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(11/12/14 9:36pm)
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the International Student Organization (ISO) will host its annual Cultural Show in Wilson Hall. This year’s show includes over 15 different acts from at least five different regions of the world. It will be a mix of dances, songs, poetry and the much-anticipated fashion show.
The ISO, primarily funded by the SGA, is part of the parental cluster called Cultural Organizations. It is currently led by 3 co-presidents, Gabbie Santos ’17, Adara Wicaksono ’17 and Hiruy Ephrem ’17 and has a Publicity Committee, Community Service Committee and Social and Cultural Events Planning Committee.
The main purpose of the ISO is centered on the general ideas of proactively encouraging and acting for the integration of international students into the student body, embracing and showcasing diversity as a strength and a common resource that challenges students’ perceptions of the world, augmenting understanding of a variety of cultures in a fun and engaging way and working in synergy with other student organizations on campus. While the main purpose can be seen as being at the impact level, the outcome level is often defined by the current leaders and members of the organization. This year, the outcome objectives are neatly split into three – to incorporate discussions and reflections on-campus, to increase relevance of international students and to connect the ISO with the College through increased collaboration with other student organizations on campus.
Seen in this context, the ISO Cultural Show is a key event in exhibiting the diversity of the student body. The College has approximately 275 international students on campus representing over 70 different countries, and ISO membership includes domestic students, not just international students.
“The ISO Show is one of our biggest events, and it really becomes a platform for all of us to share in the celebration and appreciation of all cultures represented in the show,” Santos said.
This year’s theme for the show is “Crossing Borders.” The theme was chosen by popular vote after different students suggested different themes. The ISO explained the meaning of this theme on their Facebook page:
“Middlebury is home to a multitude of identities,” the co-presidents said. “Although each one is distinct and unique, we bridge diversity and our differences through a celebration of all cultures. We dance, we sing, we write. With each form of expression, we share a piece of ourselves with others.”
In preparation for the show, ISO members and performers have been busy getting things in order. After all, success usually follows when there is certainty of conviction, unity of motive and clearness of plan.
“Previously, the show was planned and executed through the ISO Show Committee, but this year we decided to approach it by involving the entire ISO general board,” Ephrem said. “This way, all members are able to input their ideas for the show and then we have a greater and more diverse merge of ideas. We had a competition to select themes, auditioned MCs and will be incorporating new decor to the venue.”
Performers have also been making the necessary preparations with great commitment.
“We have been holding rehearsals once a week in the beginning and twice a week in the past couple weeks,” performer Maddy Sanchez ’17 said. “I think we’ve been learning quite well. In the first practice no one knew what was going on and it was pretty frustrating, but now we all know what to do. It’s just getting it all to fit together.”
The show will include a number of pleasant surprises and there is a lot of optimism about its success.
“This year’s show will be great - from the breadth of cultures represented to DJ Mariam Khan coordinating our fashion show,” performer Jiaying Wu ’15 said. “I’m sure we’ll be having a fantastic show this year!”
There have been some challenges in preparing for the show among both performers and organizers.
“It seems that everyone is trying their best, however I do notice that there are some shaky things this year,” Sanchez said.
Some of the challenges could be construed as positive and providing a glimpse into different cultural nuances of art forms.
“As a dance group leader, one of the challenges I have faced in preparing for the show is trying to work with dancers from different cultural and dancing backgrounds, trying to teach them all a piece from a different culture, and having them performing it the way people from my country would,” said Cultural Events Planning Committee Chair Hamza Alsarhan ’17. “I have to explain what the lyrics of the song we are dancing to mean, so that my dancers are able to feel and understand the piece.”
The ISO Cultural Show has been very popular in the past to the extent that it has come to be the sole event associated with the ISO. The truth is that the ISO organizes several events and is active outside the college and in the community at large. In the past it has hosted and plans to continue hosting the International Symposium, cultural nights, community dinners, off-campus language tables, trivia nights and workshops on various topics.
“The ISO Symposium is the next big event for the organization, coming this Spring,” Santos said. “In January, we’ll be starting Language Tables for community members, and hopefully also offer more volunteer opportunities for our members. Our Social and Cultural Events Committee will also have more, smaller events in line.”
The show will be an evening of fun and celebration, and there is promise of music, dances and a fantastic fashion parade.
“I think that the theme of this year’s show pushes all participants in the show, as well as the audience, to feel the international community come together as one, to produce one great performance,” Alsarhan said.
