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(02/02/10 3:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Together to make it better. Together to make it better.”High school students of different races held hands and chanted together in the Grand Hall of Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center on Monday.About 100 students from Bloomington High School South, Bloomington High School North, Aurora Alternative High School and Bachelor Middle School took part in IU’s eighth annual African-American Read-In, a program which gives exposure to black literature during Black History Month.Dr. Stephanie Carter, associate professor at the IU School of Education, was part of the committee that planned the on-campus event and opened the event with a few words.“This is an opportunity to celebrate black literature,” Carter said.She welcomed the students and talked about the background of the program, which she said is in its 21st year nationally and was started by a group of scholars to provide an opportunity to look at great works by African-Americans.Students from the local schools then sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” is the black national anthem. Afterwards students from the audience took turns reading works from well-known black authors such as Langston Hughes, as well as original works.One student from Bloomington North read a poem called “What if I am a Black Woman?” by an unknown author.“So ... What if I am a black woman?” she asked. “Is it a crime? Arrest me!” The student became more passionate as she continued to recite the poem.“And pray for you too, if you don’t like women of color because we are ... Midnight Black, Chestnut Brown, Honey Bronzed, Chocolate Covered, Cocoa Dipped, Big Lipped, Big Breasted and Beautiful all at the same time!”Her performance was met with an uproarious applause from the audience. Between other performances, IU student emcees gave away door prizes.Poems recited by other students touched on the topics of black pride, friendship, the problems with their generation and the challenges black men and women face. One student from Haiti also addressed the audience and asked for support for her country.IU junior Jasmine Starks read a poem that was written by a friend, called “To a Queen.”“I want to sketch the definition of sistah in your soul,” Starks said. “Fab-u-lous.”`Additional students recited their own works of poetry, each met with enthusiasm by their peers.The program emphasized the turning of written words into spoken passion.Bloomington South junior Alexis Allen said she enjoyed learning more about how to support family and other people. She said reading black literature was important to her because written works are comprehensive.“You can write your feelings better than you can say them,” Allen said.Carter finished the read-in with words of wisdom.“Black writers have contributed so much to the world,” Carter said. “You join in, keep telling your stories. It’s okay to be young, gifted and black, right?” she asked the students. “Right!” they responded.“It’s okay to be young and gifted, right?” she asked again. “Right!”
(01/28/10 4:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Israeli politician Effie Eitam is no foreigner to war and politics. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces, served as a leader of the National Religious Party and was a member of Knesset, the Israeli legislature. Eitam was acknowledged for his military service when he won Israel’s Medal of Distinguished Service in the Yom Kippur War. IU-Bloomington was just one of his stops at college campuses in the U.S. Here is what he had to say about his life in politics and his take on Israel’s goals: IDS: When and why did you decide to become politically active? Was there a turning point for you?Eitam: I spent most of my life defending the state of Israel. I just thought that my experience might be very useful as far as civilian leadership of my country. My experience can be valuable, so I joined politics. ... I think that what I’m doing here now is kind of complementary to the mission of what I did in the army. The American students should know more about Israel and about the future. ... You might think Israel is all about terror and combat and at the end of the day, Israel is much beyond the Israeli policy conflict. It’s one of the most flouring economies the world. It’s a very innovative country and involved with a lot of pioneering projects in science and in many, many areas. IDS: You’ve spoken at other colleges. What do you want people to know, what do you want to get across from your talks? Eitam: I think what I want is for all of them to take is a better understanding of what Israel really is. I would say it’s some kind of a start up nation. ...We started to build the state of Israel from nothing.As far as the Jewish students, I want them to know that their people, their nation, are building a state, this state, not only the state of people who live in Israel, but it’s the common effort, the joining of hands. It has nothing to do with Orthodox lifestyle, it’s really about the will to participate in one of the most exciting experiments I think ever being made, at least in the last 1,000 years.Israel, the Jewish state, has a very deep commitment to human values and human behavior and I know that there are many accusations violating human rights especially among the politicians.When you fight in an urban area and terrorist are shooting from houses where women and children are inside, it is inevitable to have some civilians casualties. ... It’s nothing that we take very easily. So it’s very important for me to highlight the unfair and moral accusations. IDS: As you mentioned, many people believe Israel has done evil things, and don’t agree with your strong opinions on the matter. What would you say in defense to that? Eitam: I don’t think there is any need for defense and apology. The facts should be just known. Israel... is located in a very hostile region…it’s also a region of cultures which does not accept basic values we share ... so Israel is defending itself very much, as America is doing in many parts of the world. As far as defending our borders ... the enemies are really living in our backyard. I’m a firsthand witness because I spent 30 years of my life in the battlefield. ,,, We never plan or carry out a plan where civilians are a target. We always will think about it as a painful avenue ... to survive in this specific area of the world, which caused so much damage. ... Also our enemies and powers of evil have always in history, used manipulations and lies to legitimize the other side. Those countries’ non-democratic dictatorships always use brainwash and manipulations in order to confuse the free societies by using their channels of information just to weaken them.All we need to do is to tell the truth. And the truth will pave its way. I think it’s a battlefield, the advocacy of the Israeli case is something we shouldn’t give up.
