Categories
Arts & Life

Showcase Feature

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor

The Bucknell Theatre and Dance Department is proud to present the annual Fall Dance Showcase 2012. A vast range of dance styles will be performed on Harvey M. Powers Theatre stage tonight at 8 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Auditions for the Fall Dance Showcase took place in August, and choreographers have been since busy with creating work for the show. The concert will feature contemporary jazz, modern and ballet, choreographed by students, faculty, alumni and guest artists. The choreographers cannot wait to share their work with the audience.

“We began tech rehearsals on Sunday of this week, working with lighting and sound designers and stage managers to bring the work to life on stage,” Dustyn Martincich, assistant professor of theatre and dance said. “After two dress rehearsals and a preview performance, we are ready to open the show tonight. It’s a long process with a fabulous outcome for our audiences, who get to see the joy and artistry.”

Student choreographers submitted proposals for pieces over the summer. Each student choreographer has taken the Dance Composition class, and through their new works in this fall’s showcase, they are furthering the development of their choreographic skills. Choreographers shared their process through a Facebook group over the course of several months, enabling the students to help and take advice from other choreographers, as well as from the student directors, Leigh Arnold ’13 and Sam Gosnell ’13.

“Every semester is a little different because we have new and growing choreographers with various interests,” Martincich said. “Some pursue musicality, some style, some narrative themes, some simply the love of line, dynamic change and clear technique. That’s what makes the showcase so appealing to so many audiences. It truly has something for everyone.”

The performances will also consist of student group work, including Irish dance, the Bisonettes, tap and dance classes. Also, students from the local Lewisburg Conservatory of Dance are performing a piece choreographed by a University student.

“Some pieces are really intense and hard hitting, while others are upbeat and exciting,” Arnold said. “You can be sure that whatever comes on stage next will be piece to remember.”

There is a pre-show installation piece, too, which was choreographed by Martincich and Joe Meiser, assistant professor of art and art history.

“It’s a real treat for audience members who get their tickets and get to the theatre early,” Martincich said.

In the pre-show installation piece, the dancers and choreographers worked together to create movement phrases based on images, species descriptions of radiolaria or microorganisms, as well as Italo Calvino’s “Aquatic Uncle” and sculptures from the Sculpture I class. These movements were then set in different locations in the Theatre.

“Every night, the audience will see something a little different depending on when they get to the Theatre and where they sit,” Martincich said.

Showcase Directors Arnold and Gosnell look forward to the weekend. Both have worked relentlessly to make this show a success. They have been involved in past showcases as dancers and choreographers. This fall, the directors feel privileged to have had to opportunity to student direct.

“My favorite part of directing was that I was able to work closely with Sam [Gosnell] and the faculty as well still work along side my fellow dancers,” Arnold said. “The passion that we all share for dance is contagious and it is a wonderful environment to work in.”

“Although the process sometimes got overwhelming, as any major production can, everyone involved in the show truly loves to dance and believes in this art form,” Gosnell said. “That definitely made the final turnout worth so much more.”

Directing has proven to be different from Gosnell’s and Arnold’s past experiences in the dance showcases.

“I get to see the choreographers’ visions come to life from the very start,” Arnold said.

The showcase will include many new dancers, as well as dancers who have appeared in past showcases.

“We take pride in how each showcase is new and exciting, and this year is no exception,” Arnold said. “We have many people who have performed or worked with us before participating, but we also have many new people choreographing, dancing and working back stage.”

“This has been one of the most fun things I have done at Bucknell,” said Angel Hernandez ’13.

Hernandez, a dancer in the show, points out the lack of balance in regards to who participates in the showcases.

“It’s sad that not that many guys are involved, especially when there are so many beautiful girls,” Hernandez said.

“Perhaps, my favorite thing about this year is the creativity that the choreographers have brought to the stage that has allowed for many dancers to be cast into roles that they have never had to take on,” Arnold said. “So the excitement of seeing people take on new roles and dance styles makes for some great surprises and a wonderful performance.”

Visit the Campus Box Office and buy tickets now ($10 regular and $5 for students, senior citizens and children) before the shows are sold-out.

Categories
News

Greek Sing

Ben Kaufman | The Bucknellian
The brothers of Chi Phi fraternity performing their dance for Greek sing. Their performance placed them first in the competition, going on to win Greek Week overall.