Tickets are already available through the Box Office. As usual, the show will be split into two sections. The first section is a one-hour abridged version which starts at 5:30 p.m. to accommodate families with children and offers a glimpse of the full performance for other members of the community. The second, unabridged section starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the early show cost $3 for children under 12, $6 for students and $8 for the public. For the late show, the price raises to $7 for students but remains the same for children and the public.
(09/18/14 1:13am)
The first weekend of the fall semester started with an artistic bang – at least for music lovers. On Sept. 12 and 13, the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB), in collaboration with WRMC, our college radio station, and Middlebury Music United, a student group focusing exclusively on the college music scene, hosted the Start of School Festival, or S.O.S. Festival. The advertising poster had an image of a sinking ship, very appropriate to the predicament we find ourselves in once the academic rhythm gets going.
A very sturdy stage was set up on the neatly manicured lawn in front of Voter Hall. While the idea of an outdoor concert appeals because of the freedom of mobility it provides and the chance to smell the fresh air while listening to ear-catching tunes, the weather from past weekend was not particularly cooperative.
On Friday, the temperature had dropped to 43 degrees by the time the concert ended just after 11 p.m., and Saturday looked even bleaker in the drizzling rain. With this said, the cool temperatures and sprinkling of rain did not deter the approximately 600 people that attended the festival.
The sky might have been rather austere, but the mood of the crowd created a microclimate with the most intense heat and electricity, which was further fueled by the remarkable performances that made the whole experience altogether heartwarming. Audience members moved their heads to the beat. It is not conceivable that all the music performed would have the exact same mood, but one remembers the overall experience and atmosphere included a lot of electric guitars and an a sizzling energy and excitement.
The astounding performances were due to the labor of some very gifted musicians. The Friday schedule included Iron Eyes Cody, a student band known particularly for its unique instrumentation and vocal arrangements comprising Evan Allis ’15.5, Renn Mulloy ’15.5, Mark Balderston ’15.5, Rob Shaw ’16, and Noah Stone ’16.5; Caroline Rose, a Burlington-based ‘self-proclaimed modern-day hobo’; San Francisco duo TV Girl and quartet Delicate Steve.
The Saturday schedule consisted of student group Milk Chocolate, Modern Diet, Poor Remy, Vunderbar, and DJ Alter Boy. The resulting combination of songs was funky, groovy, rhythmic, mellifluous and electrifying.
Matt Butler ’15, one of the two MCAB Concerts Committee Co-Chairs, believes that the concert was a success.
“The festival was amazing, despite the cold and the rain,” he said. “Middlebury students love outdoor shows. Both the student turnout and the collaboration between the major music groups on campus are indicative that the music scene here at Middlebury is strong and continuing to grow.”
We all respond immediately to sound, and, because sound is the basis of music, it is not unreasonable to hope that music is one of the elements that can bring people together. More important is the fact that most people find it entertaining and pleasurable. MCAB, WRMC and MMU certainly agree.
“Despite requiring a lot of planning over the summer from both MCAB and WRMC, we figured there was no better way to kick off the new [academic] year than some solid outdoor music,” Butler said. “Ultimately, we all just want to bring great live music to campus and have a good time.”
The crafty idea to host this outdoor concert grew out of a WRMC outdoor concert last year that was hugely popular.
“WRMC really set the stage for this event with their hugely successful outdoor concert last year,” Butler said. “This year’s S.O.S Festival was both an expansion and a continuation of the tradition that WRMC established last year.”
Extensive collaboration and painstaking preparation ensured the smooth run of the concert. MCAB worked with WMRC’s Charlie Dulik ’17.5 and Aaron Slater ’16 over the summer break to piece the concert together. It always takes a lot of hands on deck to pull off this kind of event. The seamlessness of the performances was truly extraordinary.
While I am not entirely familiar with Indie, R&B and Rock, I found the experience delightful and surprisingly stimulating. There was something about the music and the group of people moving and dancing that drew me in and encouraged me to just let go and ‘give liberty unto’ my limbs, whatever movement they made. It felt embarrassing at first, but one realizes that everyone is so absorbed by the music and hardly paying attention to the guy at the back.
It was also encouraging to see how mixed and diverse the audience group was relative to the College’s diversity quotient. In the end it was about having a great time and some wicked fun. Hopefully this becomes one of those respected traditions that is upheld at the start of every academic year.
