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(04/23/10 3:05am)
The North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, fondly known as NCYTE, is now considered by many to be one of the premier youth tap ensembles in the world.But 27 years ago, it was not such a strong group, said its founder, Gene Medler.“Back in 1983, we weren’t so good. We were like a bad garage band that has to practice a lot to get better,” he said.
(04/09/10 2:09am)
UNC’s dance group Star Heels combines talent with community service by using their performances to raise money for charity.The group has its annual Spring Showcase, the second of its major performances of the year, at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Great Hall of the Student Union.Each year the Star Heels have two big performances, the Fall Charity Show and the Spring Showcase. In addition to these two events, the group performs at numerous University functions and raises money for different charities. “We really try to encompass the entire University experience with what we do,” said Helen Buchanan, Star Heels president.“We dance at Relay for Life and Dance Marathon, but we also take off the dance sneakers and work at a food drive or work with Habitat for Humanity.”The spring performance is a showcase of the members’ talents. The 39 members are completely responsible for the choreography and music choice of the performances.Jessie Stellini, a senior and the historian for the Star Heels, is choreographing the opening number to the show this year.“I really like choreographing because it’s an opportunity to use my own personal style and share it with the dancers in the group,” Stellini said.Sunday’s performance will include modern, jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop and lyrical numbers. Dancers signed up to perform in different pieces, and graduating seniors had preference for the most popular pieces.Because the Star Heels want everyone to be involved in the show, this performance will include more pieces than the fall showcase did. There also will be a special performance by the senior dancers.The goal of this performance is to exhibit the talent of each of the members of the Star Heels. The fall show also displays their skill but also focuses on raising money for charity.One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Fall Charity Show are donated to a charity of the Star Heels’ choice.The upcoming Spring Talent Showcase will serve to clear the account for the Star Heels, guaranteeing that the fall 2010 performance can yet again donate all of the proceeds to a charity.“Each year the charity changes, but last fall we were able to donate over $2,500 to the Carolina Annual Fund,” Buchanan said.Organizers said the dance group thought the worsening economy soured the budget of the university and caused many of the budget cuts. This is what led them to choose the Carolina Annual Fund as the 2009 Fall Charity Show recipient.“The University had given so much to us both as a group and as individuals, and we really felt that we needed to give something back,” Buchanan said.Tickets for Sunday’s show can be purchased from a Star Heels member on campus for $4 or at the door for $6.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(04/09/10 2:09am)
UNC’s dance group Star Heels combines talent with community service by using their performances to raise money for charity.The group has its annual Spring Showcase, the second of its major performances of the year, at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Great Hall of the Student Union.Each year the Star Heels have two big performances, the Fall Charity Show and the Spring Showcase. In addition to these two events, the group performs at numerous University functions and raises money for different charities. “We really try to encompass the entire University experience with what we do,” said Helen Buchanan, Star Heels president.“We dance at Relay for Life and Dance Marathon, but we also take off the dance sneakers and work at a food drive or work with Habitat for Humanity.”The spring performance is a showcase of the members’ talents. The 39 members are completely responsible for the choreography and music choice of the performances.Jessie Stellini, a senior and the historian for the Star Heels, is choreographing the opening number to the show this year.“I really like choreographing because it’s an opportunity to use my own personal style and share it with the dancers in the group,” Stellini said.Sunday’s performance will include modern, jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop and lyrical numbers. Dancers signed up to perform in different pieces, and graduating seniors had preference for the most popular pieces.Because the Star Heels want everyone to be involved in the show, this performance will include more pieces than the fall showcase did. There also will be a special performance by the senior dancers.The goal of this performance is to exhibit the talent of each of the members of the Star Heels. The fall show also displays their skill but also focuses on raising money for charity.One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Fall Charity Show are donated to a charity of the Star Heels’ choice.The upcoming Spring Talent Showcase will serve to clear the account for the Star Heels, guaranteeing that the fall 2010 performance can yet again donate all of the proceeds to a charity.“Each year the charity changes, but last fall we were able to donate over $2,500 to the Carolina Annual Fund,” Buchanan said.Organizers said the dance group thought the worsening economy soured the budget of the university and caused many of the budget cuts. This is what led them to choose the Carolina Annual Fund as the 2009 Fall Charity Show recipient.“The University had given so much to us both as a group and as individuals, and we really felt that we needed to give something back,” Buchanan said.Tickets for Sunday’s show can be purchased from a Star Heels member on campus for $4 or at the door for $6.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(03/26/10 2:31am)
Modern dance cannot easily be defined. It both attempts to rebel against other styles while borrowing movements from them.There is no singular style or movement to characterize a dance as modern. It is instead based on the choreographer’s interpretation of a concept, issue or other inspirational theme.“With modern dance, there are less rules. You will not know what to expect from a performance, and they are all really different,” said Jessie Barber, a member of the UNC group Modernextension.The purpose of modern dance is to express a certain point or thought, and performances are centered on these ideas.It often draws from different dance forms such as lyrical, jazz or ballet.Modern dance was not born until the 20th century. It stemmed from a rebellion against the strict practices of ballet.In many other dance forms, techniques and specific moves reign supreme, but modern dance uses an abstract approach in teaching and performance.Despite the variety of styles, there are some common characteristics of modern dance. Dancers often perform barefoot and prefer flexed feet to pointed toes.“Modern dance incorporates a lot of floor work, unlike ballet, which instead focuses on staying erect and en pointe,” said Michelle McGowan, a member of Blank Canvas, a dance group on campus.Modern dance emphasizes movement and space, in addition to the concept of the gravity of one’s own body.It is similar to acting, as dancers perform the concept through their movements. Because modern dance expresses a personal opinion or ideology, it often allows for more creativity. At UNC there are a number of dance groups that practice modern dance, but only two that focus solely on modern dance—Inversions and Modernextension. They are smaller than other groups, with between 10 and 20 members each.“The great thing about these groups is that the members come from different backgrounds, so the choreography reflects many different styles mixed together,” Barber said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(03/23/10 4:08am)
