Vox Magazine

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WHISKEYPEDIA Impress your friends with newfound boozy knowledge PAGE 4 AN UPPERCUT ABOVE THE REST When it comes to battling Parkinson’s symptoms, this program is a hit PAGE 14

“Hi, there’s a snake in my living room. Can you send someone over?”

Meet the team tasked with keeping you safe from animals and keeping animals safe from you.

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IN THIS ISSUE

ONLINE

December 8, 2016 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 40 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN

FEATURE Columbia’s Animal Control Department has seen it all. Whether you need help getting rid of a raccoon or finding your lost pet, get to know who’s on the other side of your call. PAGE 7 SCENE Wondering if you should be spending your evenings with Johnnie Walker or Jack Daniels?

See what makes a whiskey stand out or fall flat in comparison to its competitors. PAGE 4 Shopping season is upon us, and there are plenty of environmentally friendly, ethically made gifts to share. PAGE 5 MUSIC Multi-instrumentalist Molly Healey, who accompanies several Missouri bands, is now making her own music and a name for herself as a solo artist. PAGE 6 NEWS & INSIGHT People with Parkinson’s disease are exercising to delay symptoms at Rock Steady Boxing. Learn why these fighters aren’t down for the count.

PAGE 14 ARTS & BOOKS For some, there is no better gift than reading, but for others, literature is equivalent to getting coal.

We have gift ideas to kindle a passion for books in just about anyone. PAGE 15

THE HAUTEST CHOCOLATE These three gourmet recipes will spice up your hot chocolate game. And, if you’re feeling more naughty than nice, we have suggested alcohol pairings to get you in the holiday spirit.

TECH THE HALLS Who says holiday decorating should be a burden?

Say goodbye to roof climbing and hello to laser lights. Or, if you’re a music lover, you can use your smart-phone to sync your lights to a song of your choosing. Technology might just bring joy to the world of decorating this season.

SEARCH NO FURTHER If you’re wondering whether you should start bingeing Search Party, a dark comedy about 20-somethings absorbed in a murder mystery, read this review of the latest episode.

EDITOR’S LETTER

No role is complete without a costume. See how costume designer Julie Douglass brings characters to life in Sweet Charity. PAGE 16 Q&A Peter Suarez’s performance career has been a ball. Now, he brings his moves to Columbia to teach Stephens College dancers the expressive art of flamenco. PAGE 17 CORRECTIONS: In the Dec. 1 issue, a photo of Catherine Russell should have said it was taken

by Marv Goldscmitt. Janese Silvey’s name was also misspelled in the issue.

COVER DESIGN: BEN KOTHE COVER PHOTO: LIV PAGGIARINO

CHRISTINE JACKSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714

We’re social.

Vox Magazine @VoxMag @VoxMagazine Vox Mag

Fair warning, this story has a tragic ending.

My family has lived in the same house my whole life, and the neighborhood is close to a stretch of woods. Naturally, this means animals get pretty close. There are always deer, chipmunks, squirrels, hawks and rabbits around. Occasionally, we get foxes or a couple of coyotes. Once, I saw a mountain lion eating a deer in my friend’s backyard. Who said the suburbs were tame?

But one summer the problem wasn’t something big and scary. It was raccoons. My neighbors had one of these wily little trash pandas that would not leave their house alone. It made its way into the house through the attic and even ended up in a bedroom closet. They tried sealing off its entrances and keeping it away with scents, but nothing worked. Finally, they got a trap for it.

They caught the raccoon, but instead of giving it to Animal Control or releasing it far from the house, the poor thing met its end underwater in a Rubbermate trash can. People actually do that because you can’t shoot a gun in the area. It was inhumane and unnecessary, and I was mad about it for months. I still kind of am.

As our cover reads, Columbia’s Animal Control exists to protect people from animals. But it also exists to protect animals from people.

In this week’s feature (Page 7), writer Jack Flemming goes inside our city’s Animal Control Department to meet the dedicated crew helping Columbia solve its animal problems.

The team handles hairy situations in a way that’s best for both people and animals, so let them take care of your next wild encounter.

