Vol107issue1

CORSAIR

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

FiRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25C

NEWS: Bread Factory shut down pg 3 NEWS: Quad regulars forced to leave pg 4

Photostory: Basketball season comes to an end pg 6-7

Megan Mullally A&E pg 11 the c orsair • thec orsaironline.c om • 19 0 0 pic o blvd. santa monica, ca 9 0405 •(310) 434-4340

2 contents

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

E D I T O R I A L S TA F F Henry Crumblish········ Editor-in-Chief c o rs a i r. e d i t o r i n c h i e f @ g m a i l . c o m Elizabeth Moss·· Digital Editor-in-Chief c o rs a i r. w e b e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m David Yapkowitz·········Managing Editor c o rs a i r. m a n a g i n g @ g m a i l . c o m Ronja Jansz············· Health & Lifestyle c o rs a i r. l i f e s t y l e p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Alci Rengifo········ Arts & Entertainment c o rs a i r. c a l e n d a r p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Jonathan Ramos··········Opinion Editor c o rs a i r. o p i n i o n p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Trev Angone················· Sports Editor c o rs a i r. s p o r t s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Albert Andrade········Multimedia Editor c o rs a i r. m u l t i m e d i a @ g m a i l . c o m Jimmy Janszen················Photo Editor Rachel Porter················ Photo Editor c o rs a i r p h o t o e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Jhosef Hern······················ Illustrator corsaircartoon@gmail.com

SMC Scoreboard

Feb. 22 2014:

Men’s basketball:

SMC 92

West LA 83

Women’s basketball:

SMC 49

West LA 36 Feb. 21 2014:

Men’s Volleyball:

SMC 3

San Diego Mesa 0

c o r s a i r s ta f f Brandon Barsugli, Scott Bixler, Rob Black, Cesar Clarke, Alejandro Colmenares, Marlene Conner, Amalia Darin, My’Sson Downs, Mia Duncans, Maurice Dwayne, Elin Ekdahl, Paulina Eriksson, Walter Flores, Darin Geesey, Rachel Gianuario, Jorge Gonzalez, Qalil Ismail, Shakeel Joyce, Sarit Kashanian, Nick Kovalenko, Aaron Leaureaux, Juan Lopez, Eva Malin Lord, Maggie Louie, Jazmin Martinez, Devon Marque, Christophor McGovern, Delmy Moran, Adrien Piteux, James Powel, Yaddick Rivas, McKenzie Roberts,- Elia Sanchez, Patrick Shanley, David Veta

Feb 20 2014:

Women’s Tennis:

SMC 5 Glendale 4

FA C U LT Y A D V I S O R S S a u l Ru b i n & Gerard Burkhart AD INQUIRIES: c o rsai r. admana g e r@g m ai l . co m (3 1 0 ) 4 3 4 - 4 0 3 3

SMC Community!

If you have photos, feelings or opinions on what we publish, we want to hear from you! Email, tweet or facebook us. Corsair.opinionpage@ gmail.com

Brandon Barsugli Corsair Santa Monica College Corsairs men’s volleyball player Thomas Stoeckinger spikes the ball over defenders during a match against San Diego Mesa on Friday 21,2014 at Santa Monica Calif.

Letter from the Editor Henry Crumblish Editor-in-Chief 2013 was quite possibly the most turbulent year in the history of Santa Monica College. Students and faculty alike were faced with unprecedented emergencies and tensions.

From a campus suicide, to school shootings, bomb scares and even plane crashes, SMC students were bombarded seemingly on a daily basis with all kinds of erratic distracting stimuli.

One has to wonder how any student can focus on their studies amidst such an atmosphere of uncertainty. This is of course an increasingly unfortunate reality for many students around the country.

Despite these shocks to our collective student body, culturally we continue to become callous and insensitive. Our short-term memory and attention spans have dwindled to subhuman levels.

We can forget the past, but the future looms ever closer as society continues

to make the same decisions, apparently content to live in a dystopian reality.

It may be a new year at SMC but there’s nothing new under the sun and some things never change despite recent experiences. As usual the Associated Students have vacancies on the AS Board of Directors during another election semester.

In this new digital age apathy reigns supreme, not even the student government can fill its ranks as even the Vice President position is left vacant two weeks into spring. There seems to be a lack of drive for students to feel or become involved in the functions of student government.

Less than 10 percent of the student body participated in the AS elections last year and at the risk of sounding pessimistic the turnout will most likely be the same in 2014.

Even The Corsair is not safe from the

for extended coverage visit us at thecorsaironline.com •

effects of uninterested transfer students.

During the first week of spring semester there was a strong possibility that the Corsair would be canceled, relegated to nothing more than a memory. All the while students have been risking their lives and personal safety in countries like Turkey and Ukraine for freedom of expression and an open press, here we seem to not care for it all.

Not to mention this first issue nearly being delayed due to ignorance and obstruction from the campus’s very own police department.

The great American patriot Thomas Jefferson said it best “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

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news 3

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

Bread factory evicted after failing to pay rent Alci Rengifo Arts & Entertainment Editor The Bread Factory is in the hot seat least one student who has come forward after students claiming...Allegations reported not receiving a W2 form for against the recently shuttered Bread wages in 2012 from the Bread Factory.

Factory have surfaced suggesting that the “We have different claims over different owner stopped paying student workers time periods. Until everyone comes in the months leading to the proprietor’s forward it’s a bit hard to tell,” said Myers. eviction after she allegedly failed to pay For former Bread Factory student worker rent to Santa Monica College.

Adam Marangakis, who worked at the These allegations follow on the heels of establishment from winter 2011 to spring a lawsuit filed on behalf of the college 2012, the sudden fall of the pastry and against owner Soo Jeong Pak, who owes coffee shop did not come as a surprise. $77,000 in unpaid rent, according to the He described an environment where court’s judgement, said SMC Counsel Pak’s on site managers allegedly expected Robert Myers. precise drinks to be brewed in less than The judgement came with an additional 40 seconds. order evicting the business from campus “The time in which they wanted us to grounds, which Pak allegedly attempted crank out products you just couldn’t do to halt by filing for bankruptcy. it,” he said. “It takes at least 30 seconds “We went into court and got an order to steam up the milk, I told the manager getting around her bankruptcy and the ‘you cannot do this in 30 seconds.” court dismissed her bankruptcy because For SMC instructors The Bread Factory [Pak] did not file the appropriate papers,” also offered a conveniently hidden said Myers. backdoor lounge where they could escape The tenant of 12 years moved out over the daily traffic of campus life and chat, winter break and in its place are notices drink coffee or read an assortment of asking students to come forward to the magazines and newspapers.

