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Senator ensures selection (JSC sinaina arot t# U By Juliet Nader Once-in-a-lifetime, exciting, fantastic, unbelievable and incredibly patriotic arc some of the adjcctives Carolina Alive members, including myself, used to describe the experience we had in Washington, D.C., as members of the inaugural entertainment group. Professionals from California and New York combined with people who had auditioned and college groups from all over the United States Dec. 15-22 to learn a patriotic show to perform for the President. This was the first time a singing and dancing group ol this sort has ever been brought together for the inauguration. Carolina Alive got to go because of the group's good relations with Sen. Strom Thurmond. Thurmond had already arranged for the group to sing at the Senate Rotunda and East Capitol steps. But word of the inaugural company got around, and soon the group was pressing to get involved in that. "OUR HARD work and perseverance finally paid off," said Professor Richard Conant, Carolina Alive director. "We have sung for Mrs. Bush and for Reagan this past summer which helped edge us in to be selected for this group." From the moment we arrived we were swept into the rush of costume fittings, all received a complimentary red, white and blue wardrobe, and after a quick .dinner we didn't cat because we were so excited. We then gathered in the main ballroom of ospitality house where we were housed and met Bob Jan. .c man in v~nui?,v. v i i ii V- inau^ui aiiun Vriiici iiaiiiiiwui, nnu uia^|7vu uui our schedule for the week with a slide show. Our choreographer, Marilyn Magness Carroll, who had flown in from California, then let us watch the professionals and auditionecs who had arrived two days before the college students and had already learned two-thirds of the show. The show consisted of three fast-paced melodies, a Yankee Doodle and Freedom medley and one touching tunc, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA." THE COLLEGE students, of which Carolina Alive made up 50 percent, then proceeded to learn these until I a.m. Wake-up call was at 6:30 a.m. and another full day of practicing. That night was a free night but many college students decided to practice instead of party. Washington received a blanket of snow that night, just in time for the outside practice the next day at the Ellipse in front of the White Mouse. Being a Virginian and ardent snow skier, the cold did not phase me as it did to a few Carolina Alivcrs. PfiaiT T ' I 7 f. 7.ZTZZ. 1 S | fog. u b.ivc SSSS i. Buy reduced .Idni PlBkCO Tickets at Stud Govt office O Floo* ? Russell Mouse i I ' 9 F1 ^'f" 1 X |M| ? K> 'j OO / 30 9 4*> H A 1 vllv/l Thai s Dancing I- 1 lG> ? 10 4 3b 7 05 9 15 p j A/it*d?u? Q CXI) 2 00 6 00 0 00 B Cotton CKi) H y |fl> 2 00 4 30 7 00 0 20 Jt "'H'|y",w""*Bl" l|,m" = C 791-7767 J Buy One Pizza, Get One Free SMALL LARGE [ Cheese 5.50 8.50 One Item 6.40 9.85 I Two Items 7.30 11.70 7 Hem Deluxe 9.10 14.10 , Extra Items .90 1.35 [? ? ^fSuper Single Pizza We take all the toppings we would u I on 2 and put It Into 1?then cut the prh | j SMALL LARQ i Cheese 3.95 5.96 | One Item 4.85 7.30 | f Two Items ; . 5.75 8.85 IB I 7 ,tom 7 55 11-35 II ^jixtrattsms^^^^^^^9()^L35 ip performs at Rea "I was not used to all that cold weather," Darius Rucker said. "I was freezing." AFTER SURVIVING frostbite for two hours the group returned to the motel and more practice. At all times the buses transporting the group were guarded by security men. Every time we went lo another building we had to go through a metal detector like the kind used in airports. Each bus had two security guards appointed to it so we could get in and out of places. "I sympathize 100 percent with the security tactics. The President has already been shot, and you can't be too careful," Conant said. "Ivc never experienced that much security. I could see it was needed, though. It was a unique feeling to be checked everywhere you go," Joey King said. CARROLL WAS an exceptionally adept choreographer in that she knew exactly how to handle college singers. She always encouraged us and said we were doing great, which generated a conducive atmosphere. "I don't think you could've handled it better. She was fantastic," King said. "I was impressed with the choreographer. The steps fit in very well to the music but were not too hard to learn. They were steps that 200 people could look good doing," Barbi Gilchris said. "When we came in Marilyn didn't separate us from the pror \\r ~ ... 