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(03/27/09 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>How are the seven deadly sins being interpreted these days? The Windfall Dancers, an 11-member company, will perform their concept of them – envy, sloth, gluttony, greed, lust, pride and wrath – this weekend and next weekend at the troupe’s annual show. The content is not suitable for young children because of rough language, according to Tom Slater, the director and a choreographer for the show. The performance, “The Seven Deadly Sins,” will consist of eight primarily modern-style pieces and a theater arts piece each done by a different choreographer from the company, said Kay Olges, company member and choreographer. Two narrators play fictional characters, lecture between pieces and interact with the dancers at the end of the show.The characters will give a historic background about the sins over time and how the concepts have been utilized by various leaders to try to control people, Olges said.The theme “Seven Deadly Sins” was part of Windfall’s plans for more than a year, and was built upon the idea that the sins have evolved throughout the years, said Slater, who is also a World Exhibition Champion.“I found that the sins have changed through political manipulation,” Slater said. “They were never in the Bible, and they are truly separate from biblical texts.”He later added, “This allows them to change over the years, from demonic possessions to gay pride. We are taking a non-dogmatic approach. We aren’t making a judgment about anything,” he said.Olges said the performance feels more intimate in a location as small as the Firebay at the John Waldron Arts Center. “It makes me feel more connected,” she said. “You lose the closeness in a big stage.” Olges also said the choreographers shared a similar inspiration for creating their pieces.“We discover that things are realist issues,” Olges said. “Just merely acquiring isn’t necessarily bad, but when you start acquiring things excessively, as far as greed goes, as I thought about it, they become a burden with each acquisition.” Harmony Jankowski, company member and IU faculty member, said “America’s Next Top Model” became an inspiration for her piece about pride.“Pride isn’t considered a sin now, but when it becomes arrogance or cultural arrogance, then it can become violent and bad,” Jankowski said.As for her experience with the show, Jankowski found summarizing it easy.“It’s been fun, a lot of rehearsals.”
(03/13/09 3:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For IU students who aren’t traveling to Florida, Mexico or other exotic places for spring break, there is plenty to do right here in Bloomington. Students can volunteer, venture to a water park or resort and spa or perfect their ballroom dance skills.Local organizations seek volunteersMonroe County YMCA SPLASH ProgramWork with the YMCA SPLASH Program from Monday to Wednesday and assist kids ages 6 to 10 who cannot swim. Volunteers will be in the water with the kids so be ready to get wet. Volunteers can participate in either the morning (8:45 to 10:45 a.m.) or evening (4:45 to 6:45 p.m.) sessions.Contact Mandy McGhee, Volunteer Coordinatorwww.monroecountyymca.orgSpring Break at the Pool Become a counselor at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington, which has Spring Break Camp for children ages 6 to 18 from March 16 through March 20 at the Lincoln Street club. Volunteers will take campers on field trips and help out with special activities. The clubs are looking for people who can commit to shifts of at least four hours. Contact Audrey Hall, 332-5311Volunteers in Medicine of Monroe CountyVolunteer at a free medical clinic that provides care for people without health insurance or sufficient funds. Volunteers can work at the pharmacy, medication room, medical records or reception desk.Contact Shelley Sallee, Volunteer CoordinatorElizabeth Sturgeon, Volunteer CoordinatorModels neededSweet Repeats Boutique and Consignment Shop, which carries both new and used clothing, wants models for their garments. The proceeds will go to Pets ALIVE Spay/Neuter Clinic, an animal welfare organization that helps prevent overpopulation of pets.Contact Emily Gartner, 824-1349 Monroe County Civil Air PatrolVolunteers can learn how to find a missing aircraft through the national Civil Air Patrol Organization with research and rescue techniques. Jim Engel, squadron commander for Monroe County Civil Air Patrol, said volunteers are also taught aerospace education and can mentor cadets. People should come to a training session if they want to help their country and make a difference, Engel said.“These active people can gain valuable leadership skills,” he said. Engel said that if a volunteer attends a training session and it matches his or her interests, he or she can be placed on call for the Air Force. Volunteers also have the option of helping out with the task at hand. contact Jim Engel, squadron commander for Monroe County Civil Air Patrol, 324-7165 Bloomington Businesses offer classes and performancesPanache School of Ballroom and Social Dance The Panache School of Dance, owned by Sandra and Scott Myers, offers both group and private lessons in ballroom dance, Latin street dancing, nightclub dancing and showcase dancing, according to the Web site. Sandra Myers said the school will offer a Rumba workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. March 13 and a Cha-Cha workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. March 20. Dancers who want more of a challenge attend the Intermediate Cha-Cha workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. March 14, which will be taught by Tom Slater, a World Exhibition Champion. She said a popular class for students is the Zumba class, which is a mix of Latin dance-inspired aerobics, and the first class is free.