(04/30/14 11:06pm)
Cellist Sophie Shao and violinist Soovin Kim were the stars of the 2014 Middlebury Bach Festival opening concert on Friday, Apr. 25. The performance, presented by the Middlebury Performing Arts Series, was held at the Concert Hall of the Kevin P. Mahaney ’84 Center for the Arts. Very few seats remained open at the beginning of the concert.
Cellist Sophie Shao is a world-renowned performer born in Houston, Texas who started playing the cello when she was only six years old. She excelled at it and has won many prestigious competitions and prizes, including the Rostropovich and Tchaikovsky competitions, and most notably, the Avery Fisher Career Grant.
Violinist Soovin Kim was born in Iowa City, Iowa and started playing at a young age. Like Shao, he has won a number of awards and competitions including the Paganini International Competition and Henryk Szeryng Career Award in addition to winning international acclaim. He is particularly known for his wide ranging repertoire, playing music from the Baroque era all the way to the 20th century period.
Friday’s program was very rich and heavy. It contained two suites for solo cello, Suite No. 1 in G Major and Suite No. 6 in D Major, one partita, No. 2 in D Minor, as well as Sonata No. 3 in C Major for solo violin. The suites for unaccompanied cello and the partitas and sonatas for unaccompanied violin are possibly the most difficult works for those respective solo instruments dating from the Baroque era. For violin they stand alongside Paganini’s 24 caprices, which he wrote to show off his superb playing skills, though the caprices lack the same level of musicality that Bach’s works possess.
The suites are part of a set of six suites that Bach is believed to have written between 1717 and 1723, while the sonata and partita are part of a set consisting of three sonatas and three partitas for solo violin, possibly published by 1720. Both sets of works are believed to have been entirely or partially composed while Bach was under the service of Prince Leopold as Kapellmeister in his Anhalt-Cöhen court.
Violinist Soovin Kim took the stage and wowed the audience with Sonata No. 3, and I found myself applauding before the end of the entire cycle. Kim’s playing was very expressive, personal and thoughtful. He played in a way I had never heard anyone play Bach, with a slight ad lib feeling. It was very mesmerizing to observe the swaying, dance-like movements he made while playing.
Just as Kim finished the ‘Allegro assai’ and was bowing, one member of the audience collapsed and medics had to be called. This serious accident did steal some of the glow following Kim’s performance, and also diminished concentration and focus just before Shao came onto the stage.
However, when Shao walked in gracefully in a long, elegant cream dress carrying an instrument somewhat disproportionate to her size, her presence illuminated the atmosphere. She played Suite No. 6 most splendidly and her ardent passion for the music was very evident from her facial expressions and body movements. She brought the first half to an end with an electrifying performance of the ‘Gigue,’ an energetic Baroque dance movement.
After the intermission, the second half of the concert began and I believe this was the highlight of the evening’s performance for most people. The second half included the famous ‘Prelude’ to Suite No. 1, a cello piece that any person who watches movies has heard at some point which is distinguished by the unusual stresses and yearning tone.
Shao began with Suite No. 1, and her fingers were a blur on the fingerboard from her fast movements and the rapidity and smoothness with which she changed position was remarkable. Her articulation, tone and intonation were all spot on.
Kim was the last one on the stage performing Partita No. 2, which ended with the ‘Chaconne’. This was an excellent performance and except for very minor, unintended E-string overtones (overtones are the perks of the world of bowed string instruments; sometimes they just happen), it was brilliant. The drama and emotions were very well captured and the anticipation of the very striking climax was very palpable.
A reception at the end of the performance, sponsored by the Office of the President, served as a delicious end to a magnificent evening of beautiful music performed by two outstanding virtuosos.
(04/11/14 6:59pm)
On the surface, A Clockwork Orange is a standard dystopian text, in the same line as classics such as Huxley’s Brave New World. It is complete with suitably wicked teenage males, beautiful young women and gratuitous violence. It is not so simple though; it is an intricate work. It is freedom and choice, not violence, teenage rebellion, good and evil, social pathology, nor high adventure that is at the heart of this work.
Written by Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange was first published in 1962 and then adapted into a film by Stanley Kubrick in 1971. The film was a success and despite being quite controversial, it has become iconic. Burgess felt that the film glorified sex and violence in a manner that detracted attention from the core theme of his novella - choice. So repulsed was Burgess that, in response to it, he published a revised version in 1987 which focused the lens more on his core theme of choice. It is this central message that Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Andrew W. Smith ’97.5 has aimed to capture in directing the College’s production, which is an adaptation of the novella by Anthony Burgess scheduled to be performed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights this week.