SMC Police Department if they did not Marangakis was also baffled by the receive payment from the former business. revelation that The Bread Factory The SMCPD declined to comment on allegedly could not afford to pay its the matter. licensing fees. “We had really good “The reason we have the signs posted business. There were always lots of lines has nothing to do with the eviction,” said during lunch time. Nothing to suggest Myers. “The eviction is a civil matter. they wouldn’t be able to pay,” he said.

However we learned that the owner of the Former student workers of The Bread Bread Factory may not have paid wages to Factory who have not been paid or may a number of its employees and many of have also witnessed other illegal activities those employees were [SMC] students.” are encouraged to call SMCPD at 310Myers stated that several people have 434-4608. come forward to report lack of payment.

At press date no other former Bread “I am not at liberty to discuss details,” he Factory employees have come forward to continued. verify the claims made by Marangakis.

It is difficult to determine exactly when Check upcoming issues of the Corsair the Bread Factory might have lagged in and thecorsaironline.com for updates on paying its employees. Myers stated that at this story.

Scott Bixler Corsair Santa Monica College cafeteria restaurant, “The Bread Factory” has been closed down as of December 2013. Due to the inability to pay rent, former student employees are also claiming they were not paid wages for a prolonged period of time.

Scott Bixler Corsair Santa Monica College Student Thomas Tranberg organizes his school belongings and lunch in front of the former Bread Factory during lunch time on Tuesday Feb. 24, 2014 at Santa Monica College.

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4 news

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

New Trustee Appointed to Board

Henry Crumblish Editor-in-Chief

A vacant spot on the Board of Trustees at Santa Monica College was filled in time for the Spring semester, nearly a month after David Finkel stepped down due to health issues.

Local community member and accountant, Barry Snell filled the position on Feb. 4. and will finish the five months remaining in Finkel’s term.

Snell was selected from a pool of four other candidates, and has experience in education policy previously serving on the SMC Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee.

In addition, the latest member of the BOT also served as a member of the Board of Education for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District from 2006 to 2010, including a term as president in 2009.

“I’ve been involved in the educational arena ever since my kids started [in Santa Monica] back in middle school,” said Snell, whose interest in SMC comes from being a resident of Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood and as a parent of current SMC students.

“All three of my kids are there, all at

different phases of their education,” said Snell.

Snell was sworn into office at this month’s BOT meeting immediately after being appointed the position. He is the only current member of the board to be appointed to his position and is looking forward to finishing the term.

“I talked with Judge Finkel prior to submitting my application and I called him immediately after they accepted me,” said Snell. “I asked him to be a mentor of mine; I know him real well, his grandkids went to school with my kids when I was on the school board.”

Finkel, however, feels that Snell won’t have any trouble with his new position.

“I think as long as he becomes a good listener he’ll be just fine he doesn’t need any advice,” he said.

The former school board president plans to start a campaign and enter himself in November’s election for a permanent spot.

In the meantime, Snell is preparing himself for his first official BOT meeting.

“I’m going to do my homework; I don’t want to sound unprepared. Other trustees

have been involved for a while,” said Snell. “In the short run I think the most challenging thing will be getting my hands around how the college operates.”

With 25 years of accounting and finance experience for K-12 schools under his belt, Snell plans to incorporate those skills while serving the nation’s number one transfer school.

“I don’t mind spending money to benefit the college,” said Snell. “I think you have to spend money to be the best.”

Using his connections within the Pico Neighborhood, Snell also hopes to bridge the communities surrounding the Bundy and AET campuses in order to create a more student friendly environment.

“The single most important thing is building a harmonious work relationship between the city, the school district and the college,” said Finkel “I hope more than anything that harmony gets preserved.”

Along with preserving the community, Snell wants students and Santa Monica residents alike to feel comfortable with him in his new role.

“I want people to know I’m approachable.

I’m at a stage where I’m trying to learn.” said Snell. “I want people to know this is a learning process for me and I care about educating kids.”

Cesar Clarke Corsair Barry Snell poses in the Santa Monica College Library on Feb. 24,2014 Snell was appointed to the Board of Trustees for Santa Monica College on Feb 14, 2014.

Quad regulars told to cease and desist JAmes Powel Staff Writer

“The key is disrupting classes and Manuel does not disrupt classes,” - Michael Greenberg

Scott Bixler Corsair SMC student Manuel Henriquez expresses concern over the cease and desist order

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO

change everything.

On Monday morning, Santa Monica College’s main campus is quiet. At 9:59 a.m. the only audible sounds are the murmurs of those who haven’t had enough coffee to deal with the day yet.

At 10:01 a.m. the quad is still quiet, eerily quiet, as if something is missing.

The quiet is due to the absence of Manuel Anderson Henriquez’s music sharing program, which was discontinued after the Santa Monica College Police Department delivered a cease and desist order this past Thursday.

During the student activity hour, officers approached Henriquez, and Milton “Sarge” Hall, creator of the event “Word Warz” both of which are unsanctioned by SMC, and presented both students with a copy of the SMC Civil Disturbance and Demonstrations policy along with the order.

The two were approached after a report was filed with Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Tuitasi that a violation of the policy was committed.

According to SMC Administrative Regulation 4430, any event with amplified sound requires a permit from both the Dean of Students and the Events Office.

Associated Student Director of Publicity Michael Greenberg said that the reason for the regulation on amplified sound is to keep classes from being disrupted.

Both Greenberg and AS President Ty Moura do not feel that Henriquez’s boombox meets the requirement for amplified sound.

“The key is disrupting classes and Manuel does not disrupt classes,” Greenberg said.

SMC Police Sgt. Mark Kessler confirmed that there have been multiple complaints against Henriquez, however he could not confirm the nature of the complaints.

Both Henriquez and Hall have attempted to procure the necessary permits, however neither has been successful yet.

“We are not out here to cause trouble. I understand that [the administration] is focused on academics but student life is important as well,” Hall said.

