester, and now it has finally arrived.”Wood and his co-stage manager Pat Brown, also a sophomore at IU, stood in the crowd along with numerous other curious spectators as bands took the stage one by one.“I heard about this event through Facebook,” senior Kristen Hoyles said. “It was such a beautiful day out that I decided to come chill for a bit and listen to music. The bands are really good, and I’m happy that it ended up being held on such a nice day.”As the evening progressed, the crowd grew in number. Various spectators painted on the nearby art wall, sponsored by the Trained Eye Arts Center, as they listened to the music.“I definitely love Elephant Quiz,” sophomore Jen Sampson said. “They did absolutely great.”When 800 lb. Gorilla went onstage, drummer Michael Malospiriti broke his drumstick and chucked it into the grass at the front of the stage. Peter Gerard, a sophomore in Herzig’s class, ran up and grabbed the stick, holding it up in triumph.“This whole gig started out as a contest between classes,” Gerard said. “Our class came up with the best idea for Arts Week, so we were given a $2,500 grant to put together the performance. By putting on this show, we are trying to expose not only musical artists but art in general.”Hungry students that showed up to the performance were not disappointed. Public school music programs sold pizza and water. As Marshall Robbins and the Phunk Nasty’s took the stage, attendees formed a mosh pit in front of them. Moving and dancing helped keep students warm as the cool night breeze blew through Dunn Meadow.Two guests showed up alongside Marshall Robbins and the Phunk Nasty’s at the end of their performance. Owning the stage, Brice Fox and Daniel Weber sang “This is Indiana” as excited students jumped and sang along in the pit.The final band that performed was the Main Squeeze, and it was one of the most popular performances of the evening. Winning this year’s Rolling Stone and Volkswagen hosted Fan Tailgate Contest, the Bloomington-based band played live at a Superbowl tailgate and at The Crane Bay Event Center in Indianapolis, opening for music icons the Roots and Jane’s Addiction. “Everything went very well,” Herzig said. “My students really did a good job of pulling everything together. Though we made mistakes, we learned from them and moved on.”
(04/06/12 1:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Pure white primer flowed onto a long, plywood wall in Dunn Meadow as graffiti artist Mike Burchfield, chairman of the Beautification Committee for Trained Eye Arts Center, applied it.“This is the first year that the center has been up and running and involved with IU’s Arts Week Everywhere,” Burchfield said. “Nearly five hours worth of sidewalk chalk disappeared in the rain last night, so we’re trying to get people out here to chalk and let everyone know what’s up.”Chris Nix, a volunteer for the center, chalked the sidewalk a few feet away. Nix filmed the wall for most of the day for “Why Are You Here,” an event that allowed individuals to share their stories with the community. Once the primer dried, Burchfield began sketching on one of the walls. Several students gazed, and a few were brave enough to step off the sidewalk, grab a can of paint and express themselves on the wall.Holding a can of blue spray paint, sophomore Katherine Van Horn painted a symbol from her childhood.“I came up with this thing when I was a little girl,” Horn said. “It is a letter combination of the name I go by, ‘Kat.’”After becoming involved with Arts Week Everywhere, the center worked in collaboration with BeatStreet. BeatStreet and the center shared Dunn Meadow Thursday night.“Once our studio had enough artists, I wanted to get out there,” said Adam Nahas, president of Trained Eye. “We have a lot of talent that I want to share with the community, and I think the wall is going to be a great art project, especially once people hear the music that is going to be presented by BeatStreet this evening.”Benedict Jones, a consultant at Trained Eye Arts Center, talked about the importance of collaboration with IU.“We are extremely happy to be able to support the University and Bloomington with artistic and educational opportunities,” Jones said. “We try to collaborate with a number of different art entities on projects like these, not just artists involved in the center. All of us out here appreciate the opportunity we’ve been given to get involved with a project like this.”Csongor Erdelyi, campaign manager for the center, said one of the main goals was to make students aware of the center’s existence.“We offer a lot of great artistic and educational opportunities at the studio,” Erdelyi said. “It’s the perfect place for aspiring artists. The grass has got to grow from somewhere, and we’re the foundation.”