“Zumba is a good bet,” she said. “You don’t need a partner or special shoes, and you get a great work out.” She said student group classes have a $6 per hour standard fee. There is not a strict dress code.Contact 812-822-0050www.panachedance.comArthur Murray Dance Studio Ballroom dance classes from 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. every Thursday. Newcomers can come from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., and open dance runs from 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. $5 advance with ID, $10 at the doorFor more information call 334-0553Last Comic standingComedians battle it out at 8 p.m. Wednesdays at The Funny Bone. To become part of the competition e-mail info@funnybonebtown.comSex, Dreams and Self-Control A stand-up comedy show with an alternative folk-rock music score written by Indiana native Kevin Thorton will be performed at March 13 and 14 at the Bloomington Playwrights Project. Tickets are $10.State venues offer recreational opportunitiesOliver WineryLearn to appreciate your grapes on March 14, 15, 21 and 22 at the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail for Oliver Winery’s March Gladness. Participants can purchase tickets at any of the eight wineries and will be offered a look at the winery’s operations, wine tastings, VIP tours and hors d’oeuvres.Contact For more information call (800) 258-2783 or visit www.oliverwinery.com.Indianapolis ZooVisitors can check out tigers, baboons, vultures, otters, sharks, dolphins, goats and more. There will be a tropical adventure show running until March 15 including an Australian and tropical plant collection. Starting March 21 there will be a butterfly garden with butterflies from the United States, Asia, Central America and Africa.Admission prices: $14Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through SundayFrench LickRelax at the French Lick Resort, which consists of both The West Baden Springs Hotel and The French Lick Hotel & Casino. Public Relations Manager Dyan Duncan said the resort visitors can partake in a variety of activities. “People can come down, relax in the indoor and outdoor pools, go horseback riding, and hike on the trails behind the hotel, golf – and girls love the spa,” Duncan said. “There is also a slot tournament at the casino every Tuesday.”The running special is stay three nights and get the fourth night free, and the rate per night is $129 for French Lick and $159 for West Baden, Duncan said. She said there are also attractions within distance to the hotels, including the Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park, museums, trains and Patoka Lake. Duncan suggested students stay at the French Lick hotel instead of West Baden. “There is more action there with the casino,” she said. “West Baden is a little bit more relaxing.” Contact For more information: Call 936-9300 or visit www.frenchlick.com. Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water ParkThe newly-opened water park is located in the Valley of the Springs Resort in French Lick and has more than 40,000 square feet of water attractions, according to the Big Splash Web site. The park is island themed and includes a whirlpool, several slides and an adult-only tub with massage jets. The pool is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and day passes must be reserved online or on location.contact For more information visit www.bigsplashadventure.com or call 877-936-FUNN Sycamore Land TrustLike the outdoors? Spend part of your break exploring the trails at Sycamore Land Trust, an organization that strives to retain the landscape of Indiana. Sycamore Land Trust was funded in 1990 and preserves more than 5,200 acres of land, according to its Web site. The trust is just north of Bloomington, and there are trails with more than 500 acres of wetlands, said John Lawrence, assistant director of Sycamore Land Trust. There are no campgrounds or fire pits, Lawrence said, but the trails are great for photography and hiking. “Anyone who likes hiking and the outdoors should come,” Lawrence said. “It’s a neat area.”Price: FreeContact 336-5382 or www.sycamorelandtrust.org
(03/12/09 2:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Andrew J. West, a 2006 IU graduate, has come far from his days at IU spent working at the Eigenmann food court. West is a current star on ABC Family’s “Greek” and will make his debut as the main character, “Hunter,” in an upcoming web series called “Rockville, CA” on TheWB.com on March 17.The Merrillville, Ind., native had a double major at IU in philosophy and anthropology and took acting classes for fun. West said his turning point was performing in the IU stage production of “Suburbia,” which solidified his interest in acting. West said he also participated in producing short films, one of which received an award from a festival in Ohio.Paul Spade, West’s former philosophy professor who helped direct his thesis, said he remembers one of West’s papers was published in The Undergraduate Quarterly in 2004. When Spade heard news of West’s recent accomplishments, he said West’s prior interest in philosophy would be useful.“We try to teach students in philosophy about seeing things from different points of view, and if you’re doing acting, that is something you have to be good at,” Spade said.West said he loved many different things about IU. He recalls the traditions, like Little 500.