Category: Arts & Life

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Arts & Life Featured

BDC concert to feature student choreography


By Katie Monigan

Arts & Life Editor

Although the Department of Theatre and Dance staged its Fall Dance Showcase just four weeks ago, there’s plenty of dancing on campus again this week—this time with a twist.

This weekend’s show will be performed by the Bucknell Dance Company (BDC), a group of around 25 students who auditioned and began work for this show in September.

The show features three student-choreographed pieces, three choreographed by faculty members and one choreographed byStephanie Yezek ’08, who is currently dancing professionally in the Washington, D.C. area.

The show’s dances are all conceptually deep and substantial in length—most are six to 10 minutes. The show features three student pieces, which have been developed throughout the semester with the help of members of the dance faculty.

The “twist” to this show is that it actually focuses more on the theater aspect of dance. “We’re fortunate to have professional costume, set and lighting designers for the show. It adds a rich aspect and allows for much more developed, cohesive ideas,” faculty director Kelly Knox said.  Each faculty member mentored a student choreographer for the entire process, working with them to create a style and helping to express their ideas more clearly.

“[My piece] explores the false impression that we have solved problems associated with diversity of mind, race, religion, etc.,” Liz Burdick ’12 said of her piece, “Illusion.” With the help of costume designers, she has incorporated bands as both costume and prop for conceptual expression. The dance is split into three considerably different sections that each explore a different side of illusion.

Fellow student choreographers Mikaela Soto ’12 and Kelsey Tangel ’11 created pieces entitled “Fulfill” and “Outwardly Gazing,” respectively. Knox described Soto’s piece as “truly lovely” and described Tangel as “really quite talented.”

Not surprisingly, the students are also incredibly thankful for the opportunity they have been given by choreographing for this show. “It was unbelievable that at 21 years old I was able to choreograph my own work on such talented dancers, with a lighting design team, costume designer and three dedicated professors to help support me every stage of the way,” Tangel said.

In addition to the student pieces, each of the three dance faculty members—Knox, Er-Dong Hu and Dustyn Martincich—have choreographed pieces of their own. Hu’s piece should be noted for its set— elaborate and custom-made to “frame” dancers for his family portrait-themed dance.

The dancers themselves have for the most part rehearsed weekly for each dance. Each dance generally has five to eight performers, and there are seven dances, so there is considerable overlap within the 25-dancer company. Tangel, a four-year company member, said it is a “truly amazing program” and that it was “avenue for self discovery” during her time at the University. She considers her fellow dancers and the dance faculty her family away from home and is very thankful for what the program has offered her.

The show has required an immense amount of time and effort, but all involved have no regrets. “Choreographing a main-stage piece has been super challenging, with a lot of in and out of the studio work. My dancers are stunningly beautiful and have worked so hard. They’re always willing to try anything I throw their way; they’ve made this complex process an absolute joy, and the faculty have offered unrelenting support, guidance and creativity every step of the way,” Soto said.

The BDC performs this Friday and Saturday at 6 and 8 p.m. in Harvey Powers Theatre. Tickets are available for purchase at the door.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

If you’re stressed studying for finals, and need a little break, why not make some cookies? It will give you a study break, and then while you’re studying you’ll have a nice treat.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peanut butter

4 1/2 cups rolled oats, mixed with 2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup M&Ms

1 cup raisins

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well-blended.

3. Stir in oats, baking soda, M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

4. Make one-inch balls, place three inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Flatten to two-inch diameter.

5. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

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Arts & Life

Top 10 holiday gifts

By Christina Oddo

Writer

1. iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 is more than a cell phone. With video calling, two cameras, a high-resolution phone screen with four times the number of pixels of previous iPhone models, HD video recording and editing this newest iPhone makes the perfect, all-purpose gift this holiday season.

2. Travel Coffee Mug

Let’s face it: college life is crazy. With papers to write and exams to study for, bedtimes seem to disappear. In these situations, what’s better than a travel coffee mug? It keeps your favorite drink warm, especially on those cold nights walking back from the library. Keep warm, stay awake and get work done this holiday season with a travel coffee mug.

3. iPad

The iPad is the best way to search the Web, hands down. And who needs to search the Web more than a college student? You can even access your e-mail, watch movies, organize your photos and more. College life can become a whole lot easier with this popular holiday gift.

4. The Amazon Kindle

Who needs a backpack full of books when you can hold all the materials you need for class right in the palm of your hand? Although the Amazon Kindle does not have all of the bells and whistles of the iPad, it is a lot cheaper and allows students to carry around books without jeopardizing their backs.