(04/05/12 2:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Featuring groups of students from the Jacobs School of Music and local organizations, Café Django came alive as candle flames danced and music flowed through the air. Performers involved with the Bloomington Chamber Project, a new, student-led venture that works to connect musicians with the Bloomington community, performed Tuesday at the café. A ring of chairs formed a small stage in front of the fireplace, which Forrest Wu, senior and head of the Bloomington Chamber Project, made his way to and stood to welcome the attendees.“This is the inaugural concert for the project, and I hope you all enjoy what the musicians have prepared,” Wu said.Senior Ben Wedeking and junior Mike Griesi kicked off the night with “Manuel de Falla,” a Spanish dance that they played on guitar. The next song was Dmitri Shostakovich’s “String Quartet No. 1.” Members of the group included sophomores Jinty Mctavish and Annika Kounts playing the violin, sophomore Jasper Zientek on the viola and sophomore Andrew Bader playing the cello.“This all started as a project by Project Jumpstart, which is a student-centered and student-driven career and entrepreneurial leadership program,” Wu said. “We are performing tonight as part of Arts Week here at IU, and though we were supposed to play three times this week, we shaved it down to just tonight.”Following the quartet, IU graduates Grace Kim and Meghan Yost delighted the audience with a piece by Bohuslav Martinu, with Kim playing violin and Yost playing viola.Throughout the night, multiple small groups played, and at the end of every song, audience members applauded enthusiastically. “This is the original way this music was enjoyed,” Bloomington resident and audience member Allie Wakefield said. “It is very enjoyable and intimate.”Through Wu, many people were able to come play at the café.“I’m a friend of Forrest’s, so when he asked me to play for the project, I definitely agreed,” senior Christine Hannan said. “My group and I are the Southern Brass Quintet, and we have been playing together for four years, so it didn’t take much to come up with something for Forrest tonight.”Playing “Valse Lente,” “Marcia alla francese” and “Gigue à l’anglaise” by Walter S. Hartley, the Southern Brass Quintet was the first brass performance of the night, filling the café with the strong sound of trumpets, a horn, a trombone and a tuba.“String Quintet No. 4 in G minor,” written by Mozart, followed the Southern Brass Quintet. The group playing Mozart included sophomore Lydia Umlauf and graduate student Paul Kim, both on the violin; graduate student Josiah Coe and Yost, both playing viola; and graduate student Jae Choi on the cello.Spicing up the evening, graduate students Joshua Espinoza, who played the piano, and Erik Franklin, who played the clarinet, took the stage. “I met Forrest through Project Jumpstart,” Espinoza said. “I have played with him in the past, so when he contacted me, I wanted to get involved. I was really excited about the idea of bringing music to the community.”Espinoza and Franklin played three preludes written by George Gerswhin before leaving the stage.Once the performances were finished, the café continued to bustle with people enjoying their Tuesday night in the comfortable atmosphere.“It was very nice to listen to this kind of music outside of a recital,” senior David Linard said. “I felt very cool sitting and drinking wine while listening to great music.”As it is the Bloomington Chamber Project’s first year, Wu said that he was extremely happy with the way the performances went.“I’m graduating this year, so I’m really happy that it went well tonight,” Wu said. “I’m really hoping that somebody will step up and take over the project next year. I am more than willing to pass on this responsibility to someone else, and hopefully I’ll be able to continue helping out as long as I stick around town.”