(01/28/10 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Israel isn’t asking for peace. And it isn’t asking for war, either. At least, this is what Effie Eitam, Israeli politician, said in a lecture at the Indiana Memorial Union Wednesday. Eitam’s speech was about “Morality and Ethics in Israel” and “Why we should support the state of Israel.”Eitam stopped in Bloomington as a part of his travels in the U.S. to speak at various college campuses. His speech is part of a dialogue initiative, sponsored by Jewish National Fund, Media Watch International and Caravan for Democracy.President of Hoosiers for Israel Sara Geboff, senior, said Eitam was a good representative of Israel because of his years of experience in the Israeli defense and political system.“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to have such an important and influential member of Israel’s society at IU,” Geboff said. “He brings a first-hand account of what it’s like to be in Israel.”Eitam, who earned Israel’s Medal of Distinguished Service in the Yom Kippur War, said he wanted to “introduce Israel in a different way.” He said much of the media exposes Israel in a negative light, and Israel is a country that extends far beyond Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Eitam talked about Israel’s stable and growing economy and the fact that Israel is what he would call a “start-up country,” both morally and economically. Eitam said he was proud that Israel began helping Haiti right after the earthquake.He also touched on the topics of nuclear warfare and tense relations among the middle-eastern countries. He said different countries, Iran for example, are willing to sacrifice a lot, but Israel is not yet ready to back down from the battle.“Israel will not accept nuclear Iran,” he said. He warned the audience that if diplomacy continues to fail as it has in the past decade, an operation in self-defense will happen, if it must.Eitam spoke about the uniqueness of Israel, and that it remains the only Jewish state in the world, as Jews continue to be expelled from different land masses throughout history.“The state of Israel is not only a state of Israelis,” he said.Eitam expressed the idea that withdrawal, a “romantic” fantasy, an embrace with an opposing nation, is not the real issue. Leaving a country under operation would not be a smart idea, he said.“Israel will make peace with who she wants to make peace with,” Eitam said.He did not ignore casualties, the loss of innocent victims and civilians that were not supposed to die. He called the deaths “tragic” and acknowledged that the innocent killings are not planned, but “inevitable.”Eitam is not the only one concerned with such issues. Audience member senior Jessica Gross said she was interested in the conflict, and she found it honorable for a country to still be a “sovereign nation” and have security.“I think there’s a lot of debate about humanitarian issues,” Gross said.Eitam, finishing his lecture, stressed the importance of remaining active politically as an American and being able to support Israel.“You don’t have the right to be passive or involved with apathy,” he said.
(01/26/10 5:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Collective ignorance, or what we don’t know, can be the ultimate cause of some types of discrimination. This was one of the underlying ideas expressed in the lecture Monday night at the Indiana Memorial Union by assistant professor of history Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad.His talk was part of the lecture series “Readings on Race.” Muhammad’s book, “The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America,” sheds light on the overrepresentation of the black race and crime statistics.Muhammad stressed the link between race and crime and said nearly half the population behind bars in the U.S. today is black.“Black crime statistics are ubiquitous,” he said.Muhammad said racial crime statistics began even before Jim Crow laws were instated, and the problems of these statistics still remain not just in the south, but even in northern, liberalized areas. He said the nationwide knowledge of black crime statistics began with the 1890 U.S. Census report, and people began to make assumptions based on this information.He highlighted one statistic: the black population, which represented 12 percent of the U.S. population, made up 30 percent of the nation’s prisoners. And as for the status of white men and women in prisons, Muhammad said, people continue to be unaware.Muhammad said the spread of statistics reduced crime to numbers, rather than socioeconomic problems.“Criminalization then functioned as a color-blind language to talk about black people,” he said. “Statistics have helped to simplify our conversations about race.”Muhammad said the statistics that many people were exposed to were designed to prove black inferiority, and even today there is still debate about the representation of black people in the criminal justice system. He added that the overrepresentation of black people in the system leaves a “gaping hole” for the rest of the population that prisons are filled with.“The numbers do not speak for themselves,” Muhammad said. “They never have.”His lecture followed with a question-and-answer discussion with the audience. The discussion sparked audience members to bring forth complex thoughts and questions.Sophomore Jessica Hill said she had Muhammad as a professor last semester, and while she had heard about his views in class, the lecture helped her reflect. She added that he never attempts to please people. Instead, she said, he gives facts.“It gets you thinking,” Hill said. “He says the truth.”Audience member Iris Rosa, associate professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies, said she thought Muhammad was “captivating” and she found it difficult to summarize just one of the many references to crime, statistics and history.“I think Professor Muhammad is very passionate about his books,” Rosa said. “So right now what I’m doing is taking all the pieces and putting it all together.”