“It is everything that you want theatre to be,” Smith said. “It’s stylistic, full of action and great choreographed sequences, full of a lot of good questions and full of a lot of heart and passion. There is a lot of music, light and a sense of pageantry. There is a whole lot to it.”
Smith believes that part of the reason he selected A Clockwork Orange as the text for the production is that it is an expressionist piece and he is interested in that style and the creativity that it inherently brings to the process and, ultimately, the product.
“Expressionism is a certain kind of style that, in essence, tells the story through the eyes of the main character,” he said. “Many of the stylistic choices have to do with how the other characters interact with him, or what they are blocking. Their behavior or actions are filtered through the lens of what it feels like to the main character [Alex]. That was certainly a point of interest in choosing the novella for the script,” said Smith.
The production’s aim is not just to convey the central message, but to lead to discussion and ask questions.
“I really believe and appreciate theatre that asks questions more than provide answers and that is what I am hoping will happen with this show,” Smith said.
While choice is the main message, Smith is aware of the intrinsic violence in the story but urges the audience to be alert to the distinction between the film and the novella.
“It is crucial to separate the movie and the novella,” he said. “Our production focuses more on the novella. Still, it is a show that is full of fight choreography; there are probably 15 different fights that involve huge numbers of the cast. We affectionately refer to it as a fight show with a little bit of text, but that is not to underplay the value of the text itself which has a very high level of poetry to it.”
Language is certainly a prominent feature of the text because it uses Nasdat, which is an invented language created by Antony Burgess.
“It [Nasdat] is essentially a mixture of Russian and English which at the time up to this are the two most politically powerful languages,” Smith said. “The result is a very poetical language.”
The political significance of merging these two languages, given the context of the political tension that existed when the novella was written, is unmistakable to anyone familiar with the history of the Cold War. The use of Nasdat is even more important within the story because it is an impenetrable language spoken by the youth. It is incomprehensible to judges, government and all forms of authority in whatever guise that they are presented.
Smith is working with a total of 28 talented actors, stage manager Katie Preston ’17, assistant stage managers Adam Rivera ’17 and Aashna Aggarwal ’16, and between 15 and 20 students in technical supporting roles.
A lot of hard work has gone into making the production possible.
“We rehearse every day for the maximum number of hours possible, which is an average of 24 hours a week,” Smith said.
As the performance date looms ever nearer, they have been rehearsing for an average of 30 hours a week.
“The time commitment is truly impressive,” he said.
Steven Medina ’17, one of the actors, conveyed excitement for the upcoming performances. He expressed that his sense of drive is predicated on working with a group of people that care for and supportive of each other, as well as his ardent love for theater.
“Honestly, we are all thrilled to be together,” Medina said.” At times, rehearsals get really stressful, especially when I have to study and do homework for other classes. I keep moving forward because this camaraderie means a lot to me and I have a huge passion for theatre. Andrew is great and when he directs us, I know he really cares about, not only the show, but our wellbeing and how we are developing as actors. I love these guys and soon our hard work will pay off, which is probably what most of us are waiting to test.”
The show will be nothing short of a dazzling phenomenon.
“The show combines the element of heart with spectacle, brilliant language and a great text – and that is something quite rare. It should be entertaining and hopefully thought-provoking,” Smith said.
Performances will be held in Wright Memorial Theatre at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 10 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 11 and Saturday, Apr. 12. Tickets are $6 for students and are available at the Box Office. There will also be a discussion of the production after the Friday performance with the director, cast and managers.
(03/19/14 3:23pm)
If there is one thing to remember about the end of the roaring ’20s, besides the collapse of the economy, it is the Lindy Hop. Jazz was flourishing and swing dance was already on its way. While the general population often imagines the Lindy Hop as the definition of swing, a plethora of other complex swing dance styles were created from the 1930’s to the ’60s. The Charleston, Blues, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing and the Boogie-Woogie developed as fine forms that augmented the repertoire of swing dance tradition and remain integral parts of it to this day.
A group of individuals has taken swing to the next level of artistic expression by carrying on this richly historic dance tradition. Filled with energy, vivacity and gaiety, the College’s Swing Dance Club is led by Co-Presidents Melanie Dennis ’14, Timothy Fraser ’16 and Lindsey Hunt '14. As proved during the excellent swing showcase at the International Student Organization Fall Cultural Show, it is the improvisational nature of the dance and communication between the lead and the follow that makes swing look simultaneously intimidating and exciting.