It’ll be better for everyone involved.

VOX STAFF Editor: Christine Jackson Deputy Editor: Dan Roe Managing Editor: Madison Fleck Creative Director: Ben Kothe Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Madalyne Bird, Elizabeth Sawey Photo Editor: Mary Hilleren Online Editor: Lea Konczal Multimedia Editor: Mitchel Summers News & Insight Editors: John Bat, Katelyn Lunders The Scene Editors: Kelsie Schrader, Jessica Sherwin, Brooke Vaughan Music Editors: Marlee Ellison, Meredith McGrath Arts & Books Editors: Katie Akin, Luria Freeman Contributing Writers: Bobby Ceresia, Corin Cesaric, Mitchell Forde, Max Havey, Kelsey Hurwitz, Lis Joyce, Rick Morgan, Rachel Phillips, Karlee Renkoski, Stephanie Sandoval, Alex Schiffer, Tyler Schneider, Guimel Sibingo, Mike Tish, Carolina Vargas, Catherine Wendlandt, Taylor Ysteboe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain

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PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF LIV PAGGIARINO AND K.PRARIN LEKUTHAI/ FLICKR

RADAR

Vox’s take on the talk of the week

Written by: Katie Akin, John Bat, Luria Freeman, Kelsie Schrader and Brooke Vaughan

Can’t keep my mumps to myself Mumps are in the air, literally. As of Dec. 1, there were 128 probable cases centered around the MU campus, with more expected (MU’s Student Health Center will post updates on its website). Although vaccination is the best protection, it doesn’t protect against all cases, so here are more ways to stay healthy: • Make sure coughs and sneezes don’t go projectile. That’s just gross.

• Sharing utensils and food and kissing (or any sort of saliva swapping) are off limits.

If you’re a fan of potlucks or messy smooches, we’re sorry.

• If you wake up and don’t feel too hot — read: swelling on the face and the jawline, fever or headache — don’t diagnose yourself with a strange tropical illness on webMD. Seek a medical opinion.

THE POWER OF PROTEST On Sunday, the Army Corps of Engineers denied an easement for the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline. It’s a victory for activists, but the fight isn’t over. Once Trump is sworn in, his administration might try to overturn the decision, or the Army might grant the easement if they can’t find another pipeline route. Energy Transfer Partners might even decide to risk legal repercussions and build in spite of the decision.

Here’s how to keep up: Follow #noDAPL, #StandingRock or #DakotaAccess or the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on social media.

THAT’S SNOW WEIRD Some parts of Hawaii have received up to three feet of snow in the past few days, which has resulted in winter storm warnings issued for the peaks. Meanwhile, Columbia got its first dusting Sunday. What’s next? The Weather Channel says colder than average temperatures are a possibility, so bundle up, folks. We can think of a few people who might be excited about freezing temperatures.

Introverts: “Sorry, I can’t come out, it’s too cold!”

Those who can’t be bothered to care about their hair: Hello, hats!

Anyone at Winterfell sick of hearing “winter is coming” Ubiquitous roadside firewood salespeople Dads everywhere, gearing up to complain about whoever keeps changing the damn thermostat

BROWNIE POINTS Today is National Brownie Day. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate, here are suggestions for some local bakery favorites: Phyllo Brownie, Addison’s: $7 Brownie A La Mode, Insomnia Cookies: $5.50 James Brownie Funky Jackhammer, Andy’s Frozen Custard, medium: $6.44

Sign up for Google Alerts to follow the news in real-time. Try searching Dakota Access Pipeline.

Now offering classes that meet only one night per week.

Next classes start Jan. 2nd

Learn more at Evening.CCIS.edu or call (573) 875-7610 PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIXABAY, EMOJI ISLAND, DAVID GOLDMAN VIA AP

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THE SCENE

How classy is your favorite whiskey?

A spirited study from simple to swanky

BY JOHN HENIFF

Your drink of choice says a lot about you. For some of the most distinguished men and women in history, such as Frank Sinatra and Hillary Clinton, whiskey has proven a solid pick.

