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West African dancer to teach USC class USC students to learn from arts expert in workshop BY CAITLIN COKER TIIKHAMKCOCK I Sekouba Camara, an interna tionally renowned master of Guinean performing arts, will teach a West African Dance Master Class today from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Blatt Room 114. The workshop is open to all levels of dance experience, from the West African dance begin ner to the professional. The dancing itself is very low-to the ground and earthbound, char acterized by high knees, thrust ing arms, and swinging heads. It is an energetic celebration of traditional West African music and life. Camara, who will teach a dance from his native Guinea, be gan as a performer when he was selected as Ballet Djoliba’s main dancer and soloist. Once his skills in choreography were no ticed, he became a director. He now nurtures traditional drum and dance in Africa by directing and choreographing many of Guinea’s ensembles, including Les Ballets Africans, Ballet Djoliba, Percussions de Guinea, The National Instrumental Ensemble of Guinea and Ballet Matam, a private ensemble from Matam. Camara has taught dance in almost every continent, lectures on West African musical cul ture, performs and chore ographs. He first came to Columbia when Borenya, a lo cal West African drum and dance ensemble, brought him to the United States to work on its winter show. An authentic, streamlined, and flat-out amaz ing ensemble performed a re vamped show on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. Borenya co-founder Laura Rich is excited to be studying with Camara and said she is ab sorbing as much from him as she can. “Sekouba is considered ‘ev eryone’s teacher,’ because ev eryone can trace their Guinea dance training back to Sekouba. Even if they never studied with him directly, their teacher did, or their teacher’s teacher did,” Rich said. From the beginning of Borenya’s show rehearsals, Camara was there, fine-tuning the choreography and adjusting the drumming, transforming the show from great to mind-blow ing. This workshop will be the last chance to experience his exten sive knowledge and experience regarding West African dance first hand. For those who want to learn even more about African dance, there is a West African dance three-hour credit course offered at USC in the fall in the dance de partment. The cost of the workshop is $5. For more information, call Laura Rich at 782-1964. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu ‘Trojan Wbmen’ - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 from the otherwise stark realism of the play. Talthybios and his men wear tom uniforms that look like Vietnam War era castoffs, while bearing ammunition belts and a variety of weaponry which in most cases appear to be World War I era — in one instance the weapon at hand appears to be a brown foam baseball bat. Menelaus, whose authoritarian presence is perfectly contrasted by his malleability at the hands of Helen, dons a maroon combat jacket and beret, while his men are dressed similarly, except with what appears to be English long bows. In the end, these costume mis steps are only minor road bumps in an otherwise-excellent produc tion. As one of the characters ob serves, there is always a war somewhere, and “The Trojan Women” is proof that the horror of war has troubled humanity's thinkers for more than two mil lennia. As the plot plays out and the fates of these helpless women are decided, Euripides' message is clear: war is horrible for both man and woman, victor and defeated, and works of art that focus only on the triumphs of victory are miss ing more than half the point, Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Music CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 ogy used is very much like that em ployed at rock or alternative con certs. Just as pop musicians use synthesizers, computer music com posers use electronic instruments in their pieces. Programmers or chestrate their compositions with a variety of software, including MIDI, Pro-Tools and Cycling 74’s Max. Newcomers to the world of com puter music can expect a very dif ferent concert atmosphere. Instead ^ of highlighting a sea of black-clad musicians beneath blinding spot lights, the evening will be a casu al affair, taking place in a dimly lit — if not pitch dark — room. The lack of lighting allows for fewer vi sual distractions as well as easing some technological concerns. Attendees should expect some thing different in terms of what they will hear and how it will be presented, Bain said. “This year's concert will feature 5.1 surround sound. This is in credibly exciting for the com posers, and the audience will be able to really experience the multi dimensional effects,” he said. There is “no limitation” to what composers can create with com puter music, Bain said. They “make instruments from scratch,” he said. The program ultimately aims to infuse the audience with a new perspective on what music is and can be. An assortment of sound bites and everyday noises are featured in many of the pieces, creating a sort of symphony out of day-to-day life. One such student composi tion, titled “Exit,” combines sounds and live recordings to rep rPQPnt hnw npn pie escape from stress frustra tion. Two other USC student composers in corporate music from past and contemporary performers within their »* Ul IV. UV/VV-U JJJCV/OO YYlll piuj ou, featuring seven different com posers and two performers. A tremendous amount of time and effort goes into producing a program such as “Current Beats.” Performers and composers must know the technology, learn new software and set aside time to write a piece. It can take six months to a year to perfect a com position. The School of Music does not of fer a computer music degree pro aram TnctoaH the students work toward a degree in music composition. Students have come from all over the United States and even from overseas. Tonight’s p^xiuimauv/U u ucc auu iu uic public. The show will feature a di verse group of USC students, pro fessors from various colleges and two professional guest artists from other S.C. colleges. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu “This year’s concert will feature 5.1 surround sound. This is incredibly exciting....” REGINALD BAIN DIRECTOR OF “CURRENT BEATS” AND USC PROFESSOR OF COMPOSITION THEORY AND MUSIC ‘Burden’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 send their children to a newly in tegrated school, many blacks were still not expected to choose •white schools. The Carter's oral history makes up the film, but it is also a story of segregation, integration, and the pre sent day 3UUIUC1 11 dllU nation-wide problems. After see ing the film, one viewer ques tioned our emphasis on so-called correction over actual education. The documentary is a follow up to Constance Curry's earlier book about the Carters, “Silver Rights.” Although the integration of the schools in Mississippi was not an easy task, there is nodoubt that the Carters’ decision was a huge step toward change. Seven of the Carters' eight children graduated from the University of Mississippi. This film would def initely be worthwhile to anyone who wants to truly see what not only blacks but what everyone had to go through to get where we are today. The film will be shown at the Nickelodeon Theatre on Thursday, at 7 and 9 p.m. Following the 7 p.m. showing there will be a discussion with the film's producer, Constance Curry, moder ated by rauiud - • Sullivan, an associate professor of history in USC's African American studies department. Tickets for the show are $6.50 for general admission, $5.50 for seniors/students/military, and $4.50 for Columbia Film Society members. There will be very lim ited seating, so early arrival is recommended. For more infor mation call 803-254-8234. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu 'The Intolerable Burden’ shows the hardship the Carter family endured during integration. I FREE ADVANCE SCREENING • I I _FREE movie stuff I Thursday, Feburary 26 8:00 PM Russell House Theater Pick up FREE Passes at Russel House Info Desk Carolina Productions Cinematic Arts Commission Win a DVD Player and CLUB DREAD Swag can«His~) Register at: campuscircle.net/clubdread The South Carolina Bluegrass and Traditional Music Association presents in concert Grammy Award Winner * Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Sunday, February 29,2004 -7:30 PM Roger Center For The Arts Corner Greene and Assembly Streets Columbia, SC (803) 251-2222 Tickets - $25.00, $20.00, $15.00 Tickets Available at Coliseum Box Office ami all Capitol Outlets All Major Credit Cards Accepted Online at www.capitolficliets.eoni University Committees Student Government is recruiting for University Committees. University Committees work on campus issues from academic responsibility to parking issues. There's something for everyone! If you are interested in working with staff, faculty and other students apply today! See a complete listing committees at www.sg.sc.edu. I AHH »• , > XHH better place!