“I loved the Little 500,” West said. “I remember the partying, the craziness. I miss jumping off rocks at IU. I even went swimming in the Showalter Fountain at IU.” West moved to Los Angeles in August 2006 with some friends – without having any connections in the acting scene. West started going to events and meeting people and was eventually introduced to his current manager. He began auditioning while at the same time waiting tables at an Italian restaurant, and landed his first gig after a full year of auditioning.West said his role in the upcoming series “Rockville, CA” has been his biggest achievement so far. “I am super proud of ‘Rockville.’ It’s the biggest part I’ve had,” he said. “It’s more ‘mine’ than anything else I’ve done in the past.”“Rockville, CA” is about a fictional music venue, Club Rockville, in Los Angeles. The show features live bands and revolves around the relationships of the people who work for the club. Actress Alexandra Chando and West play two of the main characters, “Deb” and “Hunter,” respectively, who meet working at the club and eventually become each others’ love interests. Chando previously starred on “As the World Turns” and said it is important to be able to work well with on-screen love interests.“It’s very weird making out with somebody that you’re not dating, that you kind of have to be in love with them,” Chando said. “Andy and I kind of hit it off, we got along really well, and we bonded. It’s fun having that kind of chemistry and experimenting.”West’s other co-star, Matt Cohen, plays the character “Syd,” the heartthrob bass player. Cohen said West’s character is very wordy and he did a good job at putting the monologues together. “He has to elaborate and explain things, and he’s fortunate to have found the role and the role was fortunate enough to have found him,” Cohen said.West said the quick rise to stardom shocked him and suggested that anybody who wants to do TV or film should move to Los Angeles for opportunities.“It does kind of surprise me that it happened,” West said. “It’s surprising because so many people try to do it, and it seems like it can be this daunting fantasy. If you’re serious about it, and you know you can do it, then you can. It’s special to be able to do something you love.”
(03/06/09 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Maya Angelou told a capacity IU Auditorium crowd of her most personal experiences during a speech Thursday night.In sharing them, the famed poet and author tried to “liberate” people from the evils of sexism, racism and “all the other idiocies.”Angelou’s address was part of a belated ArtsWeek and Black History Month celebration. She was supposed to speak March 1 but had to reschedule because of illness.In her address, Angelou sat in front of the audience and chronicled her journey from an early childhood rape to her discovery of literature, “which seemed to speak to me.”While living with her mother as a child, Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, she said.The man was put in jail and released after one day, she said. Later, he was found kicked to death. After that, Angelou did not speak for years.“I thought my voice had killed the man,” she said. “And so I was mute for six years.”Angelou said she began to speak when a woman in her town helped her familiarize herself with reading.“Mrs. Flowers took me to the library and told me to read,” she said. “I read about bikes – everything. I found that I loved poetry. It seemed to speak to me.”Angelou began to read more frequently and explored and memorized many facets of poetry. She loved Shakespeare, she said. She said his words spoke to her in a way that she could not comprehend.“At one point, I thought Shakespeare was a black girl,” she said. “How could he know that disgrace was misfortune? It was exactly how I felt.”Angelou said the poems liberated her from the prejudice that was evident in her town.Angelou used art to illustrate how powerful it can be when put in a grander context, especially when art and politics are paired together, which was the main theme of her speech.“Use them together to liberate us so we aren’t caught in the unlivable sexism, racism and all the other idiocies,” she said.Angelou emphasized the importance of the library and continuing to have art in the school system.“You will see how constant our politics are in our art,” she said. “I suggest that until we have arts back in our school, we are going to have madness in the streets.”Angelou then recited “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” and a poem she recited for the United Nations’ 50th anniversary, “A Brave and Startling Truth.”As she stood to leave, Angelou received her second standing ovation of the night – the first came when she first stepped on stage wearing a sparkly brown dress and a ring of pearls.Audience member and IU staff member Zelideh Cabada said this was the second time she had seen Angelou and that she was now able to understand Angelou’s identity as a woman.“She’s just one of those speakers that has an aura about her,” Cabada said.Moorishio De La Cruz, 27, a filmmaker working in Bloomington, said he felt moved by Angelou.“When she entered, it really brought things into perspective, and she came out with a spiritual rendition,” Delacruz said.Daniel Malone, a senior, said he shared a connection with Angelou. “I think it was very thought provoking,” Malone said, “for her to be so down-to-earth and to speak so candidly.”