The Swing Dance Club has put on more shows in each successive year, and this year, they are putting on their most ambitious show to date.
“It is [the] third swing show of its type, but it is the biggest swing dance performance we have ever done,” Fraser said.
Without giving too much away, the show will contain fourteen different acts, each lasting between three and four minutes. The story begins with a group of friends who decide to take a journey on a train, The Swing Express, and each act depicts a different scene in a different carriage.
As this is the biggest show to date, there is a lot of effort needed to overcome unprecedented challenges.
“Each of the acts [will] have anywhere between two to fourteen dancers, which is a lot to coordinate,” Fraser said.
In preparation for the show, each of the three leaders is directing five pieces and teaching a sixth. This requires that they meet with the dancers weekly for two hours per piece. As challenging as this has proven, show directors Eleni Polychroniadou '14, Dennis and Fraser feel very confident that they are the best locomotive engineers for piloting the Swing Express.
“It’s going to be such a fantastic show,” Dennis said. “We’re proud of the work.”
The show will also include a number of pleasant surprises. The club is experimenting with the fusion of jazz with modern techno, and with some elements of Indian music on top of the traditional Lindy Hop, Blues and Charleston. The incredible variety of styles and scenarios are important elements to pay attention to during the performance.
“It is interesting and very creative,” Fraser said. “You would not think that such synthesis works for swing dance, but it really does.”
The club is also working to involve members of the community in the show.
“It has worked better than we thought,” Polychroniadou said. “And we will have little swing dancers from Bridport Central School.”
The popularity of swing is, to a large extent, due to the remarkable flexibility and extemporaneity of the dance form.
“Swing is not really choreographed and that allows you to express yourself in a unique way because each person can bring their personality to the dance,” Polychroniadou said.
The popularity of the Colleges’ Swing Club has increased over the years since Polychroniadou took over as president. Currently they hold two practice sessions in the McCullough Social Space, one on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for beginners and 8:30 p.m. for intermediates. The second session is a free dance on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
“It is a great opportunity to bring that goofy inner self out,” Dennis said.
Polychroniadou believes that part of the current attraction stems from the Swing Club’s emphasis on a sense of community, which did not exist when she started in the fall of 2010. She believes that swing is not just about mastering the art of dance, but also meeting people and communicating with them in an unconventional manner by dancing instead of speaking.
“It’s about developing a spontaneous conversation through movement with another person,” Polychoniadou said. “Meeting other people, interacting with them and getting to know them in a way that is different from ordinary spoken conversation are exciting.”
Most performers have had no experience before coming to college, and Polychroniadou, Fraser and Dennis all started dancing in their freshman years. Some of the performers only started during the J-term Swing Dance Workshop.
“One of the nice things about the show is that it has allowed us to work with a whole new group of beginners as well as people who have done swing before and have not been in it for a while,” Fraser said.
Dennis believes that the community connection is conducive to progress.
“Anyone up there on stage could be you in a year or a semester or even a month,” Dennis said.
All of the money collected from The Swing Express will be donated to the Charter House, one of six volunteer-based programs run by a local non-profit organization called Charter House Coalition. The Charter House program provides emergency housing for up to five families during winter and early spring months November to April. These families are not only provided with shelter, but with counseling and child-care services.
The resident families often have energetic and curious children who often feel limited to the indoor areas with little to do. A project to build a playground, which will provide an environment and opportunity for these children to play, amuse themselves and cultivate their curiosity, is underway. Polychroniadou believes that community service is a rewarding activity.
“We like the idea of supporting and giving back to the local community,” she said.
As for the dancers, they also benefit from the marvelous feats they will be performing through a deep sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Love, commitment and dedication are imperative to getting a full swing experience that is truly rewarding. Each of the members is busy with many other activities, but swing maintains a huge role in each of their lives.
“We do swing because we love it,” Polychroniadou said.
The grand spectacle should not be missed by anyone who craves an evening of fun and swingtacular delights. The Swing Express will only make one journey for the rest of the academic year. To join in the fun, catch the Swing Express just before it departs on April 11 in at 8 p.m. in the McCullough Social Space.
Tickets are already available for $5 and $8 through the Box Office for students and other community members, respectively. They will also be sold for the same prices at the door.