Hall has conducted his “Word Warz” events every Thursday during the fall semester, and Henriquez for the four years he has attended SMC, both without a permit.

Before bringing his music sharing program to SMC, Henriquez ran it at Los Angeles City College for three years, and was visibly upset when asked about the future of his program.

“I don’t want it to end like this,” Henriquez said wiping a tear from his eye.

“I will stop music sharing when I transfer or when I turn 30. I have always had music in my heart and this is my opportunity to share it.”

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Simon Luca Manili Corsair Milton “Sarge” Hall started Word Warz to make the campus more “lively and entertaining for students,” Hall will now be forced to acquire a permit to continue his rap battles.

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opinion 5

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

Alci Rengifo Arts & Entertainment Editor The great Polish/Jewish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg once stated “I feel at home in the world wherever there are birds, clouds and human tears.” Such is the essence of global citizenship. Global citizenship is not some pipe dream concept Santa Monica College uses to advertise itself as a beacon for those seeking a genuine melting pot of languages, ethnicities and nationalities. Global citizenship must be defined as the erasure of artificial boundaries and invented lines on the map.

It is the genuine, radical appreciation and affection for others that dismisses racial, cultural boundaries.

Appreciating a fellow human being should be based on who they are as an individual. Where they come from or what their heritage is, should be seen as features that come with the package. The truest revolutionary act is caring for your fellow human beings no matter race or creed.

This is an issue that is especially pressing in a campus like SMC, where students from all around the world come to study and bask in the cosmopolitan atmosphere.

But while nationalism, the pride of one’s nationality and culture, is a natural behavior, an internationalist view of the world is truly unique, which explains why SMC makes global citizenship a graduation requirement.

We must adapt a more internationalist view because what happens in the world affects us all. In one of his classic manifestos the great Russian anarchist, Mikhael Bakunin pointed out that capitalism does not respect borders, it spreads everywhere,

Global Citizenship Is Real and so internationalist revolutionaries should respond with the same fervor. In this same spirit we as students should not limit our knowledge, tastes and fashions to just what’s “cool” within our national or state boundaries.

Consider that the state we live in, California, was once part of Mexico; in this sense the national border between both countries is a manufactured illusion made of steel and barbwire fences.

SMC student Ethan Shalom was very supportive of Global Citizenship because of its egalitarian possibilities. “It’s a good thing because it exercises universal moral principles that go beyond the nation state.

Smash the state,” he said with a clenched fist.

This is a good sign that the principles of internationalism are catching on well with students. Maybe they have no choice. The world we live in is being shaken by crossborder events. Being a global citizen is something others around the world have already been living intensely and even dangerously.

The Arab Spring for example, began in Tunisia and spread like wildfire to Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Yemen and Bahrain. So massive was the impact of the Arab revolutions because of the grievances they expressed (inequality, lack of jobs) that even nations without dictatorships such as Spain, Greece and the United States saw “occupy” movements sprout up that chanted slogans of solidarity with their comrades on the other side of the world.

Any American willing to follow the rioting in Kiev live on the internet will see that the world cannot be shut out.

“The world is smaller in a way where

we can find with a click of our computer or our phone what’s happening in the world, but it’s also getting bigger because we’re getting so much information about everything,” said Eric Mitzenberg, SMC professor of Cultural Anthropology and chair of Global Citizenship.

Minzenberg did much work in Latin America where he saw first hand of policies in the US affect communities beyond our borders. “For us in the West we can produce more cheaply than anywhere else in the world but for a lot of people in the world it has made them poorer, their resources are being exploited and they don’t have access to the technologies we use.”

Minzenberg emphasized that Global Citizenship at SMC means the interaction between cultures so we can better understand ourselves as a diverse melting pot. When it comes to global issues Minzenberg said some people “just think eh, it’s not my backyard, why should I care?

But we’re trying to make people understand the connections and hopefully some will be inspired to take positive action.”

While most of us cannot climb a building, plant a red flag and proclaim a new Springtime of Peoples, we can begin microcosmic changes with radical implications in our own lives. Indulge in music from other countries. Don’t just scan local headlines, take a look at world news.

Don’t simply watch American movies, watch the great films countries like France, Germany and Chile have to offer. This Sunday when the Oscars are broadcast on TV, pay attention to the Best Foreign Film nominees and not just Jennifer Lawrence.

Global Citizenship is not a Utopia because wit is something that can be achieved in

Jhosef Hern Corsair

our daily lives, we do it every day when we break bread with Persians, Jews, African Americans, Asians, and Latinos.

“My hope is that what we are teaching will lead to take an attitude that change practices and behaviors in ways we can’t always say,” said Minzenberg. “Are you going to be a lawyer? Are you going to work for a big Fortune Five Hundred or do immigration law? Are you going to be a doctor and be a plastic surgeon or be a doctor working at a poor clinic?”

He concluded by saying “I’m hoping students are inspired and try to do positive things that about humanity and equality instead of me, me, me.”

Be a Global Citizen because the truth is, you have no choice. We won’t cross the border, it already crossed us.

Give Them Your Hand and They’ll Take Your Whole Arm Delmy Moran Staff Writer

Santa Monica College students should be allowed to use cell phones in class as long as their is a line of responsibility.

It was the first week of school as I was sitting in class and noticed the girl in front of me using her phone to look at the syllabus that the professor had posted online.

The professor took a glance at her and immediately told everyone that she did not want to see anyone using any electronics in class for the rest of the semester.

Many professors at Santa Monica College are very strict when it comes to using phones in class. As a student, I’ve witnessed several cases where phones have been taken away or people have been kicked out of their class for using their phones or answering emergency calls.

“This is college not high school and we are adults, we should be able to use our phones in class if we want to,” said SMC student Luis Nunez.

Cell phones are a big part of a college student’s life. Students use them for everything; from communicating with people, to using the internet for homework, books or even research.

It shouldn’t be a problem to use our phones in class, as long as we use them responsibly because they can actually be a great resource for us.

Christopher Meeks, an adjunct professor for the English department, understands first hand what it is like to misjudge a student’s cell phone use in class.