(01/25/10 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Strong views about the “threat of the black race” and discussion about the ideas of black criminality will heat up the Indiana Memorial Union today.Assistant professor of history Khalil Gibran Muhammad will lecture about his book “The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America” at 6:30 p.m. today in the Whittenberger Auditorium as part of the “Readings on Race” series, sponsored by the student group One IU. The series will feature four different lectures by various discussion panels and departments. It will encompass a variety of topics including those about music, crime, culture and the diaspora of different ethnic backgrounds. Muhammad’s book was described by a reviewer as highlighting information about the social construction of black criminality.A student panel-led discussion and book signing at 8 p.m. in the Georgian Room at the IMU will follow Muhammad’s presentation of his book.
(01/19/10 5:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of change, struggled for equality and built his goals on a foundation of advocacy. Monday on IU’s campus, students helped to solidify many of King’s values by participating in celebratory events in his honor.The MLK Day march, which began at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Third Street and Jordan Avenue, started off quiet with a small group of students, all black. Bloomington resident Duncan Searle, who is white, joined the group, bike in tow. Searle said he was looking forward to watching King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, which played at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center after the group arrived at the building. He said King’s legacy is continued by the celebration.“The job’s not done yet,” Searle said. “His work is still ongoing.”Once the group grew to about 20 students, the march to Neal-Marshall began. They attempted to walk in the middle of the street, where many of King’s marches were, but cars refused to pass the group, provoking them to step into the bike lane. One student joked and shouted to her friend, who was playing it safe by walking on the sidewalk. “You’re walking to class. Get off the sidewalk!”After sipping on hot chocolate and listening to King’s speech, the group proceeded to the Unity Summit at Willkie Auditorium. There, attendees were invited to take a number, enjoy lunches provided by BuffaLouie’s and sit down at the table that corresponded to their number.The auditorium was almost completely filled with students of all races conversing with each other.The summit began with ice breakers and then the event took on a more serious note. Students engaged in conversation with table mates about discrimination, racism and differences. Their questions shed light on issues such as homophobia, racial slurs and discriminatory acts. They also discussed the fact that everybody has done or said something offensive – consciously or not – at some point. Freshman Ariel Rowley said she was glad to participate in the discussion because it made her realize the prominence of racism today.“We have all done racist things,” Rowley said. “A lot of us have had racist things happen here.”Junior Shawn Major-Winston was relieved that there were ground rules to facilitate the discussions, some of which included “be open, be honest, be respectful of each other and confidentiality.” Major-Winston said these rules helped him feel comfortable with the situation.“There are some things you want people to know about your people,” Major-Winston said. He explained that discrimination is rooted from the misunderstanding of something, which leads to fear, which then provokes discrimination.“You try to belittle your fear and conquer it,” he said.For the second half of the program, students discussed comments written on “Write My Mind” project posters, which were distributed at different locations on campus. Issues discussed included health care and immigration reform as well as advocacy for minority and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.Students then took turns with the microphone and spoke to the entire room. They expressed their tables’ thoughts and ideas about how to take advocacy to the next level, either on campus or in the community.Sophomore Renee Davis said she enjoyed the summit and thought it helped a potpourri of students connect on an intimate level.“I really love this type of experience,” Davis said. “Being open and honest with each other, this is where we can make small changes. If Dr. King was here, he’d be really proud of us.”
(01/15/10 7:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve...You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”On Monday, both students and the community will continue his legacy of service and advocacy. For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, several events will take place in Bloomington, including a march, prayer service and a Unity Summit. Other events such as the “Write My Mind” project and movie nights will contribute to the celebration as well. Director of the Office of Diversity Education Eric Love said the Unity Summit will be inspirational, entertaining and educational.“Students can talk about issues of diversity and social justice in a safe and structured environment,” Love said. “They’ll get to interact with students from all different races. For many students, they don’t get a chance to do that.” Love said the event has been held annually for several years in honor of King, but new this year is the level of student involvement – the program is completely student run. Incorporated into the Unity Summit will be the “Write My Mind” dialogue, which is an opportunity for students to write responses to questions listed on posters at different venues on campus.Sarah Wilcox, student organizations coordinator for the office of student organizations, said the dialogue will allow students to reflect.“I think with the events – Obama and change and transition – people are looking for ways to act more about topics they are passionate about,” Wilcox said. “I think it’s hopefully complimenting or enacting the spirit of Dr. King in that way so people are inspired to be an advocate as he was.” Bloomington has a commission designed to help carry out celebration events for the holiday. Craig Brenner, special projects coordinator in the community and family resources department, said the commission’s purpose is to celebrate the holiday and promote diversity. The commission organized several service projects and Jackson’s speech in honor of MLK day. Brenner said the commission’s award, the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award” will be given to a group or individual who has made substantial contributions to race relations and justice.He said the day’s slogan, “It’s a day on, not a day off,” has significance because it’s parallel to King’s beliefs of the importance of service.“It means even though you’re off, you should make a day of accomplishing something for the benefit of others,” Brenner said. The heart of the celebration, while encompassing several issues, will remain prevalent. “This year we will focus on what it means to be an advocate of social justice for those who need help,” Love said. “Students will leave with an action plan to make a difference, not only on King day, but beyond.”