(03/04/09 5:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Get ready to chill. The steady beats of the Jamaican islands will sound the roots of reggae and promote humanitarian activism Thursday at The Bluebird Nightclub.The Wailers will play every song from their 1977 album “Exodus,” which they recorded with Bob Marley. The Wailers are playing in Bloomington as part of their world Exodus Tour, which will run until the end of March.In 1999, Time Magazine named “Exodus” Album of the Century.Dave Kubiak, owner of The Bluebird, said he likes to put on all types of shows, including bluegrass, hip-hop and rock, and The Wailers will fit into the classic reggae category. The Wailers originally formed in 1969 with Bob Marley and four other members, including Aston “Family Man” Barrett, who taught Marley how to play the guitar and serves as the current musical director of the group. “The reggae music is the international voice of the people,” Barrett said. “It’s universal. It can be understood by everyone and carries a message of roots, culture and reality.”Stephen Stuempfle, executive director for the Society for Ethnomusicology, said The Wailers were the leading force in the globalization of Jamaican reggae music. “I think one of the things that is interesting is that reggae started off as a local Jamaican music, and reggae began a global art form,” Stuempfle said. “Bob Marley and The Wailers raised important issues of inequality in the world, but they also became a political force for change.”Jasper Leach, assistant publicist for the band, said it was important for The Wailers to revive the “Exodus” album for their current tour. “It was one of the most perennially loved works associated with The Wailers,” Leach said. “They see the whole idea of the exodus movement of the people, and they feel very strongly about reggae music and what they do.” The group’s current members include Barrett on bass, Chico Chin on trumpet, Chizzy “Audley” Chisholm on guitar, Everald Gayle on trombone, Keith Sterling on keyboards, Anthony Watson on drums and Brady Walters and Cegee Victory on backing vocals.The Wailers have sold more than 250 million records worldwide, and Spin Magazine named Bob Marley and The Wailers No. 4 in the “50 Greatest Bands of All Time” in 2002. The Wailers continue to spread awareness of world issues, and the group’s charity, I Went Hungry, sets aside some funds from the band’s profits for the World Food Program, according to a Gorgeous PR Inc. press release. The program feeds thousands of children around the globe, Leach said. “I think they’ve provided enough money to feed some 100,000 people,” Leach said. “Some people have already caught on to the idea. It’s a very good cause and humanitarian effort.” Versa Manos, publicist for The Wailers, said she has been working with the band a very long time and called her experience “fantastic.”“Passion is a very important part of their world,” she said. “The Wailers are keeping Bob Marley’s message alive.”Barrett said Marley’s spirit is alive in the band’s music.“We all are ordinary people who do extraordinary work and spread the message for our mission.”
(02/27/09 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Audiences were awed at the IU Auditorium on Thursday night after The Liz Lerman Dance Exchanges’ multimedia performance. The performance, called “Ferocious Beauty: Genome,” featured various video and audio clips, as well as monologues from dancers.The performance fused an eclectic mix of science and dance and focused on the ideas of the human genome and people finding their own individuality.Elizabeth Shea, clinical assistant professor and coordinator for the IU contemporary dance program, said the performance was part of the Dance Exchange’s three-part residency with the IU dance program, which began in the fall. The exchange spent four weeks with IU dance majors and prepared a world premiere piece with them.“It was a wonderful experience for the dancers,” Shea said.Anya Royce, chancellor professor of anthropology and comparative literature, then organized a series of workshops that compared the relationships between science and the arts, in preparation for the third part of the project: the auditorium performance.“The company is very community-oriented, but the purpose was to bring dance in the community and expose all kinds of population and movement to the people,” Shea said.The performance began with one woman alone on stage. Whimsical music played as dancers young and old began a dance sequence, which demonstrated the uniformity of woman and man together.The multimedia part of the performance began with a clip, asking, “What is a gene?” followed by responses from scientists all over the country.The first act emphasized the beginning of genome research. While dancers spun and leaped, famous geneticists’ names rolled across the screen.The mood changed as a dominatrix-type woman walked on stage, wearing fishnets and carrying a whip. “Can I tell you something?” she asked. “My curly hair, my blue eyes, the curve of my hip – it’s all in my DNA.”The second act focused on the tolls of age. A man sat in a chair on the stage, reading a screen that stated: “New laws for old folks.” He began doing sit-ups and push-ups and finally gave up.Lerman’s exchange finished with a piece with the entire ensemble which included white sheets strung from the ceiling to the stage. They featured various messages, including one sheet that read “Biology without evolution is a character without a plot.”Lauren Weinberg, audience member and Hillel program director, liked hearing spoken word in a dance performance.“I think it’s pretty incredible that they’re bringing these concepts together,” Weinberg said. “Their stories don’t seem out of reach.”Justin Zuschlag, a faculty member in the contemporary dance program, also enjoyed the dancers’ interaction with the audience.“It’s great to see that dance has a standpoint beyond being pretty,” he said.