Water-infused, oak-charred and slow-aged, whiskey is a grain-based hard liquor that has been distilled worldwide for hundreds of years. It is made with a corn, barley, rye or wheat grain base. After fermenting and distilling with water, it is aged in wooden barrels. The inside of the barrel, charred to give the whiskey natural flavoring, ages the whiskey for a number of years to mature taste.

Van Hawxby, master distiller of DogMaster Distillery in Columbia, says he believes that more people nowadays appreciate the characters and flavors different whiskies offer. “People are getting educated on whiskey, and they can appreciate the nuances of one whiskey to another,” he says.

What’s the difference between whiskey and similar drinks, such as scotch or bourbon? Let’s break it down: All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Bourbon is exclusively made in the U.S., has no added flavor modifiers other than water and must be made up of at least 51 percent corn to be called a bourbon. Scotch is “whisky” and is made mostly with malted barley.

Scotch is also made exclusively in Scotland and is labeled without an “e,” though some American companies such as Maker’s Mark label the product as “whisky” on bottles to show off the company’s Scotch-Irish heritage. Got it?

Vox created a whiskey spectrum based on the flavor profiles, scarcity, price and celebrity stamp of approval. The findings ranked different varieties of whiskey, bourbon and scotch in a hierarchy that ranges from “classy” to “gets the job done” so you can find the right whiskey for you.

classy the macallan This scotch should be illegal to drink without wearing a tuxedo. James Bond toasted with 50-year-old Macallan in Skyfall for 50 years of saving the day. If it’s good enough for a world-renowned secret agent, we’d say it’s the measuring stick for classiness.

Highland Single 12 Years Old: $71.99

johnnie walker blue label It is the highest end of Johnnie Walker labels. Hand-selected and award-winning, its complex flavor is balanced and smooth through the last sip. It’s a privilege to drink something this high-brow.

Blue Label: $259.99

the glenlivet What’s classier than staying true to your roots and being proud of it? With a smooth recipe and distinguished label barely tampered with since 1824, everything about the Glenlivet exudes classiness. Charles Dickens and Michael Jordan are noted fans.

15 Year Old French Oak Reserve: $69.99

lagavulin This single-malt scotch is the preferred drink of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. Like the character, this drink is no nonsense — just as smooth as a sanded mahogany armchair.

16 Year Old: $103.99

crown royal Originally distilled as a gift for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England for a 1939 trip to the Great White North, its regal purple and gold packaging looks almost as fancy as you will with a neat glass of it in hand.

Reserve: $44.99

jack daniel ’s

Jack is as American as … well, Jack and Coke. “Ol’ Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of “Old No. 7.”

Charcoal-filtered with an oaky flavor, it’s a tried and true classic for almost any occasion.

Old No. 7: $44.99

wild turkey Made with water from the Kentucky River, this straight bourbon is rugged but not exactly classy. On the other hand, if Matthew McConaughey thinks it’s worth trying, we’re not going to argue.

101: $19.99

canadian club A favorite of Al Capone and Don Draper, it was a popular pick in speakeasies during Prohibition. Smooth, mellow and light, it has class and the backbone to hang with gangsters and 1960s ad executives.

Premium Extra Aged Whisky: $23.99 jameson Lady Gaga credits the Irish drink with helping her write some of her biggest hits. Although it has a smooth finish with hints of vanilla, let’s face it: Those with a sophisticated palate can do better.

Irish Whiskey: $19.99 fireball Fireball is every college kid’s best friend or worst enemy. Its tagline: “Tastes like heaven, burns like hell.” It’s as smooth as cough syrup and tastes like cinnamon-sugar sludge. Fireball might be a good time, but it’s a far cry from an elegant drink.

Cinnamon Whisky: $13.99

gets the job done Prices based on 750 ml bottle at Hy-Vee on Nifong Boulevard 4

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PHOTO BY KATELYN METZGER

THE SCENE

Fair trade and handmade A guide to ethical giving this holiday season

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BY BROOKE KOTTMANN goods, Wheeler says “it’s good to see what the tanning method is.” Make sure it is tanned in a solution such as vegetable oil instead of a synthetic chemical, which can be harmful to those making the product.

uring the holidays, it’s easy to get swept up in the materialistic ways of gift shopping. When siblings’ wish lists seem to double by the day and obligatory Secret Santa exchanges pop up at work, we might forget how consumerism can prove environmentally unfriendly and exploit people abroad who make many of our goods. According to a 2012 study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing wages in Mexico are about one-sixth of those in the U.S. Diminishing environmental resources, poor working conditions and low pay exist, even if we can’t see them.

