Student Blogs
This post is by Sisi Reid, a Junior Anthropology and Theatre Double Major.
The late activist Audre Lorde once said, “When I dare to be powerful to use my strength in the service of my vision then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” The same courageous voices are weaved throughout Anu Yadav’s and Caroline Clay’s MFA in Performance thesis presentations, both part of the Festival of New Works at the Clarice Smith Center. At first glance you wouldn’t think Yadav’s Meena’s Dream and Clay’s Let it Flo are very similar. Knowing each artist personally, reading their scripts, and seeing their rehearsals, I understand how beautifully they both communicate the struggle we have to confront, accept and utilize our own inner strength.
The raw vulnerability of profound characters teaches us that we all have a power within ourselves to both love and demand truth.
By Shachia Bryan (Excerpt from original piece)
You would think that a play with five performers, music and a spotlight would be very simple, but that was far from the case in The Better Half.
By Spencer Stebbins (Excerpt from original piece)
Music has a certain rhythm, a certain beat, and a certain power that draws the listener in. Whether you love classical or rock, music recreates itself into a living being that speaks directly into your ear, pulling out and enhancing your emotions. Whether you close your eyes and let your imagination flow from one world to another or throw in your headphones and let the music carry your body to a certain beat while you run, music pushes you beyond your limits and resounds through your whole body. When we look to dance as an art form, we begin to see the music we hold dear come to life in another human being. We see a variety of emotions play out. And when we take a moment to let all else fade away, we become a part of the dance itself as our hearts and imagination are taken in by the performance.