PREVIEW: Jennifer Holms

Kayla Silverstein

Children’s author Jennifer Holms will be giving a lecture at 5:10pm in the UMMA Helmut Stern Auditorium on Thursday, March 29th. Having grown up inspired by her quirky characters, like May Amelia, Jennifer Holm was one of my favorite authors growing up. She received a Newbery Honor for Our Only May Amelia and is also the author of the Babymouse series, The Creek, and several other novels that have capture the hearts of her young readers. My favorite series by her when I was first really getting into reading was the Boston Jane series. I remember there was some sort of love intrigue in the novel, and I felt like it was the first “romance” novel I’d ever read. I still can visualize where I would place all the Boston Jane books, carefully arranged in chronological order, on my book shelf as a kid.

So, definitely come hear Jennifer Holms speak – I’m sure it will be interesting. Her success as a children’s author is entirely admirable. Hope to see you there!

PREVIEW: Festifools

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FestiFools

Ever been walking in downtown Ann Arbor in April and all of a sudden been accosted by a horde of gargantuan, raging puppet heads? That would be FestiFools— unless some other wild force is taking the town that we don’t know about.

“FestiFools is a non-profit production of the STARTProject, a University of Michigan LLoyd Hall Scholars Program initiative.” Several years ago, professor Mark Tucker incorporated the age old idea of puppet theater into his LHSP class “Art in Public Spaces,” in which 20 non-art majors crafted gigantic puppets and took them to the streets of Ann Arbor. Today, other departments of the university and townies of all kinds are invited to work in groups or individually to craft puppets for the parade (specific qualifications for entry enumerated on the website). Now, the community event has an affiliation with the city of Ann Arbor beyond the boundaries of the university.

Inspired by Italy’s Carnevale di Viareggio,the parade makes political and social commentary through the use of puppetry. According to their creed, “FestiFools brings students and community volunteers together to create unique public art that is free and accessible to everyone. Specifically, we make huge-mongous papier-mâché puppets and march them around downtown Ann Arbor on a Sunday early in April.”

Last year was FestiFool’s sixth year running, but it was the first year they included FoolMoon. Puppets take the street by moonlight. In Keeping with LSA’s Winter 2012 theme semester, the theme of this year’s FullMoon parade is “Language.” Every Sunday for the past month, build-your-own Luminary workshops have been taking place at Workantile on Main St in preparation for the midnight promenade. On Sunday March, 25th, the UMMA held a workshop as well. There are instructions on how to make a luminary as well as info on the closest spots to town to buy a kit- if you feel inspired to get crafty- on the Festifools website.

Don’t miss this whimsical, comical, fantasmic parade of art and joy that is unique to Ann Arbor.

Click here to get to the Festifools YouTube channel and watch some funky videos from last year’s parade.

And check out the FestiFools website for more information, and some light comedy. They’ve got a pretty decent sense of humor.

APRIL 3, 2011 (4:00-5:00PM) // ANN ARBOR'S ANNUAL STREET FESTIVAL OF HUGE PUPPETS & RANDOM ACTS OF APRIL FOOLISHNESS

REVIEW: Joints 4tet for Ensemble

Heather Burcham

In the Institute for the Humanities Gallery on S. Thayer Street a video installation exhibit by Charles Atlas is on display through Saturday March 31st. Joints 4tet for Ensemble is a touching homage to the life and movement of famous modern dancer/choreographer, Merce Cunningham, who recently passed away in 2009, at the ripe-old-age of 90. [want to learn more about Merce?: http://www.merce.org/about/index.php]

Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham

The exhibit consists of exactly what you see in the photo above, nothing more, nothing less. The room is dimly lit, with small, hidden spotlights illuminating the arrangement of various sized box-shaped televisions on sturdy metal stands, casting larger-than-life shadows on the walls behind them. The arrangement of televisions and speakers, along with the giant shadows cast on the walls, create the image of a choreographed arrangement of bodies in space, the televisions the empty beings transmitting the remnants of the movement of Merce Cunningham. Images of Merce’s hands, arms, knees, and feet are portrayed on the various screens, video footage taken by Charles Atlas during the time that he worked as an assistant stage manager for Merce’s dance company. In between rehearsals Charles would videotape Merce exploring movement and gesture in his own body, focusing in on one small movement of the body–the twirling of his wrist, the bending and straightening of his knee, the extension of his arm. Each movement done purposefully and thoughtfully, beautifully. A soundtrack of street noise projected from the speakers–traffic, church bells, people talking as they pass by.

