An Evening of Dance

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Indiana University Dance Theater along with the departments of Theatre and Drama will be presenting The Legacy of Graham at the Ruth N. Halls Theater on Jordan Ave. It will consist of Martha Graham's Panorama, Paul Taylor's Aureole and 3 Epitaphs, as well as works by IU faculty.


The show is primarily cast by upperclassmen, and I had a chance to understudy Professor Gwen Hamm's piece, "Interplay." The piece features live and original music by alumni and faculty member, Joe Galvin. "Interplay" is all about how rhythm and dance are interrelated, and build and grow off each other. Joe's percussions emphasize how our steady heartbeats can be built off of and used to create an intertwining song and dance, and the dancers beautifully and athletically express this idea of pulse.



I felt very lucky to be the understudy for "Interplay" because I was able to be a part of it's creation and rehearsal, which was very fun and open-minded. While I was photographing the dance during tech rehearsal on Monday, the others watching were whispering to one another how they wished they could be a part of it. Clearly, it is one of many reasons to go see The Legacy of Graham!

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

As winter break comes to an end, I would like to recap what some of the highlights were. Although I am excited to get back to dancing constantly at IU, I am not as excited about doing homework every day instead of lounging around, watching TV, and visiting friends. From the time I spent at home this holiday season, these are some of the memories that will stand out most.


1. Coming home to my pets. Animals are a luxury, sense of family, and sense of friendship that are often unmanageable at school, and obviously not allowed in the residence halls, but the time you spend missing them at school makes your reunions that much better. My cat, Rocky, would sleep with me every night, take his naps during the day under our Christmas tree, and spend his waking hours entertaining us along with my dog, Molly.


2. Sledding at Dyer Hill. Not only is this my favorite safe spot in Northwest Indiana to go sledding, but this particular time was the first time I was able to see my best friend, Maya, who attends Ball State! We went late at night, and although it was very cold and some of us came out with injuries (including myself), we had a blast.


3. Coming home to a beautifully decorated house. Before I came home, my mom took over what is usually my job of decorating, and this year was the best our house has ever looked! While it was nearly complete, the best part was that our tree had no ornaments when I arrived, as she waited for me to be able to hang them, too. Unfortunately we never ended up getting around to this, so the bare tree did not necessarily remain the best part of the decorations the entire break.


4. Banik Christmas. My family's celebration this year took place on the 27th, which was an awesome change, because it made Christmas last that much longer! I spent an entire day in South Bend, Indiana with my crazy cousins, goofy uncles, wonderful aunts, and adorable nieces and nephews, as well as my immediate family.

Winter Wonderland in Read

As winter break and the holidays are almost here, I wanted the ultimate Christmas photos for my blog before I left for home. Luckily, all I had to do was look into the room across the hall from me.
























Gabi spent an entire Saturday transforming her and her roommate, Shelby's room into the most creative holiday exhibit I've seen yet in a residence hall. Complete with garland, lights, snowflakes, and even mini stockings for nametags on the door, her decorations catch everyone's eye as they walk past. Gabi also caught my heart by playing my favorite Christmas radio station from back home online as she decorated!

You Know 'Tis the Season When...

Out of your window at Read, you see the giant Christmas tree being assembled through the window of the Musical Arts Center. It is lit a section at a time. The giant statue looks out at the cold weather. Ballet and music majors on your floor seem to have disappeared to the land of dress and tech rehearsals, while the Land of Sweets is being assembled behind the curtain. You know the holiday season is officially here when The Nutcracker arrives.


Since last year, my friend Michele, whom I danced with at my studio back home, and I have started a tradition of going to see all the ballet performances, and The Nutcracker is our favorite. My friend Kelli from the dance program also came with us to the Saturday matinee performance at 2 p.m.


The show, as usual, was amazing. Since it was a matinee performance, there were a ton of small children there with their families which reminded me of going to see ballets as a child and not being able to stand not being the one dancing. The same was true this time, as The Nutcracker might be the only such inspiring thing to make me wish for the week ahead of dance classes instead of the weekend.


As you can see, the show was very well attended, and with good reason. The live music was fantastic and the dancers, costumes, and scenery sets were all beautifully amazing. If you have not yet, I encourage you to see The Nutcracker or the fall or spring ballet at least once in your time at IU.

Thankful for a Family-Filled Break

The picture above sums up my Thanksgiving break: full of family, chaos, and love. It also sums up why my family is incapable of taking group photos, but that is a whole different story. My brother and his new family of four came from Arizona to stay with us, as well as my brother and sister-in law from Indianapolis with their two daughters, and my two grandparents from Dover, Tennessee.


I was able to see my nephew, Elek, again, who I am convinced may grow up to be the most handsome boy on earth. Everyone finally met his little brother, my precious nephew, Gavin, for the first time.


In addition to celebrating Thanksgiving, and a little bit of Christmas as my talented family members took turns playing Christmas carols on piano, we also celebrated my niece Lillie's birthday. Although the stomach flu was passed around my family, the company, dinners, and desserts more than made up for it. It was a much-needed relaxing break, and I have never been so happy so see a group of people together in one place before.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Finally! After a marathon of classes with no fall break, students prepare to head home for Thanksgiving. After classes finish on Tuesday, we will lug home loads of laundry, whatever homework we have not yet finished, and our appetites for home-cooked food. What we should bring back, though, is also exciting.


Ever since I can remember, I have been obsessed with Christmas; so when my boyfriend brought me to a floral shop completely decked out in holiday decor, I was inspired to remind readers to bring back their winter coats and holiday decorations.


After spending such quality times with family over Thanksgiving, we will be anxious to do it all again for winter break. Decorations in IU's residence halls and on campus are always great this time of year, but having your own in your room cannot be beat. If nothing else, they will make dead week seem a bit more lively and help to lift your spirits throughout the finals stretch.


So remember to bring back your winter holiday decorations from home, and have a happy Thanksgiving and a relaxing, much-needed break!

Dancing "For the Kids"

The Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM) will take place this year Nov. 13-15. The biggest student-run organization on campus starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, and participants do not stop dancing and raising money for Riley's Children's Hospital until Sunday. Hip Hop ConnXion, a company team on campus I am a part of, has been preparing for our performance at the marathon this week.


We will be performing a set composed of four mixed songs at 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, featuring choreography by our own Sarah Mattingly and Wesley Owens. Performances help to keep the energy level up while dancers are inspired by the stories of Riley's patients and their families.


Our pre-IUDM practices have been auditioning and setting team members for these routines. This is my first year on the team, and I am extremely excited to be able to participate in the marathon for the first time, just to be amongst the positive energy and caring there.