To call Pilobolus a dance performance would detract from its purpose. The troupe, instead of utilizing traditional dance moves, emphasizes athletics and interpretive movements that focus on the lines of the body.Composed of four acts, the show varied in style and speed. The acts, titled “Redline,” “Rushes,” “Duet” and “Day Two,” were completely unrelated, differing in theme, musical style and technique. The pieces reflected the stylistic times in which they were choreographed, ranging from 1980 to 2009.Rebellion against traditional dance movements is a part of the Pilobolus method. The group focuses instead on inventive movements of creative activity.
(02/22/10 5:48am)
The performers of STREB: Brave displayed just how brave they are in their performances Friday and Saturday night in Memorial Hall.
(02/09/10 6:50am)
With Valentine’s Day approaching quickly, many recognize the myriad emotions—joy, angst, melancholy and humor—that love incorporates. Opera singer Jennifer Larmore will perform tonight with a program that takes the audience through the fascinating journey of love.Larmore will perform “The Art of Love” at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Memorial Hall as part of the Carolina Performing Arts series.In tonight’s performance, she will be accompanied by pianist Antoine Palloc. The two will perform a series of love songs from America, France and Spain.An American mezzo-soprano, Larmore is an internationally recognized and widely praised opera performer.A mezzo-soprano is the second highest voice part for women. Though most people refer to Larmore as a mezzo-soprano, she can perform pieces beyond that range too, said Melissa Martin, a member of the UNC department of music.“She has much more to offer as an artist. She has an extension on the top of her voice that allows her to do a lot of the higher repertoire, which many other mezzo-soprano artists cannot achieve,” Martin said, of her ability to hit the high notes.Larmore is well-known for her attention to the audience, and she strives to communicate with them in each of her performances.“Something really special about her is her attention not only to the singing but to the complete character,” Martin said.This performance displays the expansion of Larmore’s repertoire to include more modern songs. Previously, she focused on songs in the classical bel canto, or beautiful singing, style.She and Palloc performed “The Art of Love” across Europe before this tour, but Larmore adjusted the repertoire for the concert for American audiences.“Earlier she performed more foreign works, but Larmore revised the show to include more modern pieces as well as to feature more American works,” said Harry Kaplowitz, marketing manager for the Carolina Performing Arts.The program contains six different acts including “Love: in all its melancholy and angst!” “Love of Life!” “The Femme Fatale of Love,” “Storybook Love,” “Love in its guises” and “Love of the stage!”In these scenes Larmore explores the wonder and the anguish of love through songs by composers from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.In addition to this performance, Larmore will be teaching a master class to UNC students at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Person Recital Hall.Larmore has a passion for education, which is emphasized through her willingness to work with students, Martin said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(01/26/10 6:07am)
Keeping up with three professional dancers is not an easy task. But about 30 students took up the challenge Monday, following the fluid motions of the dancers from Ailey II.Ailey II, a branch of the New York-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, taught a master class in Gerrard Hall in its signature contemporary style.The one-and-a-half-hour class consisted of a warm-up and two routines.One Ailey II dancer choreographed and led the combination, while the other two dancers assisted in the demonstration.Robyn Levine, a junior, said she appreciated being taught something new. “I didn’t have much experience with that style of dance, so it was really challenging and fun to try something different,” she said.The class was a combination of modern and contemporary dance with certain aspects of ballet technique.Ailey II is a company composed of young dancers who join in hopes of advancing to professional companies. They perform residencies at major universities as a part of a community outreach program.This master class is part of a new series of dance classes offered through UNC’s Office of the Executive Director for the Arts.Memorial Hall features performances from numerous styles of dance, and master classes are meant to be an extension of this experience. Students have the opportunity to practice the styles of dance themselves in class after viewing the performances. The classes are open to people of all skill levels.“The response to these classes has been positive, and I hope to offer a master class for each major company that performs at Memorial Hall this semester,” said Reed Colver, director of campus and community engagement.Erin Hanehan, an intern with the Office of the Executive Director for the Arts, said that the master class option is a grassroots experiment this year.“Students will hear about the master classes through listservs and Facebook events and can sign up through an e-mail registration system,” Hanehan said.This was sophomore Missy Fournier’s first master class, but she said she would be interested in signing up for future classes.Colver said she hopes that the positive response will continue and that the master class series will continue into the fall semester. Monday was the third class offered in the series.“It is a rare opportunity for student dancers to work with professional dance companies, and this was an ideal situation where things came together perfectly,” Colver said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(01/15/10 4:12am)
A lively group with colorful costumes, innovative dances and powerful voices will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Hall.