5. Sony 7-inch Digital Photo Frame

Not enough room in your dorm for all your family and friend photos? With a digital photo frame, you only need a small space on your desk to display over 2,000 images (internal memory capacity = 1 GB).

6. Sweats, Snacks and iTunes Gift Cards

Enough with the fancy stuff … let’s get down to what college students actually want. Every college student loves to lounge around in sweats, and who doesn’t like to get food as a gift (i.e. granola bars, popcorn)? To top it all off, throw an iTunes gift card into the basket.

7. Alarm Clock

Get to class on time with an old-fashioned alarm clock. Although this gift may seem trivial, it will save you from missing class.

8. Snuggie

Curl up with one of these cozy fleece blankets. Snuggies give college students a greater incentive to study, as they are unbelievably comfortable and keep you perfectly warm.

9. Bedlounge/Husband/Boyfriend

Prop a bedlounge up on your bed or on your chair, recline back, get comfortable and study away. Wooden chairs in dorm rooms are not the most comfortable, so why not make your life a little easier, and a little more comfortable with a bedlounge?

10. iHome

College students love their music. The iHome can even be used as an alarm clock. Listen to your favorite music in your dorm, and make it to class on time with this holiday gift.

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Arts & Life

Off the tube: Modern Family

By Laura Crowley

Writer

Now in its second season, the mockumentary-style comedy “Modern Family” is gaining viewers and critical acclaim.  The 22-minute show has 12.1 million viewers.  The show has equally caught critics’ attention, as Time Magazine called it “the funniest sitcom pilot of the fall” and USA Today deemed it “the best of the bunch.”

The show centers around three “modern” families living in Los Angeles, Calif.  The first consists of Jay Pritchett, his Colombian wife Gloria Delgado Pritchett, distinctive for her looks and thick accent, and their son Manny.  The second family includes Jay’s son Mitchell Pritchett, his partner Cameron Tucker and their adopted Vietnamese daughter Lily, while the third family consists of Jay’s daughter Claire Dunphy, Claire’s husband Phil and their three kids.

Each episode depicts the lives of the three American families with regular filming as well as private interviews.  A recent episode, “Halloween,” centers on how each family celebrates Halloween.  Claire Dunphy is most involved in Halloween, as she claims it is “her” holiday and makes a haunted house, which receives no acclaim from her extended family as they are all busy with their own lives. Gloria Delgado Pritchett is too preoccupied with correcting her thick accent and sounding perfectly American. Cameron Tucker is too preoccupied with sharing his hatred for Halloween after an incident that happened to him trick-or-treating at age 10.

Variety magazine says Modern Family is “flitting among three storylines, it’s smart, nimble and best of all, funny, while actually making a point about the evolving nature of what constitutes ‘family.’”  According to the show, it seems America’s “modern family” can be considered fast-paced, sarcastic and unconventional.  Perhaps because of the suggestions it makes of today’s family, The New York Post thinks “it’s funny, it’s vicious, it’s politically incorrect.”

Critics seem most relieved that there is finally another good family sitcom on television.  “The Miami Herald” goes so far to say that it is the first good family sitcom in two decades: “For the first time since “Married … With Children” stood the genre on its head two decades ago, somebody has come up with a new take on the family sitcom, and the results are riotously funny.”

Even for those less interested in family dynamic, the show is worth seeing for its original wit and storylines.  Episodes air at 9 p.m. every Wednesday or can be viewed online at any time.

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Arts & Life

HP Spoofs

By Tracy Lum

Editor-in-Chief

The magic of Harry Potter has inspired numerous spoofs, parodies and fan fictions. Some comment, extend and even completely rewrite the stories. For those who can’t get enough Potter, check out the following.

A Very Potter Musical

This fan musical written and produced by University of Michigan students in 2009 illustrates Harry’s journey through song. With newly “Gleeked” Darren Criss as Harry Potter, the musical revisits the most memorable moments of the series with an edgy, irreverent twist. Relive the magic with numbers like “Get Back to Hogwarts” and “Granger Danger.” Watch closely and you might even spot a cameo by Zac Efron. (For more, see http://www.teamstarkid.com/projects/a-very-potter-musical/)

Potter Puppet Pals

The Potter Puppet Pals have been entertaining YouTube audiences for years with sketches like “Potions Class,” “Wizard Angst” and “Wizard Swears.” Though the series began with cartoon-style puppets, creators Neil and Emmy Cicierega have now fashioned and filmed actual Potter Puppets. Check out the latest sketch, “Draco Puppet” at www.potterpuppetpals.com.