Emily Meringolo
Layout Editor

As part of Greek Week, the University’s fraternities and sororities showed off their best moves in Greek Sing on Nov. 1. Delta Gama sorority and Chi Phi fraternity performed their way to the top as they won over a panel of judges selected by Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association. For the first time ever, the event was  held in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts. Audience members saw choreographed dances to the sounds of the Backstreet Boys, Gangnam style and The Bloodhound Gang, to name a few. Overall, the event packed in many members from the various Greek organizations on campus and culminated an eventful Greek Week.

Ben Kaufman | The Bucknellian
Tom Kim ’13 and the brothers of Delta Upsilon fraternity performing Gangnam Style at Greek Sing. This dance placed them in second overall.
Ben Kaufman | The Bucknellian
The sisters of Chi Omega sorority show their sign at the end of their dance. They went on to win Greek Week.
Ben Kaufman | The Bucknellian
The sisters of Delta Gamma sorority doing a step routine. They placed first in Greek sing.
Categories
News

Barack is Back: A Democratic Victory

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sara Blair Matthews
News Editor

Bucknell Student Government (BSG) hosted a student debate in regards to the 2012 presidential election, which covered topics such as the deficit, education and health care. President John Bravman moderated this event, which took place Nov. 5 from 7-9 p.m. in Trout Auditorium. The conservative side was comprised of Jeff Finegan ’14, Richie Pisano ’15 and Ashley Rooney ’13. The liberal side consisted of Darby Hamilton ’15, Kamran Khan ’14 and John Coleman ’16.

Early on, Bravman posed the question, “Do you believe that college education is a fundamental right to all citizens of the United States?”

The conservatives responded with a firm no, and Finegan took the floor on the issue.

“When government gives you something, government can easily retract that benefit that is given,” Finegan said.

From the liberal side, Khan disagreed.

“Education is the universal equalizer,” he said.

“The right to a college education is fundamental for Americans if they want it,” Coleman said.

Following the panel debate, there was a Q & A portion from students in the audience. Questions arose regarding controversial topics such as gun control and the deficit.

“An increase in spending is leading to an increase in deficit,” Finnegan said.

“The audience was very engaged in the discussion and asked great challenging questions,” Associate Dean of Students Kari Conrad said.

The auditorium was fairly packed, and Conrad was happy with the event turnout. 

“I was impressed with the knowledge base from both teams. I think both sides were well prepared and presented issues from their particular perspectives. Additionally, it was clear that Bucknell students are passionate about the election,” Conrad said.

Categories
Arts & Life Books Columns Review

“The Last Policeman:” the first of three new apocalypse novels

Carolyn Williams
Writer

Ben H. Winter’s latest novel “The Last Policeman” plays with the popular genre of crime fiction and humanity’s inevitable curiosity about the end of the world. In this version, a young detective is faced with mounting apathy as he tries to solve crimes in the months before Earth’s unavoidable collision with a six-kilometer-wide asteroid called Maia.

Henry Palace, age 27, has always wanted to be a detective. He has finally achieved this goal, but now the world around him is falling apart. Last year, scientists announced the discovery of an asteroid that might hit Earth, and a few months ago, they confirmed that Earth has a 100 percent chance of impact, and everyone is going to die. Ever since then, people have started to get a little bit crazy.

Henry works in his hometown of Concord, N.H., which used to be a pretty quiet place. In fact, when Henry’s mother was killed less than 20 years ago, the odds of dying of unnatural causes in Concord were zero. This is no longer the case. Though Henry tells us the Midwest favors shotguns to the head as a means of suicide, Concord is decidedly a “hanger town.” It’s Detective Palace’s job to clean up the messes.

Although most everyone has stopped caring about maintaining law and order, Henry is determined to do the job he as always wanted to, in whatever time he has left. He latches on to the suspicious suicide of Peter Zell in a McDonald’s bathroom, and though everyone assures him this is a cut and dry suicide, Henry remains unconvinced. As he digs deeper into Zell’s background and his quiet existence, he feels more and more affinity for the lonely actuary, becoming increasingly hell-bent on solving this case. Between the case, his hippie sister, her deadbeat husband and his growing attraction to a woman from Peter Zell’s office, Henry certainly does not have time to “go Bucket List” like everyone else.