(01/15/10 4:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though the Holocaust ended in Europe some 60 years ago, anti-Semitism in the world is not infrequent today.Thursday inaugurated IU’s Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. The institute is the second of its kind established in the U.S. and will be used as a base for research. Additionally, it will seek to illustrate the causes and consequences of antisemitism.Robert Wistrich, Neuberger Chair for modern European and Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, spoke about “Liberte, Egalite, Antisemitism: The French Connection.”Wistrich’s lecture touched on the current and past issues of anti-Semitism in France.“To be honest, I don’t know quite frankly why I picked on the French,” he joked in the beginning.Wistrich followed with several anecdotes about hundreds of anti-Semitic acts that occurred in France in 2008 alone. He then articulated the magnitude of power which the French government had on anti-Semitic policies and sometimes pro-Arab policies. Wistrich said that over time many laws in France targeted the Jews, and French police collaborated in deporting Jews to Nazi death camps.Although World War II ended the Holocaust, anti-Semitism prevailed in France, he said.“When you examine soberly what happened after 1945, it was one of the most anti-Semitic periods the world has seen,” he said.Charles de Gaulle, former French President, held a press conference during his reign and addressed the Jews in what Wistrich called “a sermon to the Hebrews.” As time progressed, Wistrich said anti-Semitism was often woven into political movements. Tension with the Palestinians escalated the excuse for an outburst against French Jews, Wistrich said. Even as recent as the 21st century, Wistrich stated, French government tended to be reluctant to address the anti-Semitic issues, even sometimes denying it altogether. Young children were also targeted.“There was really shocking abuse in French schools,” he said. “If anti-Semitism could be identified, it could be mobilized.”
(01/13/10 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Greek letter organization, Kappa Alpha Psi, first founded at IU, is manifesting service this week on campus.The fraternity, an all-black organization founded in 1911, is having a variety of events this week with the theme “Thee Krimson Renaissance.” Eric Love, an advisor for KAP, said the events will be “promoting an era of refinement and achievement” as well as awareness of the fraternity. The fraternity will celebrate its 100th year of service in 2011. Love said events this week will span from health care and technology to entertainment and artistic expression. The entire week serves a purpose.“The main reason is to provide service; secondary is to expose the fraternity to the rest of the campus,” Love said. “We like to promote our story or history; share information about our fraternity at IU.”Events are each named with the beginning of the title being “Art of ... ” and are occurring every day this week at various venues. All events are free and open to the public with the exception of the “Black Diamonds & Pearls” Party, which will be held on Saturday. Thursday’s event, “Art of Spoken Word” will mix caffeine and passion. The night will consist of Starbucks Coffee and a performance featuring the California poet Dahlak Brathwaite. Brathwaite has appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry twice and will touch on topics such as race and discrimination.Junior Shawn Major-Winston, director of the event, said the poetry will be an interesting experience for audience members. “We thought we’d put a little spunk to it and bring experience with somebody who has spoken word so the campus can get a feel for what spoken word truly is,” Major-Winston said. He said spoken word can be more powerful than written word because the emotion can be easily felt and heard.“It’s more catchy and plus you will see more emotion,” Major-Winston said. Because there are so many different fraternities on IU’s campus, some are often unrecognized by name. Sophomore Aaron Barnes, a newly initiated member to KAP, said in the events so far, people asked him about the KAP emblem, which lead to conversations about the original fraternity foundation. “Education ensues,” Barnes said. Barnes said although a major element of the week is to promote KAP, all IU students should be motivated to attend the events because everyone is of targeted interest. “The events are put on by students like them, and that’s important because we wouldn’t want to put anything before students we wouldn’t want to see ourselves,” Barnes said. “It’s practical and applicable. We try to seek out student representatives who can relay information to our peers and give something they can tell somebody else about.”
