By Tolulope Edionwe
edionwet@grinnell.edu
For those interested in the performing arts, the beginning of each semester is a frenetic time. With more than 20 opportunities on campus this Fall semester—spanning the realms of theatre, music and dance—every student interested student has a chance to get involved.
Theatre__________________________________________
As it does each year, the Grinnell Theatre Department is producing a number of faculty-headed mainstays, including two this semester. The first, titled “Naked,” is directed by Craig Quintero, Theatre, along with Shi Pei-Yu, a puppeteer and artistic director based in Taipei, China.
“They’re going to be working together with students to devise production, so that means that there’s no script that already exists, they will create it,” Lesley Delmenico, Theatre and Dance Chair, said. “It will be visually striking, I’m absolutely sure of that, so [it] should make for some really interesting theater.”
In addition to Grinnell-sponsored theater opportunities, there are also several student troupes. The Neverland Players, headed by seniors Grace Carroll and Natalie Eisenberg, performs stories and skits written by kids from Grinnell’s elementary school. Ritalin Test Squad [RTS] is Grinnell’s resident improv comedy group, and performs semi-regularly around campus. Auditions for RTS are still open, and are on Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.. People can sign up on the Theatre SEPC board in the lobby of Bucksbaum.
Music____________________________________________
Grinnell’s musicians have roughly 16 groups and ensembles to can choose from, including two a capella groups. The complete list of can be found at grinnell.edu/academic/music.
“We want as many people in all of our ensembles as possible, so don’t be put off by, ‘Oh, well I don’t know if I’m good enough’,” said Jennifer Brown, Music Chair. “Let us decide how to work with the talents that each of the students bring to the group.”
“Our ensemble has no audition and we never expect any incoming members to have had any experience in this music and dance tradition—we start from scratch, like starting to study a foreign language,” added Roger Vetter, Director of the Javanese Music and Dance Ensemble.
Students interested in joining the Javanese Music and Dance Ensemble are advised to come to a rehearsal, which are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15-5:30 p.m. in Bucksbaum Center for the Arts (BCA) 101.
Dance___________________________________________
Dancers looking for more variety than Grinnell’s curricular Ballet/ Modern are in luck. This fall’s dance ensemble will focus on personal history and traditions, and is directed by contemporary dance choreographer Celeste Miller—a new addition to the dance department—along with Javanese dance instructor Valerie Vetter.
“Like a lot of what we’re doing these days, it’s going to be a devised production, where people bring their own histories, their own forms, their own interests,” Delmenico said.
Student-run dance opportunities exist in the form of clubs and a Dance Co-Op, which meets weekly to learn student-choreographed phrases, and welcomes dancers of all styles and skill levels. Latin American Dance club will focus on salsa this semester and Capoeira, the Brazilian martial art form that combines martial arts, dance and music, will hold bi-weekly classes and host a workshop on Sept. 24. For more information, contact Holden Bale (Salsa), Kenji Yoshino (Capoeira) or Emily Evans (Dance Co-Op).