In the wake of last year’s “Melancholia” and “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” in movie theaters, one has to wonder: why the sudden spike in popular interest for apocalypse entertainment? Detective Palace is one of those characters who is so fixed in his thirst for justice that it becomes difficult to separate him from the idea of “justice” in the abstract. Usually in this kind of quick-paced, dry-humored police story, we get a tale of previous injustices inflicted or a dead wife to avenge. Instead, we have the level-headed Henry Palace, our guide through a world disturbingly similar to our own, but doomed. So maybe he’s no Dirty Harry, but that’s a story we’ve all heard before anyway. What’s lost in excitement is made up for in believability. Winters has stated that “The Last Policeman” is the first in a planned trilogy, so if nothing else, we haven’t seen the last of Henry Palace.

Categories
Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Sonya Renee Taylor, international artist and activist, joins students and faculty at Uptown

Anna Jones
Writer

On Nov. 2, Uptown held one of its well-known Poetry Slams to show off the work of talented University students, faculty and guest artists.

“A Poetry Slam is a competition between anyone who wants to share a poem they wrote or read … poems are about anything that is on the poet’s mind,” Emilie Ratajczak ’15, assistant manager of Uptown, said.

“The poems are judged on a ten point scale by audience members and a winner is determined,” Steph Wyld ’14, manager of Uptown said.

The Stadler Center for Poetry has hosted six Poetry Slams, led by Jamaal May, a Stadler Fellow, at Uptown in the past year and a half. Each has been well attended. There are several different sections during a poetry slam.

“Each Slam breaks the night up into an Open Mic, Featured Poet and a One-Round Slam that artists sign up for at the beginning of the night with audience judges,” Wyld said.

The Poetry Slams at Uptown are campus-wide events, but students from other schools, such as Susquehanna University, are also invited.

At this particular slam, Sonya Renee Taylor, the founder and current CEO of The Body Is Not An Apology, a movement focused on self-acceptance and body empowerment, was the featured guest. Taylor is herself a poet, so she performed her powerful work along with University and Susquehanna University students.

“My favorite part of the Poetry Slam is being surrounded by such passionate poets,” Ratajczak said.

She also encourages University students to head out to a slam if they get a chance.

“These events are an extremely fun way to break from the usual night scene at Bucknell,” Ratajczak said. “In addition, you get to meet so many great new people at these events at Uptown.”

“My favorite part is seeing performers put their whole heart and soul into a piece and connect to the audience through those common experiences by sharing something so personal,” Wyld said. “Past performers have surprised me with talent I couldn’t have imagined they possess and it’s great to hear them express their work.”

Wyld also recommends that students check out the Poetry Slams.

“They are something that you can’t experience every day. They really are special and will open your eyes to a whole other world of self-expression,” Wyld said. “There is a very welcoming and supportive crowd, so it is a great place for anyone to share their poetry without fear of criticism and for audience members to enjoy a fantastic performance.”

Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial: Students show strong involvement and interest in the election

When the MSNBC video came out in early September showing University students to be apathetic and ignorant regarding the newly passed voter ID laws in the state of Pennsylvania, no one was more disappointed in our student body than The Bucknellian staff.

After printing multiple articles related to the voter ID expiration date issue, we were dismayed to find out that students didn’t seem to care about this piece of news that could directly affect them and require them to take action. Our faith in the campus’ political involvement was diminished.

As this week’s election continued to approach though, we were excited to see student interest and involvement in the election skyrocket, something the video had caused us to doubt. Bucknell Student Government (BSG) ran a campaign imploring students to register to vote, providing them with the opportunity to register in the LC mall at their convenience. With this initiative, we believe many students registered to vote and followed through on election day who may not have done so without BSG’s encouragement and efforts.

Beyond simply giving students a convenient registration and voting location, the campus came together to provide resources for students to learn more about the parties, their candidates and their stances on different issues.

The Conservatives Club and College Democrats wrote opinions pieces to be printed in The Bucknellian in the weeks leading up to the election. President Bravman moderated a presidential debate on the evening of Nov. 5 and had students present their political views. Viewings were held around campus to watch the debates, as well as Election Day coverage on Nov. 6.

Election Day on campus proved even further that our students aren’t as apathetic and uneducated on politics as the MSNBC video originally showed. All over campus, students, faculty and staff could be seen proudly displaying their “I voted” stickers. Discussion of the election was inevitable in every class and group meeting. WVBU hosted a live broadcast in the Bison with video interviews. Groups were eagerly awaiting results throughout the evening in dormitories, apartments and fraternities. Our participation and strong attitudes toward this year’s election across the campus couldn’t be ignored.