(04/04/12 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Grunwald Gallery in the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts maintained a welcoming atmosphere for visitors to view masters and bachelors of fine arts students’ thesis projects.A large structure stretching around half the room greeted viewers at the gallery entrance. Individuals were invited to examine artwork created by David Katz, a graduate ceramics student.The bone-colored ceramic weaved and twined around gray geometric shapes, with certain areas resembling a spider web. The large piece was kept from being too stretched out by a concentrated center.In the right room, which contained work from graduate students, two areas were set up that resembled typical household rooms. The carpeted floors held small couches, tables and interesting ceramic figures. Graduate student Lauren Duffy created “ceramic chimeras,” mythological ceramic creatures composed of different parts of animals.Lining the far wall were five paintings by graduate student Feng Liu. “My Grandma as a Young Girl” boasted vibrant colors with detailed, inlaid images. From a large, brush-stroked area of gray in the left-hand corner to a chain stretching along the bottom right-hand side, the painting contained a myriad of color and imagination. Work by graduate student Kelly Franke took up the back wall. An illusive combination of black, white and gray succeeded in creating the look of a mental prison. In the explanation on the wall next to her art, Franke said, “This work reflects my interest in constructing the human psyche as if it had a structural exoskeleton.”The art was titled “Mary Ellen” and depicted a barrier she had built inside her mind to keep everyone out.The only piece featured from a student pursuing a graduate degree in digital art was created by Rachel Lin Weaver and was titled “Trace Evidence.” After being drawn to the dark back room by eerie sounds emanating from within, viewers were invited to sit and watch at a small table and chair. Vibrations could be felt through the table, adding extra depth to the emotional experience. Weaver’s thesis was inspired by her father’s work as a homicide investigator. The wall leading back to the entrance was covered with work done by graduate student Erin Castellan. Combining hand-embroidery, sewn-fabric embellishment and paint, the art displayed bold colors and detailed sewing.Featured in the middle of the room was art created by graduate student Payson McNett titled “Anthropogenic Reliquiae.” Putting rusted metal and smooth wood that had been artfully burned on the inside together, McNett made new art out of something typically viewed as old and useless. “My inspiration was drawn from my reverence for nature and my love of machinery,” McNett said. “It was drawn from the conflict of how seemingly different aspects of our modern life come together.”In the room to the left of Katz’s large structure, art by bachelor students was featured. Digital prints by graduate student Chelsea Eales encompassed the right wall.“My project is based on intuition in graphic design,” Eales said. “When working as a graphic design student, there is a lot of emphasis on technical skill. I wanted to take a step back and think intuitively, which was my inspiration for my thesis.”In a small curtained room hung large figures made out of twisted, light metal. The metal was entwined around ceramic objects and gleamed in the small lights decorating the edges of the sculptures. The art was created by graduate student Nick Kovalenko and titled “Condemnation.” Thesis projects by senior Molly Quanty and graduate student Sarah Blevins were displayed in the back of the room. Quanty used copper to create a different perspective when looking at photography. Things she had experienced throughout her life heavily influenced her work.Blevins, who is pursuing a masters in graphic design, had created a kitchen and garden theme of posters and labels. Jars containing garlic, cocoa powder, flour and other ingredients sat on a table. Sitting close by was a basket containing butternut squash seeds and a sign that read “Please Take a Seed Packet.”“I am very interested in nostalgic topics, including cooking from scratch,” Blevins said. “I feel as though younger generations are losing touch with many of the practices our grandparents perfected. Growing up on a farm, I began to love the traditional hobbies of America’s pastime — cooking and baking, sewing, gardening, arts and crafts.”The final thesis project exhibited was titled “Rigid and Fluid Systems” by senior G. David Wright. In the heart of the three steel objects was contained something delicate. One held plaster, one held a combination of carbon dioxide, latex and paint, and another held sculpted ice. The final exhibit artfully led viewers back to the entrance.“For so long, I pursued this degree as an end, but as the time of completion grew nearer, I found my self looking at it as a beginning,” McNett said. “In short, it feels great to have earned a master’s degree.”