(02/25/09 3:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students can learn to appreciate their bodies through a day of events focused on positive self-image.Counseling and Psychological Services staff will have different booths today at multiple locations around campus as part of Celebrate Your Body Day. Activities include “fat talk,” which demonstrates how students criticize their bodies. Students will then be able express on notecards what they appreciate about their bodies. These notecards will be put up for a display. DeeDee Dayhoff, clinical social worker for CAPS and chair of Celebrate Your Body Day, said the appreciation cards give students a chance to focus on a positive self-image. “These students can tune into what they are normally saying about themselves and to make a shift onto what they appreciate about their bodies,” Dayhoff said. Three years ago, CAPS offered eating disorder screenings to raise awareness for National Eating Disorder Month in February. Chris Meno, psychologist and outreach coordinator for CAPS, said the disorder screenings were taken away and the emphasis changed to body celebration to target a wider group of students. “Things about the college experience make body image a huge concern,” Meno said. “One thing is that students live together in large groups and spend more time sharing clothes and spending time together, which makes it easier to compare your body with other people, men and women.”Meno said college brings a lot of change in life, and concerns about fitting in and high expectations to look good can put more pressure on students to look a certain way. She said 75 percent of women and 54 percent of men are dissatisfied with their bodies. Eating disorders can begin with dissatisfaction with the body, extreme exercise, dieting, use of diet pills, vomiting and use of protein supplements. Those activities can become out of control and turn into an eating disorder, she said. Meno said many people confuse the term “eating disorder,” which describes anorexia, bulimia and binge eating, with disordered eating. Disordered eating includes all three disorders as well as other serious eating and over-exercise symptoms. About 30 percent of people who have eating disorders are classified as having anorexia and 70 percent are classified as having bulimia, Meno said. Anyone in this group can be overweight, underweight or at a normal weight. “Seventy-five percent of women age 18 to 35 believe they are fat, and only 25 percent are overweight by medical standards,” she said. “Fifty-four percent of women would rather be hit by a truck than be fat.”Meno also said men are more likely to over-exercise, and this can quickly become a disorder. The IU Health Center offers physicians, dieticians and counselors who have specific training in these issues, Meno said. IU freshman Andrew Blank said his eating and exercise habits both changed in college because of the unhealthy food. “I think people realize it’s easier to let go,” he said.Blank said eating unhealthy foods also motivates him to exercise. For freshman Xia Liu, a transfer student from China, it was not a fear but an expectation that she would gain weight.Liu said her friends told her she would gain 30 pounds when she came to the United States because of the food. She said women in the United States are more inclined to want to be both skinny and “fit.” “In China, I’m considered big, but here people tell me I’m small. In China, if a girl is skinny, she doesn’t work out,” Liu said. “Girls here are thin but muscular, and they always work out.” Instead, she has found something about her body to celebrate.“I like the way my fingers are short,” Liu said. “They look cute.”