Regardless of the Democratic Party’s victory with President Barack Obama winning a second term and the upset of the Republican Party over Mitt Romney’s defeat, the campus came together to have their voices heard in the United States and in the state of Pennsylvania. While our staff can’t even come to a finite decision on which candidate was the best option for the next four years, we did come to a decision quite easily over our impression of this campus’ political interests. We were pleased to see such an active community, especially following such a disappointing and embarrassing video displaying our apathy on the same exact subject.

Categories
Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: 7 Things You Should Never Say on Television

Ben Rees
Writer

In 1972, George Carlin went on television and performed his comedic monologue entitled “The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” He rattled off a string of obscenities prohibited from cable, and criticized America’s methods of censorship. Forty years later, I, without attempting to equate myself to someone as truly marvelous as Carlin, think we have gone too far. Our civilization is consistently inundated with visual smut, which has inspired a list I have dubbed: “The Seven Things You Should Never Say on Television, But Unfortunately, Due to Lax Regulations and Our Bizarre Interest in Disgusting People, We Are Able to.”

First: “Introducing your host, Ryan Seacrest!” Anything that has his name on it is an intellectual travesty. He was sexy for a few seasons of “American Idol,” but every show that involves a singing contest of sorts is simply embarrassing. All competitive talent programs revolve around false hopes, false eyelashes and falsely emotional obese contestants.

Second: “Spike TV.” Partially excluding “1000 Ways To Die,” this channel is a sad, testosterone-fueled quest for ratings. They don’t show “MXC” anymore, and G4 has “Ninja Warrior;” Spike TV has essentially zero programming that anyone with a functioning brain stem would ever want to watch. Never have I ever heard someone utter: “Dude, let’s see what’s on Spike.”

Third: “You are/are not the father.” We have all sat through an episode or two of “Maury,” and I truly believe each and every one of us pities humanity during it. The universal excuse is: “It makes me feel great about myself,” but this is simply a socially constructed facade. This show goes past being an ego boost; rather, it stymies any sort of hope that people are inherently good.

Fourth: “It will leave you breathless.” Plain and simple–it will not. In fact, the show will probably aggravate you to the point of holding your breath until you have lost consciousness.

Fifth: “On a brand new episode of ‘The Simpsons.’” I do apologize, because it makes me as sad as everyone else, but Fox needs to stop. This show hit the skids a long time ago, and every week I cringe a little more because something I once loved has fallen apart.

Sixth: “World’s,” “Most” or “Extreme.” Whether it’s “World’s Worst Tenants,” “Extreme Cheapskates” or “Extreme Makeover,” any term that implies a hyperbolic comparison of something grandiose is doomed to eternal mediocrity. If someone truly were the worst tenant in the world, then they would be homeless–not collecting alligators in their bathtub. Most of these shows can be consolidated into one overarching character flaw: un-dateable. If the program were entitled, “World’s Most Single,” then we as viewers would probably assume they are extremely cheap, awful tenants and addicted to eating toilet paper. This show could air for an hour per week, thereby saving humanity from the currently inescapable barrage of reality TV.

Seventh: “HWHHHATTTTT?” or whatever that ghastly noise Jon Stewart makes when he attempts to act surprised about something. I think he’s funny the same way I enjoy “Cops.” It’s hysterical the first time someone messes himself in the back of the police cruiser, but after a while, the same old shit gets pretty stale.

Categories
Arts & Life Campus Events

Kind Campaign promotes apologizing and awareness of bullying among girls

Ally Boni | The Bucknellian
President and Cofounder Lauren Parsekian and Vice President and Cofounder Molly Thompson speak to University students and faculty, as well as local members of the community, about girl bullying.

Laura Crowley
Senior Writer

On Nov. 5, the Kind Campaign came to campus to talk to female students and other members of the larger community about abuse within the “girl world.” President and Co-founder Lauren Parsekian and Vice President and Co-founder Molly Thompson of the non-profit organization presented their cause, showed their documentary “Finding Nice” and facilitated conversation and activities after the film.

The documentary tells the story of how the Pepperdine University graduates set off on a tour around the country to interview both sexes about female bullying. They have now made three nation-wide tours in which they have visited schools to show their documentary and facilitate conversation between girls and women of different ages. The pair was inspired to spread awareness of the topic after they were both victims of bullying in middle and high school.

Ally Boni | The Bucknellian
Audience members had the opportunity to fill out Kind Cards with apologies, personal statements, and honest letters to other peers, family members, or friends.

The movement hopes to spread the sentiment that victims of bullying do not stand alone.  Their website, kindcampaign.com, spreads this sentiment and provides a forum where girls can anonymously share their struggles and seek support. The movement also spreads this message through several Kind Clubs across the nation, as well as a magazine and an online blog.