(04/03/12 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Bachelorette” has been running since March 22 and has taken the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center by storm with its raw, nontraditional script. Written by Leslye Headland as part of the Seven Deadly Plays series, “Bachelorette” has been well-attended every night since its debut.“We had a sold-out show both last Friday and this Friday,” said Heidi Harmon, marketing manager at the Cardinal Stage Company. “Student attendance has been amazing, and we have had very positive reactions to the play.”Songs by popular singers Rihanna, Florence and the Machine and Ke$ha resounded throughout the room as people filed in and took their seats. The Arts Center offered free beverages and created a comfortable atmosphere for attendees. Audience members were drawn into the scene due to the stage’s close proximity.“It is lovely to see you all here this evening,” Director Randy White said. “Thank you so much for coming, and I hope you enjoy the show.”Stumbling into the hotel room set, Gena and Katie, played by Margaret Katch and Jillian Burfete, began to explore the exquisite suite. Finding fancy couches to jump on, a spectacular wedding dress to play with and a tub full of champagne to indulge in, the girls started a whirlwind of trouble that didn’t change until the end of the play.“I’ve been involved in a play where crazy stuff happens but never in a play that handles it this well and this authentically,” said Kelly Lusk, who is playing the role of Joe. Throughout the play, the characters were examined in individual and group situations. “Bachelorette” was filled with laughter-inducing dialogue, as well as heart-wrenching scenes, as the actors brought the relatable experiences in Headland’s script to life.In a scene featuring only Joe and Katie, the two sat chatting on the couch and, in time, began to tell stories about their pasts. Some were funny: others, not so much.“One time, I woke up naked next to a hamburger,” Katie said. “My first thought was, ‘Oh my god, I did that hamburger!’ But then I realized you couldn’t do that to a hamburger.”The crowd rolled with laughter as Katie told her story to Joe, and then Joe related a drunken experience that he remembered quite well.“I was convinced that I was Satan,” Joe said. “I was so convinced that I lit my friend’s couch on fire.”Unable to stop laughing, Joe and Katie continued to share their fun stories and wide grins until Joe related a story that didn’t have a happy ending.“One night, I went out drinking with my best friend, Ethan Parsons,” Joe began. “We got blasted, and we came back and passed out next to each other on the bed.”Katie, having passed out numerous times due to drinking, smiled at the thought of Joe and his best friend passing out together. In her estimation, “reaching the point where I can’t bring the bottle to my mouth is the best.” Joe stopped her smile with four words.“He never woke up,” Joe said.From there, lies, deception, betrayal and insecurity wreaked havoc during the bride’s last night as a single woman. Becky, played by Emily Solt, came back to the suite to find it trashed, her wedding gifts scattered and a girl she didn’t even like nearly dead.“I really liked this play,” IU student Matt Kwasniak said. “It was incredibly raw and relatable, a real emotional roller coaster.”By the end of the play, secrets were revealed, hearts were laid bare and insecurities were discovered. Through the challenges of the night, the women, the two visiting guys and the bride had learned much about each other and themselves.“The play definitely speaks to me in the sense that I see myself and my friends in every single one of these characters,” Lusk said. “I’ve seen my friends be responsible, manipulative, lovable, confused, stoned and drunk. These are all things that the characters in ‘Bachelorette’ go through, and they all have their own very justifiable reasons for doing so. It’s not that we don’t want to grow up or don’t know how to grow up. We just don’t see the point.”
(03/30/12 2:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A small group gathered for a celebration of words Wednesday evening at Rachael’s Café.Taking inspiration from their individual lives, the presenters documented their journeys and experiences with poetry. The event, called “Little Black Wednesday,” allowed people to come to the stage and read poetry, short stories and other works they had written.“Most of my poetry is inspired by my love for Jesus Christ,” said Kiva White, who shared her words with the audience. “My passion is to show people the glory of God and, through my words, to show them that there is still love, joy and hope in the world.”Michael Anderson, another performer, read an introductory poem that kicked off the evening. He read numerous poems throughout the night, mixing originals with the works of others.His readings acted as introductions for other performers. Standing on the small stage, Anderson stared at the audience before reading one of the final lines of his first poem.“This is reality,” Anderson began. “This is the doing rather than the testing. What you do on this stage is not evidence of the thing, but the thing itself.”Applause followed him off the stage as, one by one, others took the stage as he had.Words rang in the air as subjects ranging from aching bones, rain and love to steaks, pain and the limestone bosoms of Bloomington delighted the enthusiastic audience.“My biggest inspirations come from the various alternative lifestyles that I have both witnessed and studied in the world,” junior Jessica Sobocinski said. “I’m not only inspired to write about the lifestyles but about the philosophies and tactics used to deal with them.”After Sobocinski read one of her poems, “Warriors,” Anderson changed the tune as he stepped onto the stage and read an email he wrote to the graduate school at Boise State University that had rejected him.He had never sent the email. When asked where he took his inspiration from, Anderson jokingly said, “Where do I get my inspiration? I do drugs.”Laughter and solemnity interchangeably colored the aura around Rachael’s Café as various words were read that emphasized one emotion or the other, or some feeling in-between.Continuing long after the sun had set, the crowd in the café grew as people continued to read. “I’ve been involved in many different walks of life,” White said. “I’ve been to hell and back, and I used to ask God why he took me down some paths. But now I consider them a blessing. They help me relate to people on a level that I wouldn’t have been able to if I hadn’t experienced them. I want to touch people through my writing.”White balances a job, six children and her poetry readings. She stood on the stage and drew the attention of every eye in the audience as she recited her poem “Transformed” in a powerful voice.“This is the first time in my life that I’ve not just been the voice behind the paper,” White said. “I’ve been sharing my own story, and it has truly been an incredible journey.”