“If you would have asked me yesterday, I would have said, ‘Students shouldn’t use phones in the classroom,’’ said Meeks. for extended coverage visit us at thecorsaironline.com •

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“However, today in one of my classes, a student was discussing the story we had read, and as she was talking, she kept looking down at her phone and swiping the screen. I was about to tell her to not look at her email in class especially while she’s talking to us, when I realized the story was on her phone’s screen. She was referring to the book. I had to laugh to myself, realizing this is the new age.”

Having our phones in class can be beneficial not only for class assignments but also for emergencies.

With so many incidents going on during past semesters, such as bomb threats and the campus shooting, it is important that students have their phones out in class in case of any emergency calls from family, friends, or SMC’s alert system.

It can be a great gain for students to be able to have our phones out in class and use them for assignments. Unfortunately, there are students that decide to misuse their phones for texting and emailing during class. This is why many professors decide its best to not let students use their phones in class at all.

“Students have been asked in the beginning of the semester as they come into the room that they should turn off their phones during the entire class period,” said math professor Betty Wong.

Students are adults and should be treated as adults by allowing phone use in class, but students should also learn how to behave like adults as well. If students use cell phones responsibly in class, perhaps professors would be more lenient in letting them use cell phones.

Just like the old saying goes, let’s make sure to appreciate the hand we’re given, without taking the entire arm.

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6 photostory

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

Jimmy Janszen photo editor Santa Monica College basketball player Ronny Price makes a basket as he is being guarded by Glendale Community College basketball players Emmett Duvall (left) and Emerson Castaneda at Santa Monica College on January 15, 2014. SMC lost 87-92.

Santa Monica College Corsair Trey Thompson makes a shot while Santa Monica College in Santa Monica

A Tale of Two Seasons Trev ANGone Sports editor

Scott Bixler Corsair Santa Monica Corsair Mike Ratliff attempts to make a basket while West LA College defender De Andre Brown and Joseph Estrada go into block him from making the basket on Jan. 29, 2014 at Santa Monica College. SMC defeated West LA College 73-62.

After narrowly missing the playoffs following the 2012/2013 season, the returning sophomores on the Santa Monica College Men’s Basketball team had one thing on their minds, Making a deep run into the playoffs next season.

After being able to keep almost all essential personnel, the Corsairs began the 2013/2014 season on a blistering 11-2 run, putting all their divisional opponents on notice and establishing that the Western State South Conference title would undoubtedly have to come through Santa Monica.

Leading the Corsairs to such an impressive record were sophomores Keilan Horton and Madison Higgins. Horton, who missed the last half of the season due to injury, averaged a league high 19.1 points per game. Not to be out done, Higgins finished the season top 5 in four different categories including third in points per game with 16.7 and second in three point field goal percentage with 43.9.

Unfortunately for the Corsairs, the injury bug did hit and as previously mentioned, Horton missed virtually the entire second half of the season. Even Higgins missed the season finale due to injury.

After a hot start, the Corsairs finished a disappointing 3-10, ending the season at 14-12; a far cry from the playoffs or bust mentality they had entering the second half of the season.

Although the season didn’t go as planned, the Corsairs effort left no fans wanting and many of their late season games were as exciting as they come, with the sophomore night home

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photostory 7

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

“Against

the Glendale College Vaqueros, Shevlin scored 21 points with four

blocks, three steals, and two rebounds.”

Scott Bixler Corsair e West LA College and Santa Monica Corsair players wait for the rebound on Jan. 29, 2014 at a,Calif . Thompson had four points and four rebounds. SMC defeated West LA College 73-62.

“After a hot 11-2 start, the Corsairs finished a disappointing 3-10, ending the season at 14-12”

JimmyJanszen photo editor Santa Monica College basketball player Jerry Shevlin attempts a lay up as Glendale Community College player Jalen Etienne attempts to steal the ball at Santa Monica College on January 15, 2014. SMC lost 87-92.

finale coming down to an electric end of regulation and overtime.

Returning next season will be freshman point guard Jerry Shevlin who had a break out season, averaging 4.1 assists per game as well as 9.2 points and a steal per game as well.

Against the Glendale College Vaqueros, Shevlin scored 21 points and had four blocks, three steals, and two rebounds. He followed up his impressive showing against Glendale with 15 points, an assist, and 2 rebounds against the West Los Angeles College Wildcats.

Corsairs Trey Thompson, Mike Ratliff, and Anthony Harris Jr. combined for 11 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals against the West LA. With the three Corsairs dominating the glass and staying active on the defensive end, SMC secured the victory behind their intense will and refusal to lose.

Going off against the Vaqueros was shooting guard Ronnie Price who went 5-9 from the field with 17 points, two assists and a block. Although Price and Shevlin combined for 32 points, in the end, Glendale would more than double the Corsairs rebounding effort, 52-23, narrowly beating SMC, 92-87.

Shevlin, Price, Thompson, as well as small forward Marcus Harris will be the core the Corsairs look to build around next year. With the young freshmen getting so much valuable experience this year, add a promising recruit or two and the Corsairs could be back to their winning ways in no time.

For more information, see www.thecorsaironline.com for extended coverage visit us at thecorsaironline.com •

Scott Bixler Corsair Santa Monica College Corsair Anthony Harris Jr. dribbles the ball around West LA College guard, James Hanks towards the basket on January 29, 2014 at Santa Monica College. Harris scored three points and had three rebounds. SMC defeated West LA College 73-62.

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+ lifestyle 8 health

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

At SMC, the voices of the deaf community are heard Sarit Kashanian Staff Writer

Imagine going to your first day of classes and walking through the masses of students but not hearing a single sound. You make your way to the classroom and pay little to no attention to the guy with the pounding speakers, the car alarm that goes off in the far distance, and the sounds of laughter and shared secrets that surround you.

You sit down in class and try to make sense of the professor’s moving lips and body language but are glad to see that an interpreter, the bridge between you and the hearing world, has arrived. For the majority of deaf students at Santa Monica College, this is a daily reality.

Included among the vast diversity of cultures that make up our campus is that of the deaf community. Just as in other cultures, those who are deaf share their own language, American Sign Language (ASL).

Additionally, they have customs and beliefs unique to themselves that encompass their sense of unity. The culture is not limited to those with the audiological condition, but extends to family members and other significant people in their lives.