(11/18/09 5:25am)
Bang on a Can and Trio Mediaeval melded a myriad of musical instruments to create a truly unique style in a short performance Tuesday night lasting a little more than an hour.Bang on a Can members did not exhibit much of the up-tempo rock style they have in previous performances. But the band did use a variety of instruments including maracas and triangles to reach a distinct sound.Trio Mediaeval sang in perfect harmony throughout the concert and accompanied the musicians well.The most captivating portion of the performance occurred when the clarinet, drum and guitar players jumped to their feet and stomped with the beat, their hands in time with the cellists and the piano player.The groups performed “Steel Hammer,” a composition in the style of Appalachia by Julia Wolfe, one of the founding members of Bang on a Can.The composition included discussions of the life of John Henry, a legendary figure who defeated a steam engine in a race to lay down the most railroad tracks.The performance started very slowly, with only the singers. They began by singing the same phrases in different pitches, which turned into a harmonious round. After about five minutes, the musicians joined for their portion of the song.Following the unexpectedly slow beginning, the tempo picked up.While there were minimal stage props, they only distracted the audience from the performance. One large screen behind the musicians and two smaller ones flashed certain words and images, mostly depicting verses the singers were about to recite.The harmonies were enchanting, and the repetitive and paradoxical lyrics convoluted the story, as Wolfe intended. In her notes on the piece, Wolfe said she pulled from more than 200 versions of the John Henry story, outlining its many contradictions.The singers would often pause and sing in a new melody only to return to the previous lyrics. This made distinguishing the different developments in the story difficult.The performance ended in a standing ovation, although the audience did not automatically realize the set was over.While the lyrics might have taken away from the performance, the expertly blended musical instruments and vocals made for a unique concert experience.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(11/04/09 4:29am)
Many take for granted the intricacy that goes into the creation of a single piece of textile.On the islands of Indonesia, textiles are a specialty. Curator Sally Kahler explained the complexities of the different handwoven cloths Tuesday night in the FedEx Global Education Center.Kahler’s lecture accompanied the new exhibit of textiles from Indonesia in the Global Center.The exhibition, “Indonesian Textiles — Culture, Traditions, and Techniques”, will be in the Global Center from Nov. 3 to Nov.15.With a warm introduction by James Peacock, the namesake for the Peacock Atrium of the Global Center, Kahler touched upon the complex ikat and batik weaving practices as well as how those impacted cultural traditions of Indonesia.Kahler lived in Indonesia and Hong Kong for 13 years and experienced firsthand the fascinating art of the handwoven textiles.She learned to weave from a technical weaver in Finland.“From this I gained an appreciation for handwoven cloth,” Kahler said.Her move to Southeast Asia acquainted her further with the intricacies of textiles.“I can look at a cloth and find out how and where it was made,” she said.“Sally Kahler is very knowledgeable of the intricacies of weaving and the importance of textiles,” said Stephanie Nelson, the associate director for the Carolina Asia Center, which hosted the event.In her explanations of both methods, Kahler stressed the difficulty and precision required to simply complete the works. Ikat weaving methodThe ikat method of weaving uses a resist dyeing process. The threads are separated into bunches and dyed separately to create a pattern. Once the threads have reached the desired hue, they are fit to a loom and woven together to achieve the end result. The most common loom for Indonesian textiles is a backstrap loom.Batik weaving methodThe batik method is a wax resist dyeing technique. The dye is placed on plain white cotton imported from India. Using a cap (a block design made of copper), the process involves six different stages of waxing to get a design of three different colors.Batik is the most popular method in Indonesia for sarongs, the most commonly worn clothing.“I took a weeklong class on Batik weave making, and I will never do it again,” Kahler said, referring to the method’s difficulty.“I have great admiration for the Batik weavers.”Following these methods, Kahler said the finishing work was just as painstaking and integral as the weaving of the cloth.“Tying the fringe could take hours of work,” she said.After Kahler’s lecture, audience members were given the opportunity to hear Gamelan Nyai Saraswati, a form of traditional Indonesian music.Directed by Marzanna Poplawska, the performance included instruments of a central Javanese Gamelan workshop. Additionally, Indonesian food was served.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(10/02/09 5:09am)