(02/24/09 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In an economic downturn when saving money is vital to college students, the 49th annual Summer Camps Job Fair allows students to explore paid jobs as an alternative to internships.The Summer Camp Jobs Fair will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall. The fair has at least 66 different camps registered as of Feb. 16, said Susan Simmons, co-coordinator of the event and coordinator of career placement for the department of kinesiology. The event, primarily sponsored by the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, will bring in recruiters from all over the country, from California to Maine. Simmons said there will be recruiters for all kinds of camps, including environmental education, religion, summer day, overnight and specialty camps. Julie Knapp, co-coordinator of the fair and internship coordinator in the HPER said summer camp jobs are a way to earn and save money for school. “It’s a great opportunity experience for college students,” Knapp said. “They get experience with payment (and) leadership in a setting with room and board.”Knapp said it will be beneficial for students to bring a resume, but it isn’t necessary. She also said any IU student should be able to find a camp that fits his or her professional needs. Simmons said IU has a strong presence in recruiting camp counselors, and many recruiters are excited to return every year. Recruiters will have different ways of dealing with potential employees and their applications. “Employers will have applications for the camps, and there will be a place for students to fill them out and do an on-the-spot interview as well,” Simmons said.Simmons suggested that students prepare by reviewing the job fair Web site, www.indiana.edu/~campfair, and looking at the types of camps they are interested in. Recruiters aren’t necessarily looking for a resume with a long list of academic accomplishments. Rasheed Anthony, director of Catalina Island Camps, is looking for someone who has a passion for working with kids.“I look for people that are able to shine without a resume and that can offer a personable experience,” Anthony said.Scott Brosman, Camp Tecumseh YMCA associate executive director, said communication skills are also important. “First impression is very important because you meet new parents every week,” he said. “We look for bright, bubbly personalities.”Specialty camps will offer more than just a counselor- or waterfront director-type position. Jennifer Flick, coordinator of seasonal employment for Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, said the camp offers 300 various positions, from food service employees to cabin counselors and stage services. She said Interlochen is an environment where various art forms come together, and she hires not just because of skill but also because of the potential employee’s dedication. “It’s about the level of interest and passion in being at this type of environment,” Flick said. “Either you love or you don’t.”
(02/17/09 2:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s 2009 production of “The Vagina Monologues” sought to educate and entertain audiences about female empowerment and the multiple personalities of the vagina. Indira Dammu, president of the IU Women’s Student Association, treasurer for the Vagina Monologues and Indiana Daily Student columnist said this year the production raised $5,615.78, much less than last year’s $6,150. Ninety percent of the proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Middle Way House and 10 percent will benefit Eve Ensler’s International V-day Campaign. The show began by playing recorded audio clips from an assortment of 16 monologues from each woman. The clips played while the women walked onto the stage one by one. Each woman wore a purple accessory on a different part of her body. “The Vagina Monologue’s” director, senior Emily Patterson, said the significance of the purple flair was to unify the cast. “Purple symbolizes a lot,” she said. “It means power, and women are very powerful.”After all the women were seated on both sides of the stage, sophomore Mia Tapella began a monologue. Her monologue focused on this year’s International V-day Campaign spotlight – the women and children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who have survived daily sexual violence associated with the war. “Femicide is the global warming of women,” Tapella said. After Tapella’s monologue, a short video about the sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo played. Following the video, the entire cast performed “What Would Your Vagina Wear?” Answers to the question ranged from wearing a Mets cap backwards to see-through, crotch-less panties. Sixteen actresses, who portrayed characters ranging from 6 to 72 years old, performed different monologues and covered topics from homosexuality to different types of sexual moans.The monologue “My Angry Vagina” stood out in particular to audience member Ali Darley, a Butler University student who directed a production of Vagina Monologues two years ago and had friends in IU’s production. She said she enjoyed all the monologues, but “My Angry Vagina” was “too funny to pass up.”The monologue, performed by IU senior Michelle Davenport, discussed the idea that women would be “coming” all day long in public places, including some at IU. “They’ll be comin’ in Ballantine and comin’ in Mo’ Bears,” Davenport said, during the performance. Patterson said localizing the monologues gets the audience involved. “I think it allows the audiences to feel like they are a part of the show,” she said. “They go, ‘Ballantine. Ha! I know where that is.’”Audience member and IU student Iulia Scheibehenne said she found the show interesting because the monologues were each done by a different woman. “It was a very funny, feminine sketch,” she said. Scheibehenne said she saw a performance in Europe and one actress did the whole show.Some monologues took on a more serious note. The monologue “My Vagina Was My Village,” performed by IU senior Amanda Morales, was about a Bosnian woman who was raped numerous times by the militia. Morales said she watched footage of the women in Bosnia and tried to think of them when she recited her monologue.Perhaps the performance of The Vagina Monologues is best assessed by the enthusiasm of the cast. Morales, a member of one of the monologues’ sponsors, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, said she was happy that all her hard work paid off. “I’m a feminist to the core,” she said. “From an activist’s angle, it’s incredible to be able to put things together.”