As I sat on the bench facing the screens, alone in the gallery, I felt as if I were in a sacred space paying my respect to one of the most influential dancers and choreographers who ever lived. I imagined that I was in a park, with Merce Cunningham himself, and I was Charles Atlas, holding the camera as Merce moved. Traffic and people buzz by, missing the simple beauty in the artistic genius standing before them. And I stand mesmerized by his movement.

I loved that Charles chose these everyday movements that are so relate-able, the idea of the everyday further enforced by the street noise projecting from the speakers. It made me feel like I was having an intimate moment with Merce, that I knew him personally–I saw the beauty in his movement, as a dancer, but also as a person. It made me miss him, as if I knew him like Charles did. The street noise as well as the red lines moving upwards that would sometimes appear on the screen in place of the videos of Merce reminded me that he is gone, and the world continues turning.

This exhibit hit straight to my core, in a very unconscious way, and I realized that this is because this is how a dancer sees the world. We appreciate the natural choreographic arrangement of objects in space, the slightest movement is awe inspiring art, and the noise of everyday life is music.

REVIEW: The Steel Wheels

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The Steel Wheels at The Ark

On Thursday night, I did two things that every dignified, rising adult Ann Arbor-ite should do: have a tasteful glass of wine with an Italian dinner at a restaurant on Main Street and see a show at The Ark. The glass of wine being because I recently turned 21 and a friend’s uncle was in town and treated us to a fancy meal, hadn’t had a drink at a swanky restaurant yet. The show at The Ark because, its my third year at U of M and I’ve never set foot in the famous concert house. Following dessert, we crossed the street and entered into an evening of blues and bluegrass that was absolute entertainment. As part of their album release tour. The Steel Wheels were in Ann Arbor, all the way from Appalachia, bringing sounds and songs of the mountains. Think “O Brother Where Art Thou?” with a modern twist;  a younger Old Crow Medicine Show, though no less soulful.

The Steel Wheels have produced six albums in their seven year run together. Band members include Trent Wagler, Jay Lapp, Brian Dickel, and Eric Brubaker.  Of the four, the only locally sourced musician was Jay Lapp, who, half way through the show gave an adorable shout out to his wife and baby daughter who were in the audience. Their instruments ranged from bass, guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, a stomping stick, and a stomping block. But best of all, in my opinion, were the a Capella renditions. One of the charming things about the performance was that all four musicians shared one centrally-hung microphone, so when they sang in unison they had to lean together and be close. Their harmonies were pitch perfect! The band mates shared a heart felt energy for one another that was evident throughout the entire show. And hose musicians were workin’! Sweating profusely through their neatly buttoned up oxfords, suspenders, and cowboy boots they entertained the entire crowd of folks for ours on end.

To get a taste of what I experienced- minus the wine and fancy Italian dinner- check out The Steel Wheels! Either listen to a taste of their newest album, Lay Down Lay Low, on their Soundcloud. My favorite songs are Endure, Rain in the Valley, and the one that shares the name of album title. Fun facts about the song  Halfway to Heaven and Nola’s First Dance: they named after The Steel Wheel’s specialty coffee blend and Jay Lapp’s daughter respectively. How precious.

Do all that and enjoy, or, just cut to the chase and watch their most famous song, Red Wing.