Wizard People

“Wizard People” mutes all sound on the original “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” film and replaces it with the gravely narration of comic book artist Brad Neely. Neely retells the first film, renaming characters, places and events, describing them with his characteristic dark humor. Fans can simply download the soundtrack to accompany their own muted versions of the film, or they can look up the videos on YouTube. Either way, join the “Wretched Harmony” and “Hardcastle McCormick” for some re-imagined Potter adventures.

Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter

The moment has finally arrived. Daniel Radcliffe has admitted that he and Harry Potter are one and the same. In this spoof, Radcliffe says, “I thought I was an actor playing a wizard, but really I was a wizard playing an actor.” Funny? Maybe, but check it out nevertheless: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/a1c04ce68e/i-am-harry-potter.

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Arts & Life Movies Review

‘Hallows’ dark, stark and action-packed

By Tracy Lum

Editor-in-Chief

Dueling sparks and explosions burst out in a dingy London diner, interrupting the cool silence of the dark night. Two Death Eaters, stunned, fall to the ground, while three young wizards pant beneath an overturned table. Wands ready, Harry, Ron and Hermione have just faced their first real battle on an action-packed search for the Dark Lord’s seven horcruxes.

A pervasive darkness shrouds the glimmers of hope and comedy in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I,” directed by David Yates. For the first time, the trio has left the safety of Hogwarts and home behind, and the challenges that lie ahead are ominous. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) use their respective skills to piece together the clues that a now-deceased Dumbledore left behind to uncover the locations of Voldemort’s horcruxes—the pieces of his soul that allow him to defy death time and again. Along the way, they face unimaginable dangers, some of which prove fatal for their fellow wizards and magical creatures.

In the first part of the final film in the series, time moves swiftly. Yates never lets the trio linger in one place for too long. Gone are many of the intimate, nostalgic moments J.K. Rowling’s book includes—Harry doesn’t have the opportunity to forgive Dudley. The three don’t spend enough time in 12 Grimmauld Place to forge an emotional connection to Kreacher the house-elf before they storm the Ministry of Magic. Their stay the woods waiting for a new sign or clue doesn’t seem long enough to justify Ron’s frustration and departure.

In contrast to the book, action propels the trio toward the ultimate goal of defeating the Dark Lord. Battle scenes cast in high-contrast lighting depict fancy wandwork that requires no spoken spells. Handheld camera movement energizes chase scenes and instills a sense of real desperation and fear. The blood is real, the death is real.

Still, the film fulfills its share of emotional moments. The camera tracks Harry walking through the deserted 4 Privet Drive, returning to the closet where the story began. He is grown now; he cannot enter his old bedroom without crouching. The film shows Hermione’s tear-streaked face as she erases herself from her parents’ memories. Harry and Hermione dance together in their tent during a rare moment of calm after Ron has abandoned them in the forest.

The actors themselves have grown. Laced with flashbacks from the previous films, the seventh tugs at heartstrings as it juxtaposes images from Harry, Ron and Hermione’s earlier adventures with ones from their current quest. A bulked-up Rupert Grint proves himself a worthy actor. Emma Watson has finally stopped overacting by waggling her eyebrows in an attempt to garner more attention and screen time. Daniel Radcliffe has grown more into his role, especially when the seven decoy Harrys emerge on screen in a stunning flying sequence over the modern London landscape.

Since the first half of “Deathly Hallows” primarily focuses on the trio’s journey, secondary characters like Neville, Ginny and Luna are only featured briefly, but they too have grown. On the Hogwarts Express, Neville stands up for himself. In a cell under the Malfoy’s mansion, Luna is a source of comfort to the imprisoned Ollivander. Ginny secures her spot in Harry’s heart. Malfoy, however, is perpetually a coward.

While the film loses much of the complex background the book provides, its focus on the central three characters lays the groundwork for the final showdown of the Potter series. An action-packed, though gloomy portrait of life under the rule of Voldemort, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I” is intense, emotional and, as always, magical.

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Arts & Life

Potter sparks scholarly study at University

By Sarah Bookstein

Writer

For those “Harry Potter” followers on campus who live, breathe and discuss every aspect of the series, perhaps the best way to feed their obsession is to take a course that incorporates the tales of the perfect magician in the syllabus. The course that uses “Harry Potter” most profoundly is “Young Adult Fiction” taught by associate professor of English Virginia Zimmerman. An expert in Young Adult Fiction as well as Victorian literature and geology, Zimmerman published an article entitled “Harry Potter and the Gift of Time” in the literary journal “Children’s Literature.”