The holidays can be helpful, though. Columbia has several fair trade, ethically made and environmentally friendly stores such as Route, Poppy, Bluestem Missouri Crafts and Peace Nook that promote a healthy Earth, fair pay and safe working conditions.

Workers at these stores offer tips to help you be socially conscious this holiday season.

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Feel the quality. Tucker says a handmade item often might be a little more expensive, but it “just feels better, and it’s going to last 10 times as long as something that was mass-produced.”

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Download the Good Guide mobile app. Before you go shopping, familiarize yourself with the app. It lists any chemicals dangerous to humans or the earth that were used to make products such as food and makeup. The app then offers healthier alternatives to the gift you were going to buy.

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Make it yourself. We know not everyone is an artist; that’s what Pinterest is for.

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Donate to a nonprofit. Mark Haim, director of Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, which operates Peace Nook, says instead of flooding loved ones with gifts, flood their favorite organizations with charity.

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Shop locally and regionally to support area businesses.

Local, handmade products are more likely made in good working conditions for a price the maker agrees with, and the profits don’t pad the pockets of a corporate CEO.

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Ask questions, and read the placards. Sales associates at local shops such as Poppy will usually know the history of the item or have printed information about products, including who made the piece and what materials were used.

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Support vulnerable populations.

Fair trade-certified vendors fairly compensate individuals for their time and ensure good working conditions so the maker can live comfortably off your spending.

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Find multifunctional gifts. Instead of depleting resources by purchasing multiple gifts, “buy a tote that can be used through the wintertime and the summertime,” says Route executive

director Richmond Wheeler, or purchase candles in copper canisters that can be jewelry holders once the wax melts.

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Buy upcycled items that repurpose products. Liz Tucker, owner of Poppy, recommends items such as mittens made from a sweater.

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Know the preparation for leathers.

If you are going to purchase leathered

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Give your time. “We encourage people to appreciate frugality and the notion that giving of yourself is much appreciated,” Haim says. Offer to babysit or clean up around the house.

Bonus tip: Buy recycled products to wrap gifts. Co-owner of Bluestem Sandy Litecky says her store recycles packing peanuts, bubble wrap and boxes and offers free gift wrapping.

Need more ideas for environmentally and economically friendly gifts? Try shopping at: YELLOW DOG BOOKSHOP for used books

PLUME for a variety of handmade vintage decorations and baby clothes

ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYNE BIRD

MAKES SCENTS for homemade candles or moisturizers

SLACKERS for lightly used CDs or video games

SASSAFRAS MOON WORLD GIFTS for handmade and fair trade gifts

LILY DAWSON DESIGNS for handmade jewelry

THE WARDROBE or other thrift stores for recycled clothes and more

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FARMERS MARKETS for fresh and locally grown food

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MUSIC

Strength to soar

expressing,” she says. “It all came out so easily.” Reeves says recording with Healey was a smooth process.

“She came in really well prepared,” he says. “She has to really understand her songs and their structure really well because it’s just her.” Her bluegrass roots glimmer through on Nightbirds, but Healey unleashes an earthy and mystical vibe throughout the nine tracks.

Healey now balances accompanying bands and writing her own music. After finding the release of her first album so rewarding, she plans to record again in the spring. Healey will perform solo at Rose Music Hall on Jan. 13, and in April, she’ll perform with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet.

After recording her first album, Molly Healey’s passion for songwriting climbs to new heights BY TAYLOR YSTEBOE Multi-instrumentalist Molly Healey is branching out and embracing a solo career after discovering her niche in songwriting.

Healey grew up in Jefferson City surrounded by music. She initially dabbled in piano as a child, took up violin and eventually moved to vocals in college at Missouri State University.