The main act was prefaced by an equally talented group called Honey Honey. Another band absolutely worth clicking on. Another bluesy-bluegrass group, Honey Honey made a great appetizer for the harmonies that were to follow. Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe, who appear to be a duo in more than just a musical way, performed perfectly, accompanied by a bassist and drummer in their traveling band. Funny thing about their gig, the lady singer sprained her ankle and had to sit throughout the very danceable performance. Somehow though, she still looked stunning and absolutely captured the audiences hearts, mine included. Last year I saw Alice Glass of Crystal Castles rock out with a crutch on stage and it was awesome. Turns out the crutch is the most underestimated prop.

Check out Ohio, my favorite from their repertoire of the evening.

PREVIEW: East Quad Palooza

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For those of you who ever have experience the magic of East Quad…

The “O” and the “H”

Lounging in the courtyard

(Stealing cereal boxes fromt he cafeteria)

The labyrinth of a basement

The Carl Cohen Reading Room, the Benz, or The Greene Lounge late, late at night

The Half-ass or the Half-way

Lunch tables and language coffee hours

The 70’s motel carpet

The smell of wood and books in the professors’ offices

The audible sound of plumbing in every room in the building

And so many more fond and unique memories of the special building…

Join your East Quad fellows for a night of remember it all

Friday, March 30th, 5-8 pm

The Green Lounge in East Quad

Poetry, memories, food

REVIEW: American Reunion

Heather Burcham 1 Comment

Thursday March 22nd at 9 p.m. students filled the Lorch Hall AskWith Auditorium, to see a sneak preview viewing of the upcoming movie, American Reunion, the fourth in the American Pie film series, and to see four of the cast members from the movie live and in person! After being escorted to a rare available seat in the auditorium by a security guard from Universal Studios, Eli Yudin, a student comedian from the University of Michigan, announced that the cast members were walking to the hall for a question and answer session. The crowd screamed and yelled in electric anticipation to host famous movie stars on the university’s campus. When the MFlicks crew, who hosted the event, were given the signal that the cast members were on their way, Eli suggested that the crowd sing the Michigan fight song as the movie stars enter the auditorium, as a few of the cast members are University of Michigan graduates. The auditorium full of students sang the fight song and fist-pumped as the cast of American Reunion walked from the back of the auditorium, through the aisles, taking pictures and video on their phones of the crowd.

For about 20 minutes Eli asked the cast members questions written down by students in the crowd, most questions directed to Jason Biggs, the main character of the series, about the number of pies used in the famous scene from the first movie, and a request to do a dance from a previous American Pie movie, which he did with the girl from the audience who made the request. The cast members were funny, and the crowd was engaged and entertained throughout the interview.

Soon, the interview was over and the crowd went wild one last time as the stars exited the auditorium, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. Personally, I have never seen an American Pie movie before (shocking, I know!) so I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into. In American Reunion, the original cast of American Pie come together again for their 13-ish-year high school reunion (class of 1999!). (It was mentioned in the interview portion that the idea came up for an American Reunion movie at the 10 year anniversary, and unfortunately it takes time to make a movie, so that’s why by the time the movie came out, it was actually 13 years since the characters graduated! ) Some characters have gotten married and settled down, and others have focused on their careers, but they all realize how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same, through the crazy antics they experience at home during the weekend of the reunion.

Now, do you want my opinion? I really hated the movie! No wonder I never watched the others… The entire movie was nothing but gross-out, dirty jokes, sex, and nudity. I knew it was a comedy, but I thought that there would be some genuine situational humor, not just cheap sexual jokes. Women were relentlessly objectified, and I felt somewhat uncomfortable throughout the entire movie. Aside from the sex, any other plot line or humor used in the movie was so incredibly cheesy and shallow–about 30 minutes in, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. I know American Pie has a huge following, and the auditorium was filled with university students who were totally into the movie–everyone was saying how great it was as we filed out of the theatre after the show. I suspect my opinion is the minority, so if you disagree with me, or you want to go see American Reunion for yourself, the movie is being released to theatres on April 6th. Check out the website for more information!

http://www.americanpiereunion.com/