Mental illness is considered a delicate topic many prefer not to discuss.But poet, hip-hop artists and social entrepreneur, Rha Goddess, aims to spark dialogue through a new method of performance.Her piece, “Low” will be showing at 8 p.m. tonight in Memorial Hall. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for UNC students.“Low” is a one-woman show that uses spoken word, poetry and hip-hop as media to create an art form.Chronicling a woman’s journey and struggles with the mental health system, the show is meant to inform and discuss this important social issue with the audience.“Low” conveys the alienation and humiliation that can come from mental illnesses.A part of the Hip Hop Mental Health Project, the piece asks the question: “What is insanity?”The show uses a combination of humor, anger, sorrow, depression and rage to depict how a series of small acts can tip one into insanity.Rha Goddess conveys the idea that rather than providing true improvement, the mental health system only provides momentary solutions.This alternative performance aims to dispel the myths and fears that society has regarding insanity or mental sickness, said Harry Kaplowitz, marketing manager for the Carolina Performing Arts.The performance is the first of the CPA Loading Dock Series.The series is meant to create a performance that is just as exciting as the setting, Kaplowitz said.“Audiences will enter in the side door of Memorial Hall and find seats arranged onstage,” Kaplowitz said. “The performer and audience will share the space, so the experience is very personal and intimate.”The audience of this show should expect a personal and eye-opening experience, Kaplowitz said.“The performing arts give you the ability to think and feel from a different perspective, a new angle,” said Reed Colver, director of Campus and Community Engagement.Colver said Rha Goddess uses a powerful performance dialogue to create numerous responses.Rha Goddess wants a dialogue to stem from her performance and to leave the audience with the means to discuss the issues of the mental health system in new ways, Colver said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(09/28/09 5:02am)
UNC holds a number of student organizations tailored to the arts, and this year they plan to help get people excited about the arts and access the arts — from classes to lectures to museums.Here’s a look at the three main visual arts-based groups on campus.Undergraduate Art AssociationOne group that has struggled with recognition throughout its history is the Undergraduate Art Association.UAA president sophomore Richie Transou is working to increase membership and publicize the group’s events.Transou said that the UAA’s greatest endeavor for the year is to have more fun and be more accessible at on-campus events. “We want to have mini art classes, both student- and staff-led,” Transou said. “Getting into the fine arts classes at Carolina is difficult, so we want to provide an opportunity outside of class.”Transou said the group is also focused on finding a way to sell student art as a means of promoting the organization.“Selling student art was gratifying for young artists, as well as a great experience for them to understand the process of making a career as an artist,” he said.This organization is open to all students who have a passion for art, regardless of major. Transou himself is applying to the pharmacy school.Kappa PiFounded a few years ago, Kappa Pi honors co-ed fraternity focuses on fine art and art history.President Hallie Ringle said she and three friends created Kappa Pi to form a network for those in the Department of Art.“It is important to have friends that share your interest,” she said.Although relatively new amongst honor societies, Kappa Pi is growing quickly and hosts numerous events each semester.Ringle said that members also volunteer in the community and attend lectures and museum tours.Each semester the group organizes an out-of-town trip to two artistically diverse cities. While there, they visit as many museums as possible.While this organization is open to students of all majors, they must have completed at least 12 hours of art credit to be considered a national member.Students who do not have enough art hours can still participate as “associate members.” Student Friends of the AcklandThe largest and most widely known visual arts group on campus is Student Friends of the Ackland, an organization with 250 to 300 members.In addition to acting as liaison between the Ackland Art Museum and the student body, SFA also hosts panels and forums.“The group was created in 2004 as a way to bring students into the museum,” president Brittney Jenkins said.Their largest events each semester involve celebrations for new exhibitions at the museum.Last semester SFA also sponsored a panel on careers with arts and museums with University Career Services. They discussed the variety of jobs available, beyond just teaching or museum work.“Students who want a careers in the arts are not given a lot of direction. We had this event so that they could see there are things to do beyond a professorship,” she said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.