When Healey became involved in the Springfield music scene after graduating college in 1995, she fell back into rhythm, playing the guitar and hand drums. “And then I thought, you know what — I have this knowledge of this instrument, and even though I might be rusty, maybe I should try to pick up the violin again,” she says. “I was really rusty there for a while, but that started everything.”

The Missouri native has accompanied bands, including Big Smith and The Ozark Mountain Daredevils. She enjoyed the camaraderie of accompanying these bluegrass bands, so she never wanted

to step out as a solo artist. When Big Smith disbanded in 2012, Healey broadened her range outside the bluegrass genre. The pivotal point, though, was in 2015, when she bought a looping pedal, a device that allows a musician to record themselves and layer loop after loop, which creates a gorgeous and haunting effect.

Healey departed from a method of songwriting that involved picking up a guitar and playing chords to develop songs. “I like to put lots of lines on top of each other,” she says of recording violin, cello and vocals.

“That’s just how I started to find my songwriting style.”

In the first month of owning a looping pedal, Healey wrote four songs. A process once arduous to her, songwriting became easy, and Healey grew more passionate about a solo career and her music.

Last year, Healey recorded her first full-length album, Nightbirds, in two sessions at Wil Reeves’ Centro Cellar studio in Columbia.

“It was exactly what I wanted to be

D E C E M B E R :

MORE ON MOLLY Favorite place to play: Old schools or churches Favorite person to play with: Kyle Day, her bass player and boyfriend Favorite song to play live: “The Crow”from Nightbirds Favorite family musical moment: Playing at her brother’s wedding with her late father

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Healey’s parents introduced her to music at a young age — her father was a choir director, music teacher and a member of the symphony, and her mother was a singer.

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“Surprisingly emotional... hysterically funny... and genuinely surprising” - Gothamist

by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood

Adults Students Seniors

12 $ 10 $ 10 $

1800 Nelwood Drive; Columbia, MO | 573.474.3699 | www.cectheatre.org “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. 6

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT LOVELAND

Who ya gonna call?

Columbia’s Animal Control Department deals with just about everything — stray dogs, indoor bats and the occasional alligator — so you don’t have to

BY JACK FLEMMING PHOTOS BY LIV PAGGIARINO

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HE PHONE CHIRPS, AND BRANDON ANDERSON SNAGS IT AFTER THE FIRST RING. LOOSE DOG ON WEST BOULEVARD. MEDIUM-SIZED AUSSIE MIX. BROWN FUR WITH TAN SPOTS.

“He doesn’t have a collar. He’s been running through the woods behind my house for a few days now,” says the voice on the other end of the line.

Within the minute, Anderson is in his truck, which is equipped with a trap, catch pole and a few dog treats.

Anderson, 33, is 6 feet 1 inch tall and solidly built, with muscular arms sculpted during his days as a rodeo cowboy.

After eight years as a Columbia Animal Control Officer, calls such as these tend to be fairly cut-and-dry. By this point, he has developed his own dog-catching cheat sheet.

For example, today he dons a pair of blue Dickies that haven’t been washed in a week. Dogs feel much more comfortable around him, he says, when his pants smell exactly like they do. The only downside is that when he gets home after a long day of work, he’s greeted by a dog that knows he’s been cheated on.

When he pulls up to West Boulevard, Anderson immediately lays a pressure-sensitive trap loaded with food. As expected, when he returns in a few hours, the pup is lounging safely inside.

For Anderson, adversarial relationships with animals only complicate things, so he opens up the cage and gives him a treat. On the ride to the animal shelter, he puts the cage away and lets him ride in the back, turning the hostage into a friend.

The dog takes to Anderson quickly, and when Anderson opens the trunk to bring him in for cataloging, the dog lets himself be carried all the way inside, paws wrapped around Anderson’s forearm like ivy on a fence.

He has made a new friend.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I asked the Animal Control Department if I could follow them around for a few weeks.

