4 The Daily Collegian Arts used to educate, enlighten Continued from Page 1. taped their lives, will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday at Eisenhower Audi torium. Through the film, a deep sore in America's cultural segrega tion is examined. Reggie Brooks, director of minority student services, said most films about ethnic groups deal with the negative aspects of that culture's experiences, but Harlem Diary has a positive mes sage and incorporates a wide range of music genres. "This (film) is about how white people confront their stereotypes," Brooks said. On-stage drama While film may be the most familiar art form to many Americans, students and community members do not need to travel to get a dose of diverse on-stage drama. The Theatre Workshop in Diverse Cultures, a new course this semester, has six productions this spring that range from plays from Irish and Indian playwrights to a production written by undergradu ate students called "Living in Lion Country," which dramatizes issues that surfaced last semester. The play will be part of The Ebony and Ivory Conference on April 11 at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. Charles Dumas, visiting profes sor of theatre arts and teacher of the workshop, is directing Dice and Bone, a play about the changing political and social environment in Ethiopia. Through a collaborative effort between The Next Stage Pro duction Company and the Universi ty, the play written by Clifford Young, an English lecturer is scheduled to be performed this summer. Those in Happy Valley this sum mer will also not need to go far to see contemporary Native Ameri can culture on stage. The Baby Blues, a comedy about a Native-American man refusing to acknowledge the approach of his middle-age years, will run here in July, produced by Pennsylvania Centre Stage. Playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, a Canadian and Ojibwa Native American, said he wants audiences to experience the life and culture of the contemporary Native Ameri can because the media is very lim iting and sometimes inaccurate. "One of the best ways to under stand a people is through their humor," he said about his comedy. Visual education Learning through entertain ment and experiences com pose key elements of art's ability to educate, whether the medium is spoken or visual. "It's moving it's not just read ing," said A.J. Vonarx, assistant director of the Penn State Interna tional Dance Ensemble, about her group's performances. The ensemble is an example of a group of students who educate about other cultures through dance and music, ranging from eastern European pieces to hip-hop rou tines, said Vonarx (senior-anthro pology and psychology). Elizabeth Hanley, director of the ensemble, said audiences are Social segregation Many minority students seek out alternatives to predominantly white hangouts, fraternities By DAVID ANDREWS Collegian Arts Writer It's Saturday night, and it is just heating up at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center's ballroom. A pair of blinding strobe lights stare down at a wide circle of students, grooving to the dance music that blares from the speakers. But something is different from the down town bars in this picture. Of the more than 40 students who have arrived at the center, perhaps the school's hub of cultural diversi ty, all but one are minority students. Where are all the white students? One answer is down at the Wesley Student Center, 256 E. College Ave., where more than 100 students are dancing to the ska and punk bands that perform before them. But looking out over the crowd, there is a sea of white faces, speckled with only a few minor ity students. So much for diversity. Every night around town, students seem to polarize along racial lines. But is this the result of racial tensions, or a reflection of differing tastes? It may be a little of both. For most students, the root of the division lies in musical tastes. Eridania Martinez (sophomore-finance and international business) said that like her, most minority students aren't interested DIVERSITY DIVISION Sanjay Chandran, above, plays his violin during a program in the HUB Ballroom. Held on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m., the program demonstrated ethnic diversity in the arts. Whether it is through music, theater or the visual arts, many artists use their art forms to educate the community about different ethnicities. "One of the best ways to understand a people is through their humor." forced to ask questions about dif ferent cultures when watching them. For example, the performers may shout as they dance and onlookers often ask why they are yelling. "Well, that's in the culture," she said, explaining that people have to be exposed to these differences to understand them. Nommo combines performance and education through classes on Saturday mornings in the White Building in which all community members are welcome, Thompson said. Like the ensemble and Nommo, the International Student Council tries to incorporate multicultural ism into campus activities. Last weekend at the HUB, the council held events such as a re-enactment "You might go because you know there are going to be minorities there." in the live music played in downtown bars. Aside from The Last Knights, an a cappella group that performs mainly on campus, the only music aimed at her tastes is the dance, hip hop and reggae spun by DJs. On top of an already limited downtown selection, many students are blocked by the age restrictions placed on bars most nights, said DJ Ike "Wicked" Iregbulem, a black student. Because he goes out in a group in which not everyone is 21, they cannot visit places like the Lion's Den. "Basically, the only days bars are geared toward minorities are Crowbar on Monday nights and Players on Tuesday and Wednes day nights," said Iregbulem (junior-psychol ogy). Those nights include under-21 nights and danceable music from disc jockeys. Another popular hangout is Uncle Chen's, 111 Sowers St., where minority groups such as Asian sorority Lambda Phi Epsilon and Self expressions Drew Hayden Taylor playwright of a wedding in Thailand, Japanese tea ceremonies, Turkish dances and a Brazilian carnival. Former President of the council John Prodromidis (graduate-histo ry) said the hope was to educate Americans about where minority groups are coming from and also to give international students the chance to travel home for a few hours. Musical outreach The University is committed to a very pluralistic approach to the arts, said Music Instructor Tony Leach, who hopes to reach the community through song, giving people a chance to see a group specializing in African- American music but not entirely Paul Birnbaum (senior-premedicine), right, performs an Egyptian dance with the Penn State International Dance Ensemble