(01/08/10 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What might be the most well-known and prestigious opera houses in the country may soon be home to singers from one of the best music schools in the country.Saturday marks the beginning of the annual Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Jacobs School of Music will play host to the Indiana District Auditions at 1 p.m. at the Musical Arts Center. On Jan. 16, the Tri-State Regional Auditions, including Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, will be at Butler University’s Clowes Memorial Hall. Both events are free and open to the public.Maria Levy, Indiana district director for the auditions, said there are currently 23 applicants registered for the district auditions and all of them have backgrounds in opera performance.“The purpose is to discover exceptional young talent,” she said. Levy said the auditions serve as a way to identify young singers who can either join The Metropolitan Opera or participate in the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.“Everyone hopes to eventually sing at the Met and this is sort of giving them a boost,” Levy said. Applicants usually prepare five arias (a type of song) at the audition, Levy said. Depending on the length of the first aria, the singers might only be required to sing two or three.“If a singer is only asked to sing one, it doesn’t mean they are disqualified,” she said. Winners will be selected from the district auditions by three judges; Cynthia Lawrence, a professional opera soprano, Dean Williamson, the artistic director of the Cleveland Opera; and Stephen Brown, company manager for The Metropolitan Opera. Selected winners will advance to the regional-level auditions at Butler, and winners will travel to New York City for the National Semi-Finals. Levy said once all singers have finished auditioning, the three judges will deliberate and announce the finalists they feel are qualified for regionals, who will also receive a cash award. The judges will also go to the lobby or the MAC to give feedback to singers who request input about their audition performance.Brown said there are two angles the judges take when selecting winners for the district auditions. “It’s either somebody who could step onto the Met stage next year and the other thing is somebody who shows great promise with the right sort of work and guidance,” he said. “Are you looking for a finished artist or for talent? Everybody is different.” Brown, who has experience judging other competitions, said for the district auditions specifically, he is not necessarily looking for the final winner, but for somebody who can improve and should be watched in the future. “We have to put people forward,” he said. Talented singers, Brown said, will be selected even if he knows they have a small chance of making it through to the semi-finals. He also said he may push people through to the Regional competition so the judges in that audition will hear that person “because it is a talent worth nurturing.” Brown said he is particularly excited to judge students from IU because the music school has a great reputation. “Coming to IU, in some ways, it is the most remarkable vocal school in America,” he said. “It has some of the best teachers and the quality is very high. I am extremely curious to hear what IU has to offer.”
(12/11/09 4:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Acrobatics, magic and fantasy will make the way to Bloomington at 8 p.m. Friday at the IU Auditorium. “Cirque Dreams: Illumination” was produced by Cirque Productions, the first American company to perform European “cirque style” for the theater and on tour, according to the Web site, www.cirqueproductions.com.Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, explained what the show is about.“‘Cirque Dreams’ is a European stage circus following the theme of city life. Acrobats, aerialists, musicians and clowns all play a role in the show,” Booher said.Erik Alden, director of marketing for Cirque Productions said “Cirque Dreams: Illumination” is the most recent and 13th production for the company. He described the show as being set in an urban city, like Chicago or New York City, and the setting is on an “elevated train” where ordinary things are transformed into the extraordinary.“A college professor can fly through the air while he’s reading books,” Alden said.Alden said during some scenes audience members will be able to come on stage and participate. He added that the show will include more modern, hip music than in past tours. Types of performers will include acrobats, singers, dancers, contortionists and others.Neil Goldber founded “Cirque Dreams” in 1993 and since then the company has put more than 12 original shows in different venues, such as theaters and casinos. Although “Cirque Dreams” might seem like a spin-off of “Cirque du Soleil,” a Canadian entertainment company, the shows have two different approaches. Booher said the two shows are similar, but “Cirque Dreams” is more simplified. “While they both have roots in the same genre, ‘Cirque Dreams’ shows are more tightly packaged so that they can effectively tour and rely less on the design of the theatre and elaborate staging.” In an Atlantic City Weekly review of “Cirque Dreams,” reporter Lori Hoffman distinguished the two shows.“While ‘Cirque du Soleil’ has morphed into large-scale stage shows in which the human element takes a backseat to the spectacle, ‘Cirque Dreams: Illumination’ emphasizes the art of the performers,” Hoffman said. “Cirque Dreams” is a costume, makeup and visual-oriented show. Linda Pisano, associate professor of costume design in the Department of Theatre and Drama, said the costumes for the performers have to be more durable than for other shows. “On the practical side, they’re incredibly agile and athletic, so they need costumes that will move with them that are pretty much a second skin to help them, so they can have the range of motion and do aerial work,” Pisano said. “From the artistic perspective, like any artistic performance of any size, costumes are vital between creating a sense of color, motion and movement on stage.”Pisano said the costumes are most likely made from stretchy Lycra, spandex, or even a good polyester fabric. She said other fabrics such as silk and linen would not be sufficient for traveling, washing and repair work. “Touring is really hard,” Pisano said. “If you could see the costumes after the end they are pretty disgusting. Wardrobe has to repair them, so it’s constant being manipulated and packed up.”
(12/07/09 3:55am)
The original Straight No Chaser, a 10-member a capella group, will perform April 12 at the IU Auditorium.