TAILS OF LORE My assumptions had been informed exclusively Columbia’s wildlife isn’t limited to overly by the slow-witted pair bold university squirrels. This city has of Animal Control guys seen pythons, a runaway Wilbur and 50 in the TV show Parks cows loose on Interstate 70. and Recreation and by the antagonists P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way of animated movies about runaway A few years ago, Animal Control dogs. I figured received a call about a runaway the implication of wallaby hopping through the the phrase “You streets. Unfortunately, by the couldn’t get elected time they got to the scene, its dogcatcher” spoke great escape fatally ended after for itself. it leapt in front of a car.

The Animal Control Department is located in the very back corner of the city Health Department on West Worley Street in a narrow corridor fashioned into an office. The team consists of three men and four women, with ages ranging “How cold is too cold?” and displays a color-coordinated from 26 to 58 and more than a century of animal graph depicting livable temperatures for outdoor pets control experience among them. Molly Aust is the based on weight. A Folgers can affectionately named department supervisor, and her team roster is Anderson, “The Batmobile” sits on the shelf and waits to transport Barbara Ball, Deborah Christoff, Jean Easley, Kevin bats from houses to get tested for rabies.

Meyers and Erik Bohle.

In the office, the team converses vibrantly, reflecting According to the city website, the team “supports on old fieldwork like nostalgic friends at a high school responsible pet ownership while helping keep animals reunion. It doesn’t take more than a few hours before I and the public safe.” This includes enforcing city start connecting names with animals. Olivia is the ordinances, promoting education on rabies and animal pot-bellied pig that residents always mistake as welfare, investigating animal cruelty complaints and pregnant. Laura is the horse on East Log Providence searching for sick or abused pets, among other things.

Road. Mr. Wrinkles is a large-but-lovable pit bull The department is available 24/7 and is never more and the cause of several concerned phone calls from than a phone call away. In emergency situations, they’re technically allowed to call in police support, but the vast Columbia citizens.

The ongoing cases read like the plot of a soap majority of the time they are the sole responders to any opera. “I don’t think Jasper bit that girl,” Christoff crises related to animals. says, inciting a character study into the ethics of Jasper “Snip, Snip, Hooray!” reads a sign on the door, the dog based on past run-ins. Keeping in mind my reminding visitors that they can have their dogs journalistic obligation to the public, I interrupt to neutered for $50. Adjacent sits a chart that reads: pepper in questions that sound more like the inquiries of a fourth-grader.

“Are chupacabras real?”

“When there’s a dead deer on the side of the highway, who cleans that up?”

“Why do dogs run away?”

The answers, respectively: “No, that’s just a coyote with mange.”

“Usually either us or the local Conservation Department.”

“Male dogs are always horny, and females go into heat twice a year. During those windows, every dog wants to find its lover, and they’ll cross roads and highways to get there.”

Columbia’s Animal Control center helps residents locate their lost pets. The team is prepared to find the GPS location of animals implanted with microchips, and they will also microchip your pet if it doesn’t have one.

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Animal Control regularly picks up stray dogs and holds them in pens until they can be transferred to the Central Missouri Humane Society.

Ball and I are in a backyard on McBaine Avenue where there has been a barking complaint about a pit bull breeder.

WALLABY PHOTO AND GRAPHICS COURTESY OF THINKSTOCK

It’s October, and the falling leaves indicate a transitional phase for the Animal Control Department.

During the heat of the summer, it’ll respond to an average of 10 to 12 calls per day, but as winter’s cold forces owners and their pets to stay inside, the calls slow down to one to two per day. October sits somewhere in between.

The breeder, a man about 6 feet 4 inches tall sporting Jordans and sweatpants, gives us the tour.

Ball immediately starts asking questions to suss out the situation. Her curly white hair and welcoming demeanor contrast the fact that when she’s on call, it’s strictly business.

Two cages about 8 feet high and the size of a small room line the back fence. Each holds two of the breeder’s five dogs: Retro, Fendi, Carrie and China.

The fifth dog, Raja, can jump fences, so she is chained to a stake.

Before long, the cause of the complaint is obvious: Raja’s cageless lifestyle has made her the envy of the quartet, and the group vehemently barks as the dog cuddles up next to Ball. Surveying the scene, she concludes their situations are healthy, since each has scattered toys, some hay, heaping bowls of food and water and a doghouse for shade.