(02/12/09 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Samantha Hutt knew she wanted to study abroad in the Middle East, but she wanted more than the typical IU program.Hutt is the first IU student to spend a semester studying in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Hutt, a political science major and international studies and Hebrew minor, had a strong interest in international affairs that led to three visits to Israel. She then decided to explore Arab culture as well. Hutt registered through the Office of Overseas Studies. After she found that the only Middle Eastern program was in Cairo, she applied through the study abroad program to study at the American InterContinental University in Dubai. When Hutt told her parents she wanted to study in Dubai, they weren’t surprised.“It was interesting,” Hutt said. “My parents had already gotten over the initial shock of me going to the Middle East because I had been to Israel before. I had to convince them that I wasn’t going into the middle of a war zone.”Many of Hutt’s friends had not heard of Dubai.“I would tell them that it borders Saudi Arabia, and they freak out, like, ‘Why would you want to go there? It’s a random place,’” Hutt said.In preparation for traveling to the Middle East as a Jewish woman, Hutt and her family said they needed to be cautious. Rob Hutt, Samantha’s father, said some of his Orthodox Jewish friends asked if Samantha’s passport had Israeli stamps on it before Samantha left for Dubai.“They said they’d look at her and think she’s a spy,” Rob Hutt said. “She has to get the passport cleaned. Samantha doesn’t play up the fact that she’s Jewish.”Samantha Hutt is a Hebrew minor, but she wants to be fluent in Arabic.“The reason I’m here is because I want to learn about the Arab culture and the Middle East,” she said. “On a personal level, it’s a little bit uncomfortable, and there are times when I could contribute to the conversation, but I don’t.” Samantha Hutt said people of all ethnicities and social classes walk the streets of Dubai. She also noticed the large number of expensive cars on the streets.“There are very rich people with Bentleys, and people will pay millions of dollars for license plate numbers one to 100,” Samantha Hutt said. Although Samantha Hutt is halfway around the world, she sometimes feels like she is back in the United States.“Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you’re in the Middle East. There’s CNN, MTV, Starbucks on every corner,” she said. “Just looking out my window, there’s Nokia and the Radisson. For the most part, it’s the same.”Hutt said one memorable moment was a Gaza rally she witnessed on her university’s campus. The Palestinian Embassy and Consulate to the United Arab Emirates spoke, as well as a student leader in Arabic and English, talking about the “terrorist state of Israel,” she said.“This is the perspective I came here to get, but it was strange to hear it,” Hutt said.Her program ends April 30, but she may stay abroad for longer.Hutt’s academic advisor, Marsha Franklin, was excited that Hutt chose to study in Dubai.“I noticed that when students come back from studying abroad, they have matured even more than they would have in a semester at IU because of the new experiences or responsibilities they have had,” Franklin said. “Their worldview is changed, and they find that every place doesn’t operate the same (as) the U.S. I hope she comes back with new knowledge.”When Hutt returns to the United States, she hopes to bring something positive back with her.“I want a stronger perspective on the Middle East,” she said. “I think in the coming years, the Middle East ... will play a major role in our foreign affairs in the coming years, and for people being able to understand it is very important.”
(02/11/09 3:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s production of “The Vagina Monologues” this weekend will seek to liberate women and their V-spots. Sixteen women star in the show, each with her own episodic monologue that delves into issues such as sex and feminism.Eve Ensler wrote the original “Vagina Monologues” in 1996. She interviewed various women about their vaginas and wrote a play based the interviews, said Gabrielle Reed, producer of the 2009 IU Vagina Monologues. The show debuted on Broadway in 1998, Reed said.After Ensler performed in the show, she started the International V-Day Campaign that would help end domestic violence against women and girls through fundraisers like productions of “The Vagina Monologues.” According to the official V-Day Web site, the “V” in V-Day stands for “vagina,” “victory” and “valentine.”Proceeds from the show will benefit the Middle Way House, a local shelter for victims of domestic violence, and the International V-Day Campaign. Each year there is a different spotlight for the cause. In 2008, the focus was Women in Katrina. This year, the campaign is raising money to help women and girls of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The money will go to women from the eastern regions of the Congo who have survived the violence of war. IU’s production of “The Vagina Monologues” last February raised around $7,700, Reed said. Although there is no exact goal for this year, Reed said she would be happy if the proceeds exceed last year’s. She is hoping for $8,000.Senior Emily Patterson, director of IU’s production, said “The Vagina Monologues” has a broad range of characters based on women aged six to 72 years old, but certain audiences are encouraged to see the show. “I would love for fraternities to come to the show,” Patterson said. “This year’s vision has a more humanistic take on the show. It is about the vagina and about human beings and people. It’s about the fact that one experience can change who you are.” She said the production will also feature some selected optional monologues, including one titled “They beat the girl out of my boy, or so they tried.” Patterson said this monologue will run in the show because of Bloomington’s sexually diverse community. “We picked this one because it embodies transgender and transsexual individuals,” Patterson said.Sophomore and cast member Anna Blankenberger said she found the emphasis on issues with the word “vagina” particularly liberating. “It’s very freeing to be in the show,” she said. “It’s very different to talk about vaginas. If I talked about it in real life, it would be considered harsh. I can do it in the show and make an impact on people.”