The most striking part of the night was seeing the “raw emotion of the girls who shared their stories” throughout the documentary, Mikaela Stein ’13 said. Cameron Berry ’13 was similarly surprised to see “the impact of mean girl-on-girl behavior on later stages of life.”

“You’d think that kind of behavior only exists in younger girls who haven’t fully matured, but now it’s obvious it exists in every stage of life, which is disheartening,” Berry said.

Both Stein and Berry believe meanness amongst girls is a problem on our campus. Lexie Leone ’14 and Sarah Remshifski ’14 shared the same sentiments, and said they will take action in their own sorority by “trying to make it more of a sisterhood with less cattiness.”

Thompson and Parsekian were both members of sororities at Pepperdine and felt their experience as Greek members was a positive one.

The campaign acknowledges that while we have all been victims to bullying, we have also been part of the cause. In honor of this, the event concluded by having audience members fill out the three cards in which they told the truth about an instance of bullying they were a part of, apologized for the incident and pledged not to bully or be a bystander to bullying.

Categories
News

Students race for a global cause

Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian
Bonnie Reiff ’13 is all smiles as she runs to support to Bucknell Brigade’s fundraising goal for their annual trip.

Kerong Kelly
Writer

The Bucknell Brigade held its third annual “Making it to Managua” 5k race in Lewisburg, Pa. on Nov. 4. The Bucknell Brigade was formed 13 years ago in order to help rebuild Nicaragua after Hurricane Mitch.

 “It was really cold out, but it was great to see so many people out supporting early in the morning,” Jon Drouin ’15 said.

At the event, there was coffee and doughnuts for the supporters and racers, and there were smaller goods for sale to raise money for Nicaragua.

“The 5k is a great way for the Brigade to raise money and awareness for our upcoming trip to Nicaragua. We are so excited to go and we’re glad we can share some of this excitement with the community,” Kasha Scott ’14 said.

The slogan “Making it to Managua: 2073 miles” is representative of the distance to Nicaragua.

“I’d say the race was definitely a success. We raised around $1,500 for the brigade’s work in Nicaragua. I think I speak for everyone involved with the brigade when I say that we really appreciate everyone coming out in the cold to help us raise money,” Chloe Drennen ’15 said.

Categories
News

Voting on campus linked to student-run initiatives

Siobhan Murray
Senior Writer

University students “Rocked the Vote” on Nov. 6 at two on-campus voting locations, Larrison Dining Hall and the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.

Bucknell Student Government’s (BSG) Rock the Vote student voter registration contest, along with other campus initiatives, such as campus radio WVBU’s election night coverage and Monday night’s student debate, all sought to cover the issues leading up to the national election and increase student voter turnout.

Rock the Vote pitted each class year against one another to see who could get the most students to register to vote.

The Class of 2016 won the contest by registering 213 voters. Students in the winning class will receive a 20 percent off coupon for the Barnes & Noble Bookstore.

Behind the winning class, the Class of 2015 registered 169 student voters; the Class of 2014 registered 143 voters and the Class of 2013 registered 128 voters.

As Pennsylvania college students, students could have either chosen to either register to vote in Union County and voted in person at one of the designated polling places, or students could have registered using their current permanent home address via an absentee ballot.

Some students had to travel to off-campus locations to vote, depending what district their address was in.

David Blaides ’15, who lives on Saint George Street, found out upon arriving at Larrison Hall that he would have to cast his ballot at the nearby Lewisburg Court House.

“I didn’t really mind, but I wish I had known beforehand. I think that they did a good job of promoting voting early on, though, and as a non-Pennsylvania resident, I knew I had to be more aware of the campus voting opportunities. I appreciated the Rock the Vote initiative and things like the presidential student debate because it allows students to really learn about the issues before they vote,” Blaides said.

WVBU’s election night event, which took place at the Bison and featured live debates, discussion, entertainment and video elements, began at 7 p.m. and was simulcast via 90.5 FM and WVBU’s web stream at www.wvbu.com.

“I have been encouraged to see that many Bucknell students have been engaged in this year’s campaign, and I think it’s great that WVBU is going to provide a campus venue for information about the national election results as they unfold next week,” Scott Meinke, associate professor of political science, said.

These efforts resulted in another successful year for students casting ballots and exercising their right to choose.

“I think that, in general, college kids don’t vote enough, but there was a definite effort to get out the vote on campus,” Carolyn McPhee ’15 said.