(12/02/09 5:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although the IU Auditorium’s usher program has been around since 1941, the job has remained the same, except for one thing: required clothing attire. “Formal wear was tuxedos and fancy-schmancy dresses,” said Jennifer Maddox, IU Auditorium house manager. “Ushers used to have to buy or rent their own tuxedos. It’s been the basic value of giving back to the community and the camaraderie of the people.”There are 1,400 registered volunteers this semester, but the job provides students with more than just a free show. It gives students an opportunity to build communication and problem-solving skills, Maddox said.“We don’t really advertise,” Maddox said. “It’s mainly by word of mouth – we get a lot of people through Welcome Week. After a while people start to make connections. It’s a social network. It’s giving back to the community in which students reside.” She said a new feature this year for the usher volunteers is community service activities, including volunteering with Hoosier Hills Food Bank and making fleece blankets for hospital patients. In addition, there is a social committee among the volunteers. “We sent out a survey asking for feedback about what you liked about the auditorium and what you liked about being here,” Maddox said. “We were trying to figure out how to retain students.” Maddox said the auditorium uses an online database system that serves as a sign-up system for the ushers to choose what shows to work. Volunteers can apply after one semester to become a manager and can work their way up the scale for more distinguished jobs. Maddox said she spends a large part of her time working with students and that she enjoys it. “I learn so much from them every day,” she said. “It’s very enriching for me to be around them.” Sophomore usher Kirsten Torchalski said she originally liked the idea of seeing free shows, but she said she became accustomed to the atmosphere. “The people who work there are extremely friendly and try their hardest to make it a fun environment,” Torchalski said. “It’s very welcoming. Nobody will ignore you, and everyone is very helpful.” Torchalski said starting out as an usher was tough because she didn’t know the seating very well, but because the programs re-orient the ushers at each event, things got easier over time. “It’s very different from any other job I’ve done,” Torchalski said. “I’ve worked as a cashier, a secretary, behind the desk. It’s kind of nice to actually interact with people.” She said it is rewarding when the patrons comment on the ushers’ friendliness – being helpful to others is key.Camaraderie sums up senior Jake Dawes’ usher experience as assistant house manager. Dawes said he has worked with the auditorium since summer 2006. “I live with people that work at the auditorium,” Dawes said. “It’s a nice atmosphere to have a really cool group of people that care about you.” Dawes said he has developed skills including how to remain calm under pressure and being able to work through problems to get to solutions quickly.“People tend to get upset when they don’t get exactly what they want,” he said.Dawes said he encourages other students to get involved with the auditorium and to reap the benefits from the experience. “They can really experience things that they usually don’t get to experience and eventually make a ton of great new friends,” Dawes said. “It’s a cool potential for a lot of different opportunities.”
(11/20/09 5:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center has seen its share of sacrifice and struggle during the past four decades. The center continued to celebrate a year-long celebration of their 40th anniversary Thursday with an art exhibit featuring works from local student artists, a tour of the building, a panel discussion about black culture centers, student entertainment and a reception dinner.The early version of the center was established in 1968 after student activists pushed a program on administration that would provide more black students, faculty and oriented programs on campus. The center was originally called “Black House” – one with “poor conditions” that was located in a former fraternity house on North Jordan. In 2001 the center was built at 275 N. Jordan Ave., its current location. Today the center is home to the African American Arts Institute and to a variety of student organizations.“It is said that nothing comes without sacrifice or struggle,” said Edwin Marshall, IU vice president for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs. Marshall and IU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis both spoke at the reception dinner that concluded the day’s events.Thursday was a celebration of the center’s achievements and institutions. Attendees included Yvonne Hudson, the widow of the center’s creator, Herman Hudson; Caramel Russell, the center’s first director; and her husband, Joseph Russell, former dean of what was then called Afro-American Affairs.Graduate student Muhammad Saahir, a panelist for the discussion, said black culture centers serve as a reminder of the work and struggles that the students had to go through, but also as a home away from home.“It’s a place to relate to others,” Saahir said. “Right now I’m not in the same stage of protests, not being denied as I have in the past. I feel it’s more of a home, a facility to promote awareness, to value one another’s culture.”Caramel Russell said the original vision of the center was to spark student interest in African American programs and cultures. She said she felt proud that the center was serving a role in the community.“I’m so glad it’s here,” Russell said. “I tried to carry out the vision as far as I could. Continue on.”The center’s director Audrey McCluskey said the center’s current vision is to aim for equity.“Students should understand it’s a place where they belong – a place for black culture and to disseminate it to the world.”Yvonne Hudson, who was married to Herman Hudson in his later years, said her husband was an advocate of the students and he always had them in mind. She said that the students were a “different type” when the center was founded, and that it is still a place they can call home.“It’s a place where black culture is fostered and perpetuated,” Hudson said. “Students can have a home that they can relate to. I think students need to use the center and make it better than what it is.”