(01/27/09 5:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU photography professor Jeff A. Wolin had 16 portraits with captions about immigrants displayed at the new Indianapolis International Airport in mid-November. He never imagined that any of them would be taken down. But Wolin’s narrative portrait, taken of Israeli military veteran Shai Safarti, created so much controversy that airport officials removed it after only one month on display.The situation underscores questions about the point of public art, Wolin said, and demonstrates a need for greater dialogue about the subject.In 2006, Wolin, a photographer with more than 30 years of experience, interviewed Safarti, who emigrated from Israel to Indianapolis. His comments were the controversy’s root and violated the airport’s policy against partisan or political statements in artwork, said Airport Authority Executive Director John J. Kish.“We hold weapons and protect Israel, and while doing that we sometimes do terrible things, terrible things,” Safarti said. “Two days ago artillery shells fell in Gaza and killed 19 innocent people while they were asleep. It cannot get any more terrible than that.”Kish said the airport personnel needs to be sensitive in its decisions to avoid issues that could offend the community. Wolin said he understands how somebody could have found the statement offensive, but he was frustrated with the way the airport dealt with the situation. The airport did not contact Wolin about taking down the work and declined to tell him who filed the complaint, Wolin said. Wolin said he e-mailed airport authorities requesting a meeting to discuss the possibility of changing the text so his photo could remain on display.Instead, he said airport authorities replaced the portrait with another that had not originally been chosen for display. “If they wanted to squelch controversy, they did the exact opposite,” Wolin said. If he could choose, Wolin said he would have a forum about public art, tolerance and what is permissible. He said he would put the piece back up and find out who complained about Safarti’s portrait, but more importantly, he wants people to understand the importance of the project. “It’s about feelings and perceptions of foreign-born individuals,” he said. “That’s art. If people can’t tolerate that, that’s not good.”
(11/13/08 4:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>One doctor, one race and many patients helped raise more than $1 million for cancer research this year.Miles for Myeloma, which began in 2005, is a fundraiser for multiple myeloma, an incurable but treatable blood cancer. Dr. Rafat Abonour, oncologist and researcher for the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Center, and faculty were brainstorming fundraising ideas when Abonour’s love of running was mentioned, and Miles for Myeloma began.The marathon was not easy to organize. It required dedication and time from many volunteers.“People doubted it would happen,” said Amber Senseny, fundraiser for Miles for Myeloma. However, the marathon generated a tremendous amount of hope. The goal to raise a cumulative $1 million toward research for the cancer was surpassed this year, more than a day before the marathon began. Miles for Myeloma is unique because it is done by and for the patients, who help out with water for the participants and run and bike in the marathon themselves.The marathon inspires doctors as well as patients.In fact, Abonour ran Miles for Myeloma 2008 on Halloween.Abonour, alongside patients and friends, ran from Indianapolis to Bloomington. The next morning, Abonour ran through a human tunnel of family, friends and patients on the field at the IU Memorial Stadium before finally ending his mission by biking back to the IU Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis.Gina Kramer, Abonour’s nurse, rode with a patient during the marathon in a previous year and said she felt inspired by the dedication of the participants.“They drive us to do what we do,” she said.The patients are not only passionate about the cause, but about the driving force behind the marathon – Abonour. Myron Gill, 68, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1999, described Abonour with enthusiasm.“He’s a super man, an inspiration,” Gill said.Gill, who participated in the race, said he put forth the effort because he looked up to Abonour.Joe Brown, 61, a patient diagnosed with the disease in 2004, was referred to Abonour after seeing another doctor. Brown said it makes a difference when Abonour participates in the marathon.“He’s very involved and an unusually warm man,” Brown said.To Abonour, the highlight of the marathon is running through the human tunnel of family, friends and patients at the IU stadium. “It’s amazing energy,” he said. “You see the love.”Abonour said the disease is challenging enough because patients “don’t have an easy ride.”Despite the illness, the patients still have the determination to do their best at Miles for Myeloma.Abonour said the event gives them the mentality to “keep going.”