Student Posts

Posts written by students in The Arts in New York City (Fall 2017).

Torch Song ~ Acting

seherakram

The acting in Torch Song was beyond remarkable. The entire production was an amalgamation of excellent stage direction, production, as well as acting. Although the cast did not consist of a large number of individuals, the few individuals that were present really brought the characters they were playing to life. The cast consisting of the same small number of individuals really added meaning to the message that was being conveyed.the impact of a Gay individual in one family was amplified, as well as its impacts becoming more intimate. Furthermore, the facial expressions, imitations, and “cross-over”conversations amongst the characters really added to the overall atmosphere.

Photo: Google

Fall For Dance: Dorrance Dance Company

seherakram

Background 

  • Founded by Michelle Dorrance
  • The daughter of a nationally acclaimed soccer coach and ballet dancer.
  • Started tap at the age of nine.
  • Completed her BA at NYU, and won the MacArthur fellowship shortly after (awarded to 15-30 individuals.)
  • In 2010 she founded her own company- Dorrance Dance Company.

Dorrance vs. Classic 

Photo: Google

Classic Tap Dance

  • Very neutral expressions
  • Little to no upper body movement
  • Very stiff and uniform dance form

Dorrance Dance 

  • Extensive upper body movements
  • Wide array of facial expressions
  • Diverse costumes

Steam Festival Review

seherakram

I really enjoyed the steam festival, as it really embodied the spirit of involvement beyond the classroom. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis placed on taking a genuine interest in what other Macaulay students had to offer and present. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the freedom that was present in the general atmosphere. There was no pre-existing emphasis on harsh grading, or a traditional presentation format, which really added to the overall motive of the festival and the general atmosphere.

Where the festival was an enjoyable experience, it could have been improved in a myriad of ways. I felt the level of organization could have been enhanced in a number of ways. There was no way to account for the students there or take attendance. Furthermore, the students were not organized with their peers taking the same seminar courses. Personally, our group was placed with seminar three students, and as a result our project felt very misplaced.

 

The History of Turandot

seherakram

The History of Turandot

  • Turandot is a Persian word that means “the daughter of Turan,” Turan was previously a region located in the Persian empire, and “dokht” meaning daughter.
  • The story of Turandot draws a lot of inspiration from fairy tales and definitely has a lot of ancient and mythical elements. The setting for example, although we know it is Beijing, China, there is still no specific location/time period, the use of the three riddles, the cold hearted princess, the mistreated prince ultimately winning, an emperor who is worshipped like a god, etc.
  • The first performance of Turandot was in 1726 – Gozzi’s version which was an epic romance that originated from 12th century Persia.
  • In 1920 over lunch Puccini discusses with his colleagues the possibility of Turandot becoming an opera. They begin work on it a few months later.
  • Puccini died of throat cancer in 1924 after completing three acts, and Alfano finishes the fourth.
  • In 1926 the completed version of Turandot is debuted as we know it today.
Photo: Google

Fall For Dance

Moshe Dembitzer

I fell for dance. I never expected that I would, but I fell and I fell hard. To me dance was always an art form that I noticed, but never truly appreciated.  Fall for Dance showed me how versatile and incredible is dance. Through the use of different dance companies, many beautiful aspects of dance were portrayed. The Durance Dance company used tap dance to portray light and bright dance. The Miami City Ballet used slow and measured movements to create graceful dance. Vincent Mantsoe, in turn, showed us interpretive dance through his representation of a bird.  Finally, the Trisha Brown Dance Company showed us a futuristic dance. At the end of an incredible night, when the last act left the stage, the indelible imagines of swirling bodies and flashes of color were forever etched into my mind. The experience of feeling, not just viewing, dance will be something that I do not forget for a very long time.

 

The MoMA

Absara Hassan

After reviewing Robert Rauschenberg, his style, and his most popular works, we got a chance to see it in person at the Museum of Modern Art. The museum itself is simple in design, making Rauschenberg stand out even more. The class’s favorite, the taxidermy goat, felt way bigger in person and was very fascinating so up close. Rauschenberg took a tire, but it around the goat’s head, and put the goat on a collage. Altogether, it showed to be a beautiful piece. What I like about the exhibit is that his artwork is open to so many interpretations, where everyone’s own perspective and opinion is very creative and interesting. The tour guide did an amazing job with giving us the most concise tour of the exhibit. Although it was rushed, I did absorb alot of material and saw many great things. My personal favorite was the section with objects and materials put together with noises, making it sound as if we were walking through the city. I also liked the silhouette-like artwork Rauschenberg did of his wife. The colors were beautiful.