BALL PYTHON PHOTO BY LIV PAGGIARINO AND GRAPHIC BY BEN KOTHE

She asks if they all have their rabies shots. The answer is no, but instead of giving him a ticket, Ball firmly reminds the breeder he needs to get that done as soon as possible.

“I could write barking tickets for all of them, but that just creates ill-will,” Ball says. “The dogs are all in good condition.

He’s obviously taking care of them, so I’d rather have them spend the money on shots than paying a bunch of fines. In this job, it never hurts to be nice.”

For the officers, compassion is everything.

“When you lose your compassion, you can’t do this job anymore,” says Aust, 55, who’s been on the

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Animal Control officer Brandon Anderson always carries a lasso in his trunk and has used it to wrangle dogs, sheep, goats and horses.

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An honest hiss-take

Three years ago, Animal Control officers responded to a call about a snake that was terrorizing a home. When officers arrived, they found a rubber toy.

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Columbia’s animal control employees respond to calls seven days per week. They investigate animal complaints, handle animal cruelty accusations, round up stray pets, enforce animal licensing for the city, pick up roadkill and keeping wild animal sighting situations under control. Anderson leaves notes at residences when pet owners don’t answer their door.

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Laura, the horse on East Log Providence Road, met a similarly tragic fate. When she contracted subcutaneous emphysema, a condition that traps gas under the skin, Christoff says Laura’s coat felt like bubble wrap, and she had open wounds covering her body.

Her bones were grinding into her hooves, and she was in such great pain that the veterinarians were forced to put her down.

The job often finds animals in critical condition, and though the officers have dedicated their careers to keeping both people and animals out of harm’s way, they’re aware of the emotional burden required to do their job effectively.

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force for three decades. She carries herself calmly and professionally in the office, but she admits there are nights when she goes home and cries.

“I’d prefer to leave the stresses of this job at the door when I walk out, but you don’t get that luxury here,” Aust says.

Not only do the team members protect people from animals, they also protect animals from people, and the burden of both can take an emotional toll. In the biting cold of winter, when the wind chill is -20 degrees and it’s snowing, all she can think about is the dog who isn’t allowed inside the owner’s house, shivering outside, trying not to freeze to death.

Christoff has an especially compassionate side when it comes to animals. She still cries when she thinks of Fargo, a horse from a pasture on Creasy Springs Road whose owner thought he was a lone cowboy and didn’t need a vet to care for him. When she visited to check on Fargo one time, she found him 500 pounds underweight, with every bone in his body showing through his thin skin. She immediately impounded Fargo and rushed him to the vet. He was so weak that they put him into a sling hung from the ceiling because if he laid down, he’d die. From there, his condition deteriorated, and he was eventually euthanized.

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Cow tipping

When a tractor trailer tipped over on I-70, its cargo of 50 cows tumbled out. The animal control team, along with a rodeo club, spent the next few days wrangling and penning surviving cows all across Columbia. Talk about spilled milk.

COW PHOTO AND GRAPHICS COURTESY OF THINKSTOCK

The city allows only four adult pets (anything over six months old) per household, but many take advantage of the system by claiming the pets are younger.

“Technically, you can have 101 Dalmatians if they’re under six months old,” recounts Ball with a look in her eye that suggests that example isn’t so far-fetched.

They tell stories that sound more like the opening lines of jokes. A family living in a 28-foot trailer with 14 cats. A woman and 30 cats residing in a motel room. A dozen kittens inhabiting a washing machine.

Every single officer nods in agreement when Easley notes how important it is to check people’s freezers. Hoarders will often keep the bodies of dead pets.

“You never know what’s you’re going to find on any given day,” says Ball. “It’s never boring.”

“You couldn’t get elected dogcatcher.”

Ball is quick to retort when I bring up the famous saying. “If the only thing I did was catch dogs, my job would be easy,” she says.

One could probably start a zoo with the plethora of animals the team has caught over the years. The list includes, but is by no means limited to, raccoons, pythons, lemurs, ferrets, cows, sheep, elk