Approximately 25 to 28 students at SMC identify as deaf or hard of hearing and another hundred students classify themselves as other hearing impaired, according to Jo An Joseph-Peters. JosephPeters is the supervisor of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at SMC and

explains that the community can utilize the services provided by the Disabilities Center.

The center provides services ranging from captioning to interpreting, and assists those in need with a selection of learning devices. “[These services] are important because deaf and hard of hearing students usually come from a culture where they are accustomed to having their needs met as a second thought,” Joseph-Peters adds.

“One of the great things about this college is that no student’s needs here are second thoughts.”

In an interview conducted with the help of Joseph-Peter’s interpreting, Hugo Roque shared his experience of being a deaf student at SMC. Roque was born deaf and is a first-year student majoring in Technical Design. He started using hearing aids at an early age and recently switched to a cranial cochlear implant. The implant has further increased his hearing ability to a level where continued training sessions may eventually allow him to speak.

However, for the time being Roque will continue to use sign language as his primary form of communication. He can hear muffled speech and more distinct sounds such as the ringing of a bell. No matter the state of his communication, he maintains that his goal is to get a good education. “I’m not really successful in English, but I’m going to try and I’m going

to keep building it up.”

Mike Kayembe, another deaf student on campus also seeks to improve his English proficiency as well as explore his interest in film and photography. He interacts comfortably with both deaf and hearing students and is fond of the services offered at SMC. “I think the interpreters are amazing and optimistic,” Kayembe said. “There’s nothing I can think of to improve.”

Among the 100 hard of hearing students who do not utilize the Disabilities Center’s services is second-year student Amit Oldak.

Oldak is a psychology major who wears a hearing aid but can communicate without sign language. Oldak suffers from sensorineural hearing loss, a type of hearing loss in which the tiny ear hairs that receive and send electrical signals to the brain are damaged.

Oldak was not aware of his hearing loss until he took a mandatory hearing test in elementary school. The test results revealed that he had about 60 percent hearing loss in both ears. The cause of his hearing loss is unknown but Oldak was not initially distressed upon hearing the diagnosis.

“It did not really bother me at the moment, but after I got hearing aids I started hearing things I couldn’t before.

Like electric windows on a car, which was pretty amazing,” Oldak admitted. “I had no

base line to establish what hearing sounded like, so I just assumed that everyone heard things the same way I did.”

When Oldak first started at SMC, he made sure that his hair concealed his hearing aid. He was afraid of discrimination and did not want other students to be aware of his hearing disability. However, as he grew older he decided to cut his hair. “A balding head and long hair don’t mix. I cut my hair which was a jump into not caring about others opinions.”

Language interpreters Crystal Lagunas and Kathy Solis agree that the disadvantages of being a deaf or hard of hearing student depends on their attitude more so than their physical disability. They explain that it is important to keep in mind that personalities vary from student to student. “Because some [hearing impaired] students are more social, they will find a way to be social no matter what, and they may even use us to ask students about personal matters,” Lagunas said.

Solis added that “some deaf people may feel that being deaf is to their advantage.

They like that they are in their own world, they are not distracted and they do not hear any negative chatter.” In fact, Solis has witnessed deaf students intentionally take off their hearing aids in order “to be able to focus and not have the distractions and the cacophony.”

Director Vacancies

Do you want to get involved and make a difference in your campus community? The A.S. Board of Directors is seeking three student leaders to fill the positions of:

1)Vice President 2)Director of Academic Support/ Shared Governance and

3)Director of Student Advocacy* Come to the A.S. Office for more information and you can find the application online at as.smc.edu!

* Pending Board Approval

MARCH ON THE CAPITAL WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THIS MONDAY → Most professors will excuse the absense and some even offer EXTRA CREDIT! → $10 deposit (which you will get back), and you get $25 EXTRA for food for the day. → Come to the A.S. Office to sign up!

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health + lifestyle 9

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

To the beat of his own drum Ronja Jansz H+L Editor

Imagine doing something you love for the very last time in your life. Years of preparation and devotion have brought you to this moment and suddenly you have no choice but to give up on a dream.

A moved crowd of familiar faces jumps up and applauds with tears in their eyes. The future stares you right in the face but you are determined to make the best of it.

Alex Wegman knows all too well what this experience feels like. Inspired by the music of Eric Clapton, he started playing the guitar on a daily basis, took countless piano lessons, and learned how to play the organ. A desire to one day transfer to the Music Conservatory Of Amsterdam stirred within him.

However, a sudden pain in his left upper arm challenged this dream.

Wegman was only 15-years-old and had been dealing with muscle aches and nausea when the pain became unbearable.

He was urged to go to the hospital and went through a rollercoaster of x-rays and other scans. A week later he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

“It was a surreal moment. I came into a world you’d never want to be in.”

Week after week his treatment started.

Over the course of 10 weeks he went through five chemotherapies and eventually an MRI. He had to wait two weeks for the result which had two possible outcomes. The doctors would either be able to save part of his left arm or have to amputate it completely.

“Waiting for the outcome was nerve wracking. My parents were informed first and the moment I saw their faces I already knew the result,” said Wegman. “I was forced to choose between my arm or my life.”

At first Wegman felt very angry and frustrated but decided that he didn’t want to feel that way for very long. Soon enough, he started to make small jokes and even tried going to the shower using only one one hand. Together with his family he planned a nice trip the weekend before his surgery and on the last day he was invited to play guitar at his local church. It was Alex’ way of saying goodbye to his arm.

“I knew that the next day my life was going to change dramatically, I had to let go of a future I had set in mind. The performance was very emotional, the church had dedicated the service to my disease and a lot of my family was present.

There was a lot of crying including myself of course.”

The operation was strenuous but when he woke up he could still feel the presence of his left arm, a phenomenon known as phantom limb. For a good moment he hoped that the amputation had not been

necessary after all but that changed when his mother entered the hospital room and removed the blanket. There was nothing but an empty spot and tears filled both their eyes.

“My family and friends supported me tremendously. Their cards, stuffed animals, and love meant a lot and helped me through it all.”

The next weeks he suffered from severe nerve pain but his recovery went briskly.

His first step to recovery was to try to walk again. Without the weight of one arm it is common to feel unbalanced but

the drums with one hand. I decided that I wanted to play just as well as him and started saving up for electronic drums because they allow you to reprogram the sounds on other parts of the kit. This way I can play the snare with my left foot.”