(03/28/12 2:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Los Llaneros, a Colombian and Venezuelan music group, played to an enthusiastic crowd in the Mathers Museum of World Cultures last night. Songs were sung in Spanish and played with traditional Llano, or plains, instruments. “Tonight is another part of the Lotus Blossom Festival,” said Sarah Hatcher, curator of education at Mathers. Beginning with the topic of traditional music from the Llanos, each member of the group explained what instrument they played and how it came to be a part of Llanero music. Edgar East, a Panamanian, played the maracas and explained what their significance is to people in Colombia and Venezuela.“These maracas, called gapachos, are filled with seeds from the gapacho plant,” East said. “The plants grow year round in Colombia, which make the gapacho maraca native to that specific area. You could not pick up a maraca from Cuba and play Llanero music.”Vocalist Karin Stein played the cuatro, a small string instrument, and afterward explained the importance of music to cowboys in the Llanos.“I grew up in Colombia,” Stein said. “Where I’m from, men go out and herd cattle all day and, a lot of times, night as well in the plains. They usually take maracas and a cuatro with them to make the time pass a little more pleasantly.”Daniel Rojas, also from Colombia, played a harp that boasted 36 strings rather than the traditional 32.“The harps we play for Llanero music are from 17th century Spain,” Rojas said. “They were brought over by Jesuit priests, missionaries, who influenced our music. Besides having a nontraditional number of strings, we also have a different method of playing. We use our nails.”Laughing, East complemented Rojas’ speech with a brief story of cowboys on the Llanos.“One day, I asked the cowboys going out if they wanted to take a harp along with them,” East said. “They just looked at me and said, ‘nay.’”Though specializing in Llanero music, the group also played music with an Andean influence, as well as African-influenced music.“The sequence that we chose tonight took us, in a roundabout way, all around Latin America,” East said. “There are three major influences in Latin America, and we have touched on all three. First, we played native Indian music. Secondly, we played music from the Andes mountains. Lastly, we played music from the African ethnic group, the third and final influence in Latin America.”When the group changed from Indian music to Andean to African, they changed hats, as well. From cowboy hats to fedoras, the group came ready to represent their homelands.“This music is home to me,” Stein said. “Though I may be somewhere else in body, the music always takes me back to where I’m from.”