(11/11/09 5:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A green sheen of light spanned across the front of the IU Auditorium on Tuesday. Enter the building, and see young children dressed in Dorothy Gale’s signature blue-and-white-checkered dress with red slippers that glittered like diamonds. The spirited children were just one element of “The Wizard of Oz,” abundant with grandiose special effects throughout the program.Ruby red slippers, Munchkins, the Yellow Brick Road and a little dog named Toto remained an integral part of “The Wizard of Oz” experience, best known originally as the 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland. The Royal Shakespeare’s take on the show added pyrotechnics, strobe-lights and a twister illusion that had the audience “oohing” and “ahhing.”The performance opened with a drab and colorless scene of Kansas, where Dorothy lives on a farm with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. Dorothy was breathless.“My heart’s thumping so loud, I can’t hardly breathe,” she said. Toto, her dog, scuddled on stage. The next scene showed her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, both hard at work, and they barely even noticed Dorothy. She then sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and got into an argument with Miss Gulch, who claimed Toto bit her. Gulch was played by the same actress, Pat Sibley, who portrays the Wicked Witch of the West.Audience member Jessica Allen came with a friend, who said Allen collected all sorts of paraphernalia from “The Wizard of Oz.” Allen said she started collecting items during the past 10 years, and she likes all elements of the show.“It’s my favorite movie of all time,” she said. “I like everything.”Dorothy decided to run away with Toto because of all the drama, and found Professor Marvel in the process, a sort of magician who shows her a crystal ball that looks into the future. Dorothy continues on her journey, and a violent twister sweeps everything away. The audience watched a projector which showed a spinning twister with flashes of the witch, an illusion to later parts of the show.Dorothy then said one of the best-known lines in the show: “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. We must be over the rainbow.” The stage was clearly set in a place very far away.Vibrant colors radiated from the set, and in came Glinda the Good Witch in a pink sparkly dress, along with the Munchkins, short, with colorful wigs, painted faces and squeaky voices.In Munchkin Land, Glinda and the Munchkins tell Dorothy to follow the Yellow Brick Road so that “The Wizard of Oz” can transport her back to Kansas. While traveling, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion, and each of them need one thing: a brain, a heart and courage, respectively. The performance displayed the foursome encountering various obstacles along the way, including angry trees, a poppy field and spells from the Wicked Witch. Audience member Peggy Lee said she thought the show was great, and though the show was based on the movie, simple additions enhanced the performance.“They added jokes too,” Lee said.She added that people can learn different lessons from the show.“There’s the heart, and other things, like the importance of family and being together,” Lee said.
(11/10/09 5:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dorothy Gale from the Broadway production of “The Wizard of Oz” is no longer in Kansas. Performances will be Tuesday and Wednesday at the IU Auditorium. “The Wizard of Oz” originated as a 1900 children’s novel by L. Frank Baum. The release of the 1939 MGM film based on the book made “The Wizard of Oz” a part of pop culture throughout the United States. IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said the production has songs from the movie as well as additional songs. Booher said children from the Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation’s Edgewood Junior High School will play parts in the productions as Munchkins. “It’s a great program for anybody who’s a ‘Wizard of Oz’ fan,” Booher said. “People who remember seeing it as a kid will get taken back to childhood. IU students will be able to reminisce when they come and see the show.” Booher said there are also craft opportunities for children before the program begins, and there are promotional specials in partner with Finch’s Brasserie on Kirkwood Avenue. He said the show will be a direct representation to the story that many people have seen in the movie version. “It’s a bright and bold set, a really talented cast,” Booher said. Wardrobe attendant Beckie DeLong said she helps prepare costumes prior to the show in addition to helping backstage costume changes during the program. She said trying to change costumes can be very challenging, depending on how experienced the actor is. “Basically, they stand there – they trust you to do your job,” DeLong said. “A lot of communication is going on. But new actors won’t trust you. A new person will never get there. They have to trust that you want them to look the best they can look on stage.” She said she is excited about the variety of costumes for the upcoming show. “We’ve got flying monkeys – wonderful costumes,” DeLong said. “This has got so many exciting characters that I can’t wait to see how they’re done. It should be colorful.” DeLong added that costumes must go through a lot of wear and tear, and a good costume lasts 50 years or more.“A costume has to put up with being used and worn hard. A costume is worn eight times a week,” she said. “It has to put up with sweating and dancing, and they don’t get cleaned after every time they’ve been used.” IU alumni Ryan Claus and Chris Imhoff are in the orchestra for the production. Both are part of NETWorks Presentations LLC, a touring company that is putting on “The Wizard of Oz.” Claus said he plays various instruments in the show, including flute, piccolo, clarinet and alto saxophone. He said the audience responds really well to the music for the show. “It’s very catchy. It’s upbeat and exciting,” Claus said. Imhoff, who serves as the lead trombone player for the performance, said he hopes the show brings a sense of nostalgia for people familiar with the storyline. “Songs like ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow,’ they already have an idea of what is about to happen,” he said. “It’s a timeless story. The music is crucial for the center of the story.”Imhoff said he likes being part of something that creates an impact on people. “It’s a very great feeling and gives you a great sense of accomplishment,” Imhoff said. “When you see a kid’s face light up when the show is taking place, you can’t help but smile.”