Once Wegman got the electronic drums, he started to practice every day and recorded videos that allowed him to keep track of his progress.

The positive reactions of his friends and family inspired him to get better, and his brother and mother signed him up for the “Kristalhelder Prijs,” a contest for

when he found out he had been accepted.

He founded a website under the artist name OneArmed and has received countless reactions and positive feedback since. The distributor and head of HXM drums discovered his videos on YouTube and asked him to represent their business at the 2013 Music China exhibition in Shanghai where he gave several demonstrations.

Wegman is now in his third year at the Music Academy and still loves studying there. He is always on the lookout for more opportunities to perform and produces

young musicians. He won the contest and performed at a local theater, received an award, and a great deal of attention from the media. Various newspapers, a radio station , and a TV show contacted Wegman for his story. He even played the opening ceremony of a festival in a small town nearby.

Wegman finished high school and auditioned for the E-musician program at the Music Academy in Haarlem in the Netherlands. Students in the E-musician program focus on both music recording as well as producing and Wegman was elated

both for himself as well as others. It’s been five years since he beat bone cancer and he continues to receive positive reactions and messages from people all over the world.

“There still are days where I wish that I could go back to having two arms but you have to keep going,” he said. “It is hard to look too far into the future since that is what I used to when I dreamt of becoming a guitarist, but it is really cool to be able to help and inspire others, just like Rick Allan did for me. My main message: never give up!”

Curtosy of onearmed.nl

Alex picked it up very quickly. Neither his personal trainer nor life could knock him down.

“The only times when I really felt frustrated and angry were the moments when I was by myself. It gave me the time to think about my future and the surreal consequences of my amputation. Aside from that my mental recovery went very well.”

Being a lefty, Alex had to learn how to write using his right hand. For four months he met with a therapist with whom he would practice regularly. Firstly by drawing circles using his hand, wrist, and elbow, and then slowly by starting with writing again.

Because of the operation and recovery he had also missed a year of school and needed to catch up. He went back to his high school and got a summer job at an IT store to start saving money for an electronic drum kit.

“My idol during that time was Rick Allan, a band member of Def Leppard that plays

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10 Sports

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

No Sympathy For Fans David Yapkowitz Managing Editor

Jhosef Hern Corsair

Locker Room Hazing James Powel Staff Writer mother that was published in the report, Martin wrote,”I let people talk about me, say anything to my face, and I just take it...

I mostly blame the soft schools I went to, which fostered within me a feeling that I’m a huge [expletive].”

According to the Olewus Bullying Prevention Program, these feeling are a sign of a submissive victim. A victim who, between the whistles, can knock the snot out of the man on the other side of the ball.

The rules of the sporting landscape have changed.

When a high school player is learning to love the game he plays, no matter the game, he cannot be afraid to be in his own locker room.

Quite simply, it is time to stop hazing of all kinds in sports.

“From this negative situation, hopefully, it will take us to a place where hazing is not acceptable,” Lindheim said

Where preparing to return to the workforce balances with

“I have two young kids.”

© 2014 National University 13818

If you don’t have to read the Wells Report, and want to keep your faith in humanity, take it from me, don’t read it.

The scandal that surrounded and sunk the Miami Dolphins 2013 season came to a shocking and disturbing peak recently when the highly anticipated report was released, essentially convicting Dolphins guard Richie Incognito and his morally flawed cohorts of behavior so despicable it would even be looked down upon in the trenches of a National Football League game.

The pattern of abuse outlined in the independent report commissioned by the NFL on the circumstances that led Dolphins left tackle Jonathan Martin to leave the team is vile, works directly against the concept of a team, and is incongruous to a winning culture.

The team went 3-4 in the 7 games played before Martin left the team. His offensive line unit, which included Incognito, allowed a league high 4.6 sacks per game.

The thorough and detailed report compiled by lead investigator Theodore V. Wells Jr. outlines a culture in the Dolphins locker room that, even by the gladiator standards of the NFL, is “unprecedented” and included, “racial slurs and other racially derogatory language...homophobic name-calling and improper physical touching...sexually explicit remarks about [Martin’s] sister and his mother.”

On the other hand, the three time Pacific Conference Champion Corsairs maintain a positive locker room culture.

Red shirt freshman wide receiver Alex Soto feels that it takes strong leadership in the locker room to win. “[Here at SMC] it is competitive; everything we do is to make each other better not to put each other down. It is the best football environment I’ve been in,” Soto said.

Corsair head coach Gifford Lindheim credits a new school approach for avoiding conflicts like those detailed in the Wells report from happening in his locker room.

“They way we run our organization, every player has value. Starter or not starter is treated with respect and adds value to our team,” Lindheim said.

There is a no hazing policy within the Corsair locker room and Lindheim believes that there is no value in hazing.

It may seem odd to think that a 312 pound linebacker could be abused, however the abuse seen in the Wells report comes from Martin’s internalized inferiority.

In a text message exchange with his

It was the night of November 19, 2004.

In the waning seconds of a National Basketball Association game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, Pistons forward Ben Wallace took exception to a hard foul from Pacers forward Ron Artest.

As players and coaches from both teams tried to diffuse the situation while the referees sorted things out, a fan named John Green, tossed a cup of beer onto Artest and what happened next could only be described as all hell breaking loose as Artest charged into the stands and mistakenly attacked another fan sitting beside Green.

In the months that followed the “Malice at the Palace”, NBA Commissioner David Stern came down hard on Artest as well as his teammates Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson, feverishly denouncing their actions that night and stressing the NBA’s commitment to fan safety.

While the NBA did ban Green from ever attending Pistons home games again, much fervor and vitriol from the league and fans alike were confusingly directed towards the players.

Never mind that fact that it was a fan who started the entire melee. Never mind that it was fans who rushed down onto the court and angrily confronted Pacers players.

Never mind that several fans poured drinks, threw food and garbage, spit on, and even tossed a folding chair at the Pacers as they attempted to leave the court.

Just recently, Oklahoma State University men’s basketball star Marcus Smart shoved Texas Tech University “super” fan Jeff Orr after Orr allegedly made offensive comments to Smart during the game.