last semester. The International Dancers demonstrated a variety of steps during the Mediterranean festival held in November in the HUB. comprised of black musicians. "Anything that appeals to one's senses has got to have an impact," said Leach, director of Essence of Joy, a new singing group dedicated to performing works by black com posers. On the other hand, the United Soul Ensemble, a gospel choir, does not focus on the ethnicity of their composers or members. President Tiaa Dillard said the main purpose of the group is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "We also serve as a source of fel lowship and outreach ministry," said Dillard (senior-art). Diversity themes Despite the frequent appear ance of multiculturalism in the arts, some people think that more could be done. "I think (ethnic diversity) could be better represented," said Glenn Willumson, curator of the Palmer Museum of Art. "It's an important part of everyone's education." Steve Henry (junior-computer engineering) the Latino Caucus sponsor parties on week end nights. There, the predominantly Latino crowd jams to hip hop and dance. Walter Son, an Asian student, said the high minority population at Uncle Chen's could create tensions. "It's open to anyone, but I think shit would probably happen" if a large group of white people came, said Son (freshman-finance and international business). An incident last semester almost ended in a fight when two white students passing by yelled racial slurs. "Then they realized that there were about 70 Korean people surrounding two whites, and they just left," Son said. And minority students may stick together. "You might go because you know there are going to be minorities there," said Steve Henry, a black student. Henry (junior-computer engineering) said though he would not hesitate to visit a party Traveling exhibitions have been the focus of diversity at Palmer with "Sleeping Beauties: African Headrests" last semester and "Workers: An Archeology of the Industrial Age" opening later this semester. The exhibit features Brazilian artist Sebastiao Salgado who photographs Third World countries. Visual arts are not restricted to the museum, however. The HUB art galleries, which hundreds of students pass daily, have carried a theme of cultural diversity all year. Even the dorms display "Art on the Move," murals expressing eth nic diversity done by student and faculty which are traveling around campus. "I think that we're getting those visual images out," Hampton said. But art is more than meets the eye art is life. Giroux said ethnic diversity in the arts is not only about benefiting minorities. "This is about expanding the opportunities of democracy in edu cation," he said. not geared toward minorities, some of his friends would feel uneasy. But not every student shares those views. When Viral Patel, a black student, visits a bar usually Player's Sports Bar, 112 W. College Ave., or Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave. he often goes with white friends. "I don't feel the importance of being with a minority," said Patel (senior-psychology). For those who find strength in numbers, some of the most popular places to party are at minority fraternities or sororities. Many of those parties are held at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. Iregbulem, a DJ at most of the center's parties, finds that while most of the people at the parties are minorities, many white students also attend. But Niema Smart (freshman-administra tion of justice), a black student who fre quents parties at the cultural center, said she would be unlikely to visit a party not geared toward minority students. And her fears may not be without merit. Mike Henry, a black student, experienced this firsthand when he was at a fraternity dominated by white students. "Two girls came up to me and asked me why I wasn't at the (black fraternity) down the street," said Henry (sophomore-liberal arts). His response? "I just walked away." Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996 Harlem youths speak in film By ANNE BOYD Collegian Arts Writer Harlem The word typically conjures images of large ghetto buildings, fear of crime, and perhaps the sounds of rap and jazz. But what about the people, the youth? University students and State College residents can see inside the lives of nine Harlem youths free at 7 p.m. Thursday at Eisenhower Auditorium as the film Harlem Diary premieres before airing on Public Broadcasting Service. While Hollywood may often feed society's stereotype of a corrupt and diseased black culture in movies such as Menace II Society and New Jack City, Harlem Diary is a realistic look at life in Harlem as these youths, ages 12 to 26, videotaped their daily lives, their struggles and their dreams. "It's an attempt to link the ques tion of entertainment with the question of politics," said Henry Giroux, Waterbury Chair education professor, who coordinated the film's University debut. Reggie Brooks, director of minority student services, said the reason Harlem Diary is being shown at Penn State is because the majority of students and State Col lege residents are white, and Penn State is not an urban center. The movie industry which pro vides most white, middle-class Americans with their only expo sure to ghetto life is full of cul tural stereotypes, Brooks said. "Black youth are really being demonized in film," Brooks said. "If people go in with an open mind and relax and let their defenses down, they may learn something." Giroux expressed concern that showing the screening right before spring break will put a damper on the turnout, but he said he sees a growing air of intolerance, making it urgent for students to get this kind of exposure. "It ruptures a whole series of conventional codes," Giroux said, explaining that many Americans hold prejudices simply because of lack of exposure to anything except evidence confirming a black culture of criminology. Filtered through the eyes of the youths in the film, Harlem Diary gives insight that Brooks said is nearly impossible for many Ameri cans to find. Although the movie The Basketball Diaries similarly gave teenagers camcorders, this film realistically represents the aspirations of black youths while the other exploits what is only a small fraction of reality, he said. "This says 'I am not going to be a victim regardless of all the nega tive that is around me,' " Brooks said. "They see opportunity where everyone else sees pain and mis ery.... They have the zest for life, and nothing's going to turn them around." DIVERS/Ty DIVISION, Let us know what you think about diversity issues. Drop off a letter to the editor at our office at 123 S. Burrowe St. or E-mail: cecll4@psuvm.psu.edu The stories on March 12 will focus on athletics.
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