(11/10/09 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gossip has long been established as a nasty form of lip venom, but a new study shows there’s more to this chatter than backstabbing. IU sociology professors Tim Hallett and Donna Eder, as well as Brent Harger of Albright College, conducted a study on gossip that found how it works in a formal environment and how leaders cultivate interactions to generate respect, Hallett said.The three professors collaborated on a paper named “Gossip at Work: Unsanctioned Evaluative Talk in Formal School Meetings,” which was published in the October issue of the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography.“In research, gossip has been defined in different sorts of ways,” Hallett said. “One of the ways it has been defined as saying things about people behind their backs. That’s a great definition for information context. When we took that definition and used it, it didn’t jive with what teachers were calling gossip.”The study took two years, and the data was recorded at a Midwest elementary school, where a new principal had recently taken over. Hallett said he spent his first year of research taking field notes and interviewing staff at the school individually. During the second year, 13 teacher meetings of about 40 minutes were taped. Videotaping was a central part of the paper, Hallett said. “What I found was that the teachers themselves referred to what was going on in the meetings as gossip,” Hallett said. “One said to me after a meeting, ‘We could be done in 10 minutes if we weren’t gossiping.’” The study built on previous studies on gossip, including one Eder helped conduct in 1991. Eder said she collected recordings of informal adolescent gossip that happened during school lunch breaks.Eder said new findings from the videotapes show that the adults wanted to gossip but didn’t want to be held accountable. “They knew gossip could easily be found,” Eder said. “More subtle, sophisticated strategies, not as direct – that was particularly interesting. They could avoid a negative tone.”Hallett said the gossip was more indirect and more sarcastic and “veiled.” He said there tended to be indirect comparisons with the old and new principles.Gossip tends to have a negative connotation, but Hallett said it is both a weapon and a gift. “People think about gossip and assume it take a negative form,” Hallett said. “Those evaluations could be negative but also could be positive. We documented a number of positive evaluations. In both those cases, whether evaluations are positive or negative, giving a barometer of the person’s respect. If it’s negative, there’s a problem with respect. In terms of gossip, it can tell you about reputations.” He said he hopes regular people can learn strategies to curb gossip from the paper. “I can jump in with a positive comment,” Hallett said. “Alternatively, I could switch targets and I change the way gossip is going. If somebody uses sarcasm, you can very politically say, ‘Oh, well, what do you mean?’ If you force people to say what they mean, you can scare people off.”
(11/09/09 5:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Soft fiddle music played. The mostly adult audience sat quietly. White drapery hung from the ceiling. And with curly red hair and a twinkle in her eye, Celtic Woman smiled back at the audience.The band took the stage. Bells rang, mist rose from the ground and the fiddler for Celtic Woman, Mairead Nesbitt, began to play. The four vocalists, Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly and Alex Sharpe took the stage in jewel-toned dresses.The ensemble played Sunday at the IU Auditorium as part of their “Isle Of Hope” international tour. The performance included both Irish music and covers of traditional classics. The group began with the song “The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun.” Accompanying the band was a six-member backup group as well as musicians playing percussion instruments, acoustic guitar, piano and bagpipes.The members of Celtic Woman sang together on some songs and performed solos for others. Nesbitt, the most visually spirited of the group, played fast fiddle solos, dancing along with the upbeat music. She skipped, hopped and threw her mane of blond hair back and forth. Agnew sang “When You Believe,” from the movie “the Prince of Egypt,” and “Nella Fantasia.” The youngest of the group, she giggled after the audience applauded at the end of her solo.The group sang songs from a variety of their albums, including ones from their 2005 “Celtic Woman” and their 2007 “A New Journey” album. The women performed “Dulaman,” “Orinoco Flow,” “Goodnight My Angel” and the Irish classic “Danny Boy.”Bloomington resident Bill Muth said during the intermission that he thought the performance was “thoroughly enjoyable.” He said Celtic Woman’s performance of “Danny Boy” evoked some powerful emotion.“All of them were fine, except Danny Boy,” Muth said. “Tears were running down my face.”The group performed “Fields of Gold,” and the song from which the name of their tour originated, “Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears.” Audience member freshman Taylor Fregeau said multiple aspects of the performance contributed to the total package.“It’s magical,” Fregeau said. “Their voices are surreal. They blend really well together. I like all the other things that go into making the performance – it’s the whole presentation.”
(11/06/09 6:08am)
Gloria Groom, Mary and Winton Green Curator of Medieval through Modern
European Painting and Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago,
presented a lecture Thursday in the School of Fine Arts building about
artist Edouard Manet and his influences on female artists, specifically
Berthe Morisot and Eva Gonzales.
(11/06/09 5:57am)
Celtic Woman, an ensemble comprised of four vocalists and one fiddler,
will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at the IU Auditorium as part of their
2009 international “Isle of Hope” tour.