Smart was suspended for three game by the National College Athletics Association,

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while nothing of note was levied against Orr. We may never really know what Orr said to Smart that night. While some witnesses, including Smart himself, claim that Orr used a racial slur, Orr himself denied the accusation, and was backed up by Texas Tech officials.

Fan heckling and jeering goes hand in hand with sports like peas in a pod. Often times, throughout this country’s history, it’s had very negative and racial overtones.

I recently watched the movie “24”, which chronicles the life of baseball hall of famer Jackie Robinson. While movies have a tendency to embellish things here and there, I finished watching that movie with even more respect for the late Robinson than I had before.

I would not have been able to restrain myself as Robinson so heroically did, in the face of such hate and disgusting garbage being hurled from not only the fans, but opposing players and coaches as well.

Just to be clear, I do not condone the actions of Smart, nor those of the Indiana Pacers years ago.

There is a line that should never be crossed and fans should expect to feel safe and secure while attending a game.

However, just as we hold athletes to a certain standard, the same standard needs to apply to fans as well. A fan has no more right than an athlete does to start confrontations with verbal abuse.

And just as we expect athletes to be reprimanded for crossing that boundary, fans need to be punished when they step over the line.

Incidentally, this isn’t the first time Orr has been at the center of attention at Texas Tech regarding interactions with players.

A few years back, Orr made the public spotlight for making obscene gestures towards then Texas A&M University’s Bryan Davis.

In the aftermath of the Smart/Orr incident, several former Oklahoma State players such as former NBA player Desmond Mason, and Utah Jazz guard John Lucas III, recalled hearing Orr spout off nonsense before when playing against Texas Tech, as well as hearing some of the most racially insensitive taunts down in Lubbock.

This is 2014, not 1947 when Robinson first took the mound. Short of excommunicating Texas from the United States, which is quite a brilliant idea considering all the crap that’s come out of there, the only way to curb ignorant fans is to punish them as we do the players.

Purchasing a high priced ticket does not give you the right to be obnoxious, disrespectful, racist, and say things you wouldn’t dare say to someone face to face in the street.

Fans should be expected to behave themselves in a professional manner at all times or else face the same consequences as Green, when the NBA banned him from Pistons games.

A little trash talk is okay, it’s part of sports and it can be exciting to engage a player from an opposing team. It’s not okay when it’s insensitive or has nothing to do with the sport at hand.

One should also question the mental state of a 50-year-old man like Orr who seemingly gets his kicks from shouting obscenities at 18 and 19-year-old kids.

In the end, it will be Smart who has the last laugh come the NBA draft in June when he laughs all the way to the bank, while Orr continues his sad existence, living in the wasteland know as Texas, getting thrills by verbal harassing children.

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volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

Arts + entertainment 11

Megan Mullally, More Than Just Karen Juan Lopez Staff Writer When a show kicks off with a big, belting rendition of Sondheim calibre, expect the unexpected. This was especially true during actress Megan Mullaly’s unique show at The Broad Stage.

Once the opening number was done, Mullally and musician/radio host Seth Rudetsky settled into a talk show-esque setting on Saturday night to dish about the star’s life, making the audience feel like a welcome guest at a casual get together.

Those attending the one night show learned about the Will & Grace scenestealer, such as her first TV role and how she was up for a lead role in the 1990 film “Dick Tracy,” directed by Warren Beatty.

She met with Beatty at his home and left proudly with her “womanhood intact.”

Mullally’s talent with the material is unquestionable, with each song being of record quality. Some would find it hard to believe this was her second performance of the night. Mullally and Rudetsky both performed in a way that expressed deep love and passion for these songs and Broadway in general.

Aside from the performances, Mullally took time to indulge the audience with, at times, knife-edged humor.

When she recounts how her parents kept a collection of Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand records, Mullally quips “apparently my parents were gay.”

The performances Mullally has under her belt include the brassy “Look What Happened to Mabel,” “Broadway Baby”, and a breathlessly fast-paced and funny “Could I Leave You,” the latter two from Sondheim’s musical Follies. Her solo highlight, another from Follies, is a chilling rendition of “I’m Losing My Mind,” a touching song about the character Sally Durant’s obsessive preoccupation with her

idealized lover.

The crowd’s early grumblings due to Mullally’s also famous spouse Nick Offerman bailing on his expected appearance, were sated due to the excellence of the show itself.

Offerman, who stars as Ron Swanson on the hit TV show “Parks and Recreation”, appeared via a pre-recorded video in what can only be called a meticulously welltimed Q&A session, with Rudetsky doing live questioning to Offerman’s recorded responses.

Mullally also included Stephanie Hunt from Friday Night Lights and Californication, to form a vocal duo titled “Nancy and Beth.”

They performed old soul rhythm & blues songs “Please Mister Jailer” and “One Mint Julep,” intertwining their voices in fluid fluctuations.

Though Mullally relegated discussion of her iconic character Karen from “Will & Grace” for last, she beamed over how much she loved doing her character as often as possible. She admitted that the entire main cast of the show were initially reluctant to join production, but when they did, the rest was history.

With her blend of fun and amusing stories about celebrities like Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell and broadway legends Elaine Stritch and Carol Channing, along with well performed Broadway and musical staples, Mullally provided a fun show about show business.

Mullally’s performance was part of a series, Broadway At The Broad, the next installment of which will be Mar. 29 starring Adam Pascale of the musical RENT. Aaron Leaureaux Corsair Megan Mullally, famous for her work on the television show “Will and Grace,” performs a Broadway number at the Santa Monica College Broad Stage on Saturday February 22,

Blend of Cultures at The Broad Eva Malin Lord Staff Writer

As the light slowly turned down and a warm, dim hue was focused on the stage, the noises from the excited audience in the crowded concert hall dimmed to an almost complete silence.

Shortly after, Carlos Núñez appeared on stage and played the first chord on his traditional bagpipe called a gaita.

He was then joined by his fellow band members who soon enough had the audience clapping along to the instrumental rhythm of the opening song “Reels” which increased in tempo.

Núñez, a multi-instrumentalist, and his band appeared at The Broad Stage on Friday night where they would fill the concert hall with a phenomenal intercultural mix of traditional music that took the audience around the world.

Núñez, who grew up in the Galician port of Vigo in Spain, is well known for being one of the world’s most famous players of the bagpipe known as the Galicia gaita. He is also known for his unique instrumental style which mixes traditional Celtic music with influences from Scottish, Brazilian, and Irish melodies.