Zimmerman herself is passionate about Harry Potter. “I think the series is brilliantly plotted, and delving into the plot with all my analytical skills is always rewarding. I enjoy guiding students through that process. The extraordinary popularity of the books demands that we pay attention to them, but they are not just popular, escapist “good-reads”—they are high-quality, game-changing literary texts,” she said.

Zimmerman usually begins the course by assigning the first book of the Harry Potter series, because many student sign up for the course after hearing that they can read their favorite book for homework. Then students read other young adult fiction books such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Secret Garden” and “The Golden Compass.”

“A professor really can’t go wrong teaching Harry Potter in an English class, but it was a particularly engaging course because it was discussion-based so we all participated,” said Laura Hudson ’11, a past student in the course.

Using connections drawn from the other books analyzed throughout the course, students can see that J.K. Rowling employs themes common to this genre, such as an orphaned child, the idea of a prophecy and kids working together to solve problems. A less common theme that is still important to Rowling is family. “For instance, the narrative arc of the third book is really about Harry needing someone to sign a permission slip,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman also teaches a foundation seminar called “Fiction Inside Out” that primarily focuses on texts that have inspired movies and other spin-offs. “Harry Potter” naturally becomes the focus of a class like this because the series essentially opened a world of magic to the literary world. In this course, a discussion about the idea of a magic world being part of the real world arises. One example is the existence of Hogwarts Platform 9 3/4 in a real London train station. “We consider how the presence of, for example, actual Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans in the real world complicates the relationship between magic and reality in and out of the books,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman explained that many students sign up for her courses primarily because they integrate Harry Potter into literary discussions, and enjoy “discovering layers of literary depth in the books that they may not have noticed before.”

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Arts & Life Movies Review

Modern ‘Love’

By Ashley Miller

Writer

“Love and Other Drugs” is a romantic comedy with a bit of a twist. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway, who played the imperfect couple in “Brokeback Mountain,” create serious on-screen chemistry.

In a role unlike any she has played before, Hathaway plays Maggie Murdock, a lusty, free-spirited artist with her own ideas about love and relationships. Gyllenhaal is Jamie Randall, a notoriously charming heart-breaker and the black-sheep member of a medical, professional family.

When Viagra is released in 1996, Jamie decides to join the cut-throat world of pharmaceutical sales. He moves to the Ohio River Valley as a Sales Rep for Pfizer, where he makes his way to Chicago. This goal can’t be achieved without a little brown-nosing of doctors, sex with receptionists and other questionable methods. Desperate to prove himself and make some money, Jamie will do anything to get ahead, even shadow a doctor. In this way, Jamie meets Maggie, who is a stage one Parkinson’s victim.

Originally, Maggie seems to be one of the only women ever uninterested in Jamie. Eventually, Jamie’s charm wears her down and she agrees to a date. Neither of them is looking for anything serious, so when they get together, it seems a match made in heaven.

But as the two sex buddies start to spend more time together, primarily in the bedroom, they realize things are a more serious than either of them originally thought. The question arises: can they overcome their fears and actually commit to something?

This movie includes the conventions of romantic comedies, namely the sweet, mushy romance and the subtle underlying humor, but combines them with cruder aspects. You may remember the controversy over Hathaway and Gyllenhaal posing naked for the cover of “Entertainment Weekly.” If you thought that was bad, you haven’t seen anything yet. Maggie and Jamie have sex for probably half of the movie. You can look forward to plenty of nudity; bet you never expected to see the “Princess Diaries” star topless (quite a few times). Since this is a film based around the drug Viagra, you can guess what kind of jokes are featured.

Crudity aside, the message of this unconventional love story is a good one. This against-all-odds couple learns to trust each other and themselves. Expect to laugh and cry as Jamie and Maggie attempt to combat a degenerating disease while they fall in love for the first time. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway are pretty hilarious and definitely make Maggie and Jamie a cute couple. If you can get past the crudeness, this story will warm your heart.

