C
CAMPUS LIFE
INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE
Modest Mouse Releases New Album
Beer Brewing Showcases History
The band Modest Mouse returns after eight years with a new album and a powerful message behind it.
The Old Stone House hosts a program and beer tasting on how the expansion of the British Empire shaped beer brewing and preference.
See Page D-2
See Page D-3
SRU Goalball Club travels to compete in first collegiate tournament in Washington By Katie Ellis Campus Life Editor
Navigating down a volleyball-sized court while passing opponents, diving to block passes and shooting to score goals blindfolded with only the sound of a bell to guide players down the court is a scenario that’s all too familiar for the members of SRU’s Goalball Club. Ahead of their trip this weekend to Vancouver, Washington to compete in the first collegiate goalball tournament against the University of California, Berkeley and Portland State University, the club was recently recognized as an official organization on campus by the Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SGA). Goalball is a sport that was created for individuals that have visual impairments, including those that are legally blind, have limited eyesight or completely lack vision. Led by adapted physical activity faculty member Wendy Fagan, Slippery Rock’s Goalball Club has eight members that have varying degrees of vision and experience with the sport, as one member began playing at just 12 years-old, while others joined the team after coming to college. Fagan has been coaching goalball since 1990, and has taught at every level from youth to Paralympic teams. With the designation of the Goalball Club as an official organization, Fagan hopes that the awareness of this disability sport continues to grow and that other universities will follow suit and form their own goalball teams. “We’re getting recognition for a disability sport and understanding that it can be inclusive too,” Fagan said. “We have people with and without disabilities on the team and the goal of putting the Goalball Club on the university's map is so that we can educate more colleges so that we can grow and there will eventually be goalball clubs like there are hockey teams. We’re trying to take a disability sport and make it more mainstream.” The push to have athletics for students with disabilities become more accessible came after the publication of a “Dear Colleague” letter from the Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Education in 2013 which stated that individuals at the collegiate level need to have more opportunities to become involved on campus. With the efforts from the club to gain recognition and after the inception
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET The SRU Goalball Club practices blocking drills ahead of their trip to Vancouver, Washington for a collegiate tournament.
of the tournament, Slippery Rock is attempting to move closer to the goal of creating opportunities for students with disabilities outside the classroom. “We want to make sure that there are opportunities for every kid regardless of what their ability level is,” Fagan said. Another reason why there has been a movement to get more recognition for the club is because of the team’s most seasoned player, sophomore recreational therapy major and adapted physical activity minor and president of the Goalball Club, Calahan Young, 20, who has been coached by Fagan since joining the VIP Sports program when he was 12 years old. Young has since traveled nationally and
internationally with Fagan to compete and went on to win two youth national championships and is now a member of the U.S. national goalball team. Young recently tried out to be on the team for an international competition being held later this year. “I tried out for the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto,” Young said. “There will be Olympic and Paralympic athletes there and the cool thing is that it’s not just goalball, all of the quadriplegic athletes, everyone will be there.” SEE GOALBALL, PAGE D-3
Senior dance major to audition for 'Lion King' musical choreographer's company in New York City By Kelsey Phillips Rocket Contributor
A Slippery Rock University student is set to audition with a world-renowned choreographer after submitting an audition tape over the summer. Recently, the senior dance major, Curtis Hanner, was offered an audition with Garth Fagan, the choreographer responsible for “The Lion King” musical, based on the Walt Disney film of the same name, which was first adapted for the stage by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi. He will spend a week with Garth Fagan Dance, based in Rochester, New York, with all trip expenses paid for. Despite this major stepping stone in his career, it did not come without its challenges for Hanner. With the pressure from family members to play football, Hanner found ways to get dance lessons for free at his high school, Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts 6-12 School (CAPA). Hanner also contacted the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO) Academy and received additional training on a scholarship. In total, Hanner danced at least eight hours a day, six days a week before declaring a dance major at SRU. One day over the summer, Hanner decided to send his resume and dance videos out to several dance companies across the U.S. seeking advice on how to better prepare
for joining one of their companies. He received several positive responses from Dayton Dance Contemporary and Garth Fagan Dance. “I didn’t realize [until] after I sent the email that [Garth Fagan] was the man who choreographed Lion King the musical first,” Hanner said. The company sent Hanner an email asking about his progression and offered him an in-person audition and week-long stay with the company to see how his personality and skills fit in with the group. “Everyone who knows me knows that my dream is to one day be a part of the cast of 'Lion King,'” Hanner said. His own “Lion King”-inspired piece, “The Promise Land,” was performed at the Winter Dance Concert at the Butler County PHOTO COURTESY OF CANDICE KAMINSKI FROM CLIK STUDIOS Community College (BC3) Theater. The Senior dance major Curtis Hanner, 21 will audition for Garth Fagan', who directed "The Lion King" dance was to “He Lives in You (Reprise)” by Jason Raize and featured a fusion of West African celebration dances and his foundation as a dancer. as a professional dancer before attending contemporary movement. Hanner’s biggest inspiration for dance, graduate school. After he is established as “When I was able to emulate that powerful besides his father, is Desmond Richardson, an artist, Hanner wants to get his masters, show on stage with my name on it, I could co-founder of Complexions Contemporary and eventually his doctorate, in dance die a happy man,” Hanner said. Ballet. therapy so he can start giving back to the Throughout his years as a dancer, Hanner “In my opinion, [Richardson] is a man community. has developed a liking and talent for Hip who not only breaks barriers for African “I think Dr. Hanner has a nice ring to it,” Hop. He was inspired by watching Michael American male dancers, but any dancer who he said. Jackson and Usher on television, and has had to push past a stereotype or stigmatism He hopes to do at least two seasons with a since finessed his skills in Popping, Locking, based on who they identified themselves as,” company and audition for "The Lion King" Waving, Krumping, House and other styles Hanner said. musical if the cast has an opening. in the same field. Hanner also enjoys West Following his studies at SRU, Hanner “I want to live in New York and live out African dance styles, but names Hip Hop as wants to take a year off to focus on his career every dancer’s dream,” Hanner said.