(03/27/12 2:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>HART Rock Poetry Series made a comeback at Patricia’s Wellness Arts Café and Quilter’s Comfort Teas on Friday. Despite the harsh weather, a small group gathered to hear poems and stories.Kicking off the evening, Bloomington local Andrew Bowen read a personal poem titled “The Haunted Mill.”“I got the idea for it at a festival in Sandborn,” Bowen said. “It was based off of an Appalachian folk tale that I heard at the festival, but I adapted it to Bloomington.”Peggy Squires, co-host with Patricia’s Wellness Arts Café owner Patricia Coleman, said she “always relished a new treatment of a folkloric theme.”Coleman continued with a story about an Indian brave and a short poem. She has coordinated the Poetry Series for many years and said she is excited it’s back.“I began hosting the Series at the Runcible Spoon many years ago,” Coleman said. “The Series had been going on for a long time, but once ownership of the Spoon changed hands, the Series quit being hosted. Matt O’Neal, the new owner of the Spoon, asked me to host it again, though, so I hosted there for about five more years.”Continuing the tale of the traveling Series, Coleman said they had to move to Rachael’s Café two years ago due to the Spoon’s increased popularity as a restaurant. Squires joined Coleman as co-host at the Rachael’s Café, and they were hosts to their last program of the HART Rock Poetry Series in May of this year. Once Coleman opened Patricia’s Wellness Arts Café, she said, she “could hardly wait to start the Series up again.”“When I signed the lease for this place, I knew that I wanted to start the Series here,” Coleman said. “Tonight is the first time it has been hosted here, and I am very happy to be doing it again.”Coleman and Squires plan to have the Series the fourth Friday of every month, and as April is National Poetry Month, they have planned a special workshop at Patricia’s Wellness Arts Café.“Next month, we will host a chapbook intensive facilitated by HART Rock,” Coleman said. “It is our first book-related workshop for people interested in putting their small collections, such as recipes, short stories and poems, together in one book.”Finishing up the first Series, Squires told a short, cultural story she picked up in her travels. Then, with Coleman, she ushered attendees to a table that had been prepared with fresh tea and cake.“We’re so excited to be starting the Series again, and I’m really looking forward to the workshop next month,” Coleman said. “I’m hoping that it will be helpful and informative to everyone that comes.” Pausing and laughing, Coleman made a final reference to the temperamental weather.“Hopefully the tornados will stay away next time,” she said.
(03/22/12 2:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Cardinal Stage Company, a nonprofit organization founded in 2006, is bringing a new sort of play to Bloomington — one that is listed as “for mature audiences only” and defies tradition — a world away from the classics it has produced in the past, such as “The Sound of Music” and “My Fair Lady.” “Bachelorette” will make its debut at 7:30 today and be performed through April 8.“I was looking for a contemporary show when I heard about ‘Bachelorette’ in New York,” Artistic Director Randy White said. “It was a huge hit, and the four women in the show were truly remarkable characters.”The play is about four women who reunite, several years after college, in a Manhattan hotel suite for a bachelorette party. Featuring alcohol, drugs and unexpected visitors, the play shows women facing the challenge of moving from adolescence to adulthood.“We wanted to bring a play to the stage that speaks to young adults,” White said. “The young women in the play, who are nearing 30 years old, are trapped between adolescence and adulthood. We hope viewers see that everybody reaches the point where it is no longer funny to be kids anymore.”Leslye Headland, a Los Angeles playwright and TV writer, wrote “Bachelorette” as part of the Seven Deadly Plays series inspired by the seven deadly sins in Dante’s Inferno. “Bachelorette” represents the sin of “gluttony” and is the second installment in the series.“All the characters in the play are under 30 years old,” White said. “Both the age of the characters and what the play discusses make it more relatable to young adults.”Though the play is geared toward the younger generation, White said he is looking forward to seeing how typical subscribers will view it.“Honestly, I think they will like it,” White said. “It is very funny, and the quality of writing is so strong that it is hard not to appreciate it. It is definitely different from the usual classics that we do, but we try to appeal to a broad range of tastes, and by bringing this play here, I believe that we have accomplished that.”Emily Solt, who plays the role of the bride, said this play is unlike anything she has ever seen before.“It is incredibly funny,” Solt said. “And it’s not just funny. The characters are three-dimensional, and you end up caring a whole lot for them by the end of the play. The first time I read the script, I stepped away from it and felt like I knew them.”Out of the four girls, Solt is the only one that has made the transition into adulthood, while the other three are left behind, struggling to mature.“This play is kind of an examination of in-between times and passing through the gauntlet,” Solt said. “In the play I’m the first girl to have made the leap and am on my way to marriage.”Playing a bigger role toward the end of the play, Solt is thrust into a whirlwind of alcohol and partying. “It really emphasizes how, when you’re nearing your late twenties, the partying and stuff you did in your earlier twenties just isn’t cool anymore,” Solt said. “Though it is a comedy, it communicates a good message.”“Bachelorette” has been a major hit in large cities, such as Chicago and New York. White said he hopes students come to watch it.“We tried to bring a play to Bloomington that would appeal to everybody,” White said. “I believe this play does, and I hope students show up because it truly does display a great image of the struggle experienced by young adults as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.”