A Walk on the Wild Side
vol. 100, no. 51
wednesday, april 18, 2012
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Features page 5
Abilenians support Autism Speaks
STEPPIN’
OUT
photos by mandy lambright chief photographer
SHADES Step-Squad performed at their show, titled “Shades Sircus,” Friday and Saturday night in Cullen Auditorium. Approximately 500 people attended the show, and ticket sale proceeds went toward the Alliance for Women and Children.
Student dance group shows off their skills in spring performance at the show in Cullen Auditorium Friday and Saturday. student reporter “For the SHADES Sircus, we wanted to give a feel for SHADES step squad incor- how outside of the box our porated some traditional step-squad really is,” said favorites from under the big SHADES head captain Brantop at their annual spring don Bolden, senior counselperformance last weekend. ing and psychology major The show was appropriately from St. Louis. “We wanted to show our diversity while titled: “SHADES Sircus.” Acrobats and giant jack- maintaining a circus theme in–the-box dancers were so we made sure our show among many performances had performances like ac-
“
Everybody can dance. Everybody has his or her own style.” Destiny Hagood Senior photojournalism major from compton, calif.
Sarah Fatheree
robats in full suits, guys on stilts who are controlling puppets and lion and lion tamer dancers.” Approximately 500 people attended the performance, with all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting Alliance for Women and Children, the organization that typically receives proceeds raised at SHADE’s performances.
Bolden said the stepsquad has done various projects with the organization but wanted to do more by giving them the proceeds to all performances. “We’ve partnered with Women’s for Alliance in the past – teaching children step performances, helping revitalize their playground, and also helping with a few other small projects. Through these different projects we have developed a good relationship with the organization,” he said. Bolden said SHADES shows are not performances by individuals, but rather performances from a unified group driven by a
common goal. “SHADES has a family feel to it. We have our trials and tribulations but at the same time, we stick together and fight for that common purpose in choosing to glorify God with our talents. That is one of the main reasons I have been a member for as long as I have,” said Bolden, who has been a member of SHADES for four years and has served as captain for two. As the group’s final show of the season, the performance also served as the last SHADES performance for the seniors in the group. “Everybody can dance. Everybody has his or her
own style. We have so many different races and personalities in SHADES that everybody shines in the performance. You get to see the individual as well as the group perform as one,” said SHADES women’s captain, Destiny Hagood, senior photojournalism major from Compton, Calif. “As of now, we’re wrapping it up and preparing for new captains to come in to place. This group has a lot of freshman so it will be a great mixture for next year.” contact fatheree at sfj09a@acu.edu
University
Student meets with registrar to revive dead day try and Cell Biology, and both of those are pretty arts editor rough classes,” Hill said. “I started making my finals Many students have dis- schedule a couple weeks played dismay at the re- ago and I found that I have moval of dead day from three finals on Monday.” On the first day of the this semester’s finals week and one student has ral- week, Hill will start with a lied others toward its rein- Speech final followed by cumulative finals in Organic statement. After realizing how Chemistry and Cell Biology. “I know I’m not going crammed his finals week would be, Alexander Hill, to be the only one because sophomore biology major I have a bunch of friends from Abilene, decided to who are going to be in a spearhead the creation of similar boat,” Hill said. “I petition to bring Dead Day did the petition to show that there are students who back. “Right now I am taking have particularly strong Honors Organic Chemis- views regarding this day.”
david singer
Hill has received a large amount of support from the student body. “Most students really value their study time and overall, students have been really responsive about keeping their study time or even just time to relax before finals. You really can’t take a final on four or five hours of sleep and expect to do well.” Eric Soulek, sophomore computer science major from San Antonio, understands how no dead day will effect him this semester. “I know it is only one day,” Soulek said, “but it is a little more stress added on
to my schedule. Dead day was a day where I could kind of unwind. It allowed me to sort out everything I had to study and be more prepared. I think it is something that students want back that will help us succeed.” Some students who do not want to see Dead Day return have also been vocal. One physics student protested Hill while he petitioned in the Campus Center. “I completely respect the differences of opinion,” Hill said, “and I know not everyone did use dead day. But I think it is a nice concession for the people who
did use it.” After meeting with Bart Herridge, the registrar, Hill turned in the petition with over 500 signatures from students and a small group of faculty members. He can’t say for sure that a change will be made but he is confident that the administration will hear the students’ voice. “The administration is going to do what they’re going to do,” Hill said, “but I got the sense that they are willing to listen to students and they are willing to take our views into account.” One solution that Hill offered was to drop Fri-
day classes during the last week of the semester to allow both a three day weekend for studying and five days for finals. Students will have an opportunity to voice their opinions and suggestions in a survey that will be sent out during finals week. After working and petitioning to bring back dead day, Hill can offers a piece of advice: “Answer that survey because that is how we are going to make our voices heard.” contact singer at dis08b@acu.edu
inside sports
opinion
photos
news
Baseball team fight through windy weather at Lone Star Conference
Familiarity of religion disguises qualities others may see as far-fetched
Go online to see more photos of the SHADES show “Shades Sircus”
Zeta Rho partners with Red Thread Movement for fundraising gala
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Abilene Christian University
acuoptimist.com
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