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Arts & Life

‘Deathly Hallows’ a book for the ages

By Brenna English-Loeb

Senior Writer

With the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I,” many fans of the series are returning to the books. Though they begin at the very beginning, with “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive,” the most important book is the seventh. Some readers refresh their memories of specific plot points to spot deviations from the text in the movie, while others hope to be able to follow along by the seat of their pants. Whatever the motive, anyone who has attempted to check out a Harry Potter book from their library in the last month is aware that this series is already timeless, with the ability to recapture a reader, even though years have passed since the original publication dates of its several installments.

With the Harry Potter series captivating such a large readership, an immense responsibility is placed upon the culminating book. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” ties up all the plot lines in one satisfying package. The ultimate question of how Harry will defeat the Dark Lord must be answered. Since Rowling left Harry with several Horcruxes to find and destroy before he can even think about approaching Voldemort, it’s no wonder the book is so long. A common criticism of “Deathly Hallows” is that it spends too much time following the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione as the three camp around Britain, stagnant in their attempts to find and destroy the locket. While this does slow down the plot considerably, it helps establish the desolate mood and strained relationships of the Wizarding world.

It also allows the reader some quality time with the characters of the trio. Rowling is captivating with her action scenes and imaginative world-building, but her ability to give more than tantalizing characterizations is hardly seen. Finally we get a chance to see Harry, Ron and Hermione fully express themselves as burgeoning adults, far removed from the first glimpses we receive in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Harry is no longer the wide-eyed newcomer, nor is Hermione the bossy know-it-all. They are tied together by deep bonds of emotion and responsibility.

Perhaps because she has focused so much more time on Ron and Hermione, Rowling handles their relationship with considerably more poise than many others. Probably her weakest moments are those that pair up secondary characters. The unexpected marriage between Remus Lupin and Tonks in particular is void of all believability. Sadly, the continued relationship between Harry and Ginny remains just as lackluster. They barely have any moments together, and when they do, Rowling only allows Harry to keep insisting that Ginny stay behind for her own good and Ginny to beg to stay by his side. Readers are led to wish Ginny had more bearing on the series or had at least kept some of the character she exhibits in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

Still, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” delivers as a capstone achievement. Rowling’s writing has developed over the course of the series. This can be seen in the contrast between the quality of the main body and the Epilogue, supposedly written first, which feels too neat. Long accused of becoming egregiously dark, here Rowling shows us just what she can really do, and it works. The shambles that the Wizarding society becomes feel real and necessary, even when more beloved characters fall beneath the onslaught of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Of course “Deathly Hallows” cannot accomplish the wishes of every single reader, but it does a good job of bringing everything together. This, of course, has not deterred many fans from begging for more, an idea Rowling has fanned the flames of by hinting in interviews she may have more “Harry Potter” stories waiting in the wings.

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Arts & Life

Black Student Union to host annual Kwanzaa celebration

By Laura Crowley

Writer

A tradition for over 10 years at the University, the annual Kwanzaa dinner will take place Monday, Dec. 6 in the Terrace Room. The Black Student Union (BSU) is hosting the dinner to celebrate the holiday that runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.

“Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world,” said Bryan Coleman ’11, vice president of the BSU. “Throughout the African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense,” he said.

Even though it is traditionally an African and African-American holiday, “it is celebrated by everyone who pleases today,” Coleman said.

Coleman said the seven days of Kwanzaa should observe principles of “the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world.”  These principles include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Jessica Hess, director of Multicultural Student Services, said that the dinner demonstrates to the community what the principles of Kwanzaa are. She said it also shows “how we should all aspire to live by following these principles.”

Nadia Sasso ’11, president of BSU, said that the celebration will consist of events such as a drumming introduction, a speaker who will discuss the importance of Kwanzaa, a libation ceremony, a universal African dance and a performance by actor Lamar K. Cheston on the meaning of Kwanzaa.  Students and faculty can also volunteer to share speeches and monologues to reflect on the celebration.

After the libation ceremony, a spiritual ritual in honor of an individual, attendees will have a chance to decide who they would tribute a libation to.   Maya Chase ’11 said libation is “a form of giving thanks and empowering our loved ones who have come before us and whose shoulders we stand on.”

Sasso said that “the person who they tribute should embody the principles or practice some of the Kwanzaa principles.”

Coleman said the food served is primarily from African-American cultures due to the roots of the celebration. The name “Kwanzaa” comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which is Swahili for “first fruits of the harvest.”

This year “fried fish, fried chicken, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, red beans and rice, apple and peach cobbler and cornbread” will all be served, he said.

The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green, and students may dress accordingly.  There is space for 150 students to attend the event.  Tickets ($12 for students) are on sale today in the Elaine Langone Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.