11 ~r l. .i - ~ i .i IC!>Ml)llc1l!?. WC WCIC oil pail Ul a glOUp llglll II1CI1 ctliu IIICIC, said Scott Rickcnbakcr. SHERRI BROWN said, "She was very organized and professional. She was not only talented but businesslike and set a professional example for all of us." As it turned out, we were among the likes of Charo's backup singer, the guy on the Shasta commercial, a girl from Cyndi l.auper's "She-bop" video, and a Ruy soon to be in a Coke commercial that he wrote the s*:ore for. At first the professional dancers intimidated us but after a few days we relaxed and became friends. We found that we could do the same steps and soon grew to respect each other. "Being with the other professional dancers when it came right down to it was a learning experience. We pulled off the dance steps just as well," Carolina Alive president Julianne Neal said. "WE PUT a lot of work in. The whole project was meant to be a group, and we were supposed to ail blend in. King said. i Poetry Articles DEADLINE: Friday, Feb. 1, 1985, at 5:00 p.m. Jnnm 117 Russell Hons MHMMManHganHaaaMHnHHMgaHMaaMa KSraBBHBBSHittKraaHRSBnraHKBHBHBHEaHHHi T.K.'s PIZZA * ]BUY ONE PIZZ; Get ONE Free SubS SPEEDY FREE Dt CAYC5 - 505 KNOX ABE nam ana CratM (Located In Red C*rp? O..U i ^ I I IURHNI 9UD ; I Roast Bftf f " 391 Turfc?y Sub I "| F"R| :?. I 3.00 [| ; I ! EASY ACCESS TO I Liter of I mi i *c iniiurcc m {POOL TABLE JUKE BOX I With *nV Pfz2 HAPPY HOUR 4 7 | And This a BBSS SBBBaSBgNOW MBRI i gan's inauguration "The choreographer was good. She gave on-the-spot dance moves. I thought they were easy to learn and repetitive. We kept up real well," Sharon Gunter said. "At first we went in and saw other people doing the dancing, and it looked hard. But the way they taught us, going through every step was great. We pulled off a very professional show," Till Fallaw said. "'Working with a professional choreographer only happens 'P * a few times in life. If you didn't try the dance steps you didn't, get them," Rucker said. ONE OF the Air Force officers told Conant that he couldn't distinguish the pros from the college students, which was a great compliment to us. Myself, and a few other fortunate college students got the privilege of being paired with some of the professional dancers because there weren't enough guys in the group. The first performance, for most, turned out to be the most exciting part of the trip. I happened to be in the front row for the opening number, and as the curtains opened on the outside 9 Ellipse stage 1 saw the giant, cotton-likesnowflakes pouring down in bushels in front of me. It was just incredible; it seemed like a dream. The snow added a magical touch that I'll never forget. The front line strolled out into position in this winter wonderland. The snow pouring down, the big crowd and the TV' cameras richt in front of me made the scene verv movine. At one point we all turned around backwards with both hands waving in the air and behind me I saw 15 dozen people, donned in red, white and blue, dancing with all the energy they had with their hands flying in the downpour of snow. & i "MY MOST exciting experience was singing "Spirit of w America" (the opening number) in the freezing cold and knowing the people cared enough about their country to brave the weather and attend the pre-inauguration show even though it was snowing. Our first big moment really paid off," Allison Gauch said. Later on in the show Ronald Reagan and George Bush arrived, which excited everyone. "While we were waiting backstage to go on we all saw Reagan. That was very exciting," Ruckcr said. As each stole a glance over at the President in his box while we were performing we saw the touching and gratifying emotion coming from Reagan ? he was crying. (g, ( j) Place Your | Valentine's j Day Artwork Classified TODAY! b J ;?*?*??? me loveliest I Valentine... I ...is the one that shares ^. B vour special feelings. On W 9 Thursday. February 14, I give a little of yourself with ^ | a Hallmark Valentine. SSSS5SSSSSSBSSESS PTlf" 8 cc ] I t]nM??<nL I ra Order Jhim * rwcurtw trs. <0i!j??aiA,?.& Card N6 DRIVERS iJ