During the first part of the concert, Núñez, supported by band members Stephanie Cadman on fiddle and step-dancing, Pancho Alvarez on guitar, and Xurxo

Núñez on drums, played a variety of slow and high tempo songs such as “Camino de Santiago” and “Amanecer.”

But what gave the show a special touch were the short historical introductions by Núñez which took the audience to various regions of the world.

As Nunez explained the histories behind the songs it was impossible not to dream away to the romantic countryside of Spain or to a local bar in Ireland alive in the evening.

Núñez’s unique style and the Celtic sounds had the audience enthralled but the evening’s real high point took place when a guest band, Cambalache, a ChicanoJarocho group from East Los Angeles, joined the show. They began playing an exhilarating number in a classic style from Veracruz, Mexico known as Son Jarocho.

The mixture that Cambalaches’ South American rhythms played on wooden guitars and the Núñez band’s Celtic touch evoked an almost spiritual happiness of intercultural collaboration.

“It was a real surprise, and a pleasure to watch,” said audience member Gabi Chazanas.

She explained that the collaboration with Cambalache turned out to be her favorite piece of the night.

Chazanas was not the only visitor who

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was impressed by both the show and how different traditional melodies can mingle.

Toni Caldos, who had never been to a Núñez show before, arrived at the concert expecting mostly traditional Celtic music “The variability completely blew my mind,” said Caldos. “It was absolutely phenomenal.”

By the end of the concert the audience was no longer in its seats.

Cadman put her fiddle to the side and walked down into the crowd, proceeding to form a human chain with audience members while the rest of the Núñez band played a song called “An Dro.” Soon a dancing snake of p e o p l e moving hand in hand made its away around the Broad stage.

E v e r y chord, every step taken, and every @t h e _ c o r s a i r •

song that was performed was invigorating.

After the last performance, Núñez and his band left the stage to a standing ovation and rousing applause.

But the audience were not the only ones who felt overwhelmed by the experience.

Band members also felt the magic.

“It was absolutely amazing,” said Cadman after the curtain closed. “The response was so filled with life.”

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+ Entertainment 12 Arts

volume 107 issue 1 • February 26, 2014 • santa monica college

Curtosy of Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil Brings Primal Energy to Santa Monica Coast Alci Rengifo Arts & Entertainment Editor

As a soft breeze enveloped the Santa There were wonderful, almost cinematic Monica Pier on Wednesday, crowds of moments. One of these involved a visitors made their way towards a vast set performance set to modern Indian pop. of tents by the beach. They belonged to the In this set piece, two Indian beach jocks visiting, world-renowned troupe, Circus du compete for the attention of a beautiful Soleil. woman dressed in 50s beach attire in The latest incarnation of what is without technicolor red. Their competing egos were a doubt the world’s most famous, gloriously expressed through aerial hoop acrobatics inventive circus, is titled Totem and deals that left audience members gasping. with the birth, evolution and diversity of Another memorable set piece in the same Earth itself. style involved intense flamenco music the Inside awaited a colorful, almost surreal atmosphere as a clown stood before the arrivals showing off a gigantic daisy. A man in a deceptively formal suit walked in between the aisles as a rubber iguana emerged from his torso, playfully attempting to lick those sitting by the walk ways.

This was but a hint of the fun, immersive experience that Cirque du Soleil offers for those lucky enough to attend a show.

When the house lights dimmed, the audience was transported immediately into a primal setting as a group of dancers moved to a tribal beat within a giant turtle shell. Actors emerged dressed as frogs and other amphibians, moving with a grace and realism that could make a viewer forget for a moment that these are humans in Curtosy of Cirque du Soleil costume.

What followed was a dazzling display show’s featured Clown playfully acting of bold creativity that mixed the best of as a bull to a red-clad romeo’s cape. The theater, athletics and dance. All these Spanish gentleman then hands a rose to elements were combined in a fever dream a Spanish lady and both walk off stage vision of various world cultures and towards a sunset so lush and red it felt sounds. Native American dancers would absolutely real. emerge from flames projected onstage This was such a rich show in content and perform an amazing array of hoop that the eyes had a hard time drinking in dancing resulting in elegant shapes. everything onstage. Consider one great for extended coverage visit us at thecorsaironline.com •

act where a scientist stands inside a giant flask as his assistants toss glowing orbs inside which spin around, changing colors multiple times. Meanwhile walking around the flask is an attractive assistant using a set of test tubes to play music in the style of an Andean flute. Near her an actor in an ape costume mocks another scientist while crouching on the floor.

The beauty of Totem is that it does absolute justice to its title. It is a series of

layers displaying the diversity of our species in all its forms through comedy, romance, action and heroism.

One hilarious moment involved a group of neanderthals who surround a modern man in a business suit and tie. The clash of our ancestors with the modern world begins as the neanderthals tear at his clothes until he’s left in his briefs, grabbing a flint-tipped @t h e _ c o r s a i r •

spear to try and escape from the mocking cavemen. These neanderthals would enthrall the audience with hilarious antics through out the show.

Performers in Polynesian wear would also ride tall unicycles and toss silver wear at each other in perfect precision, catching each bowl on their heads.

There was always great humor as well.

One character, an Italian casanova, would promise the audience “the best sun tan ever” and the Clown with the daisy appeared on a small boat onstage, attempting to fish but then delighting the audience with a great act involving a bunch of pans and a ping pong ball he managed to bounce in precise musical rhythm.

Totem is simply wonderful to watch as it unfolds. The stage is designed as a giant pool. The entire set inside the tent is designed to make the audience feel as if it is in an outdoor, natural space. Mosquitos, crickets and breezes could be heard with unique realism.

Images are projected which can transform it into a river, then lava flows emerge and it’s levels can rise to reveal performers popping out from below. A vast sea of stars enveloped the audience at one point, creating a mesmerizing effect.

Totem is special because like many of Cirque du Soleil’s best shows it focuses on a precise idea and brings it to life with a special sense of storytelling. The acrobatics and antics deal with who we are as cultures. Everything from the indigenous to the stereotyped European playboy is explored with much gusto.

Cirque du Soleil will be performing Totem at the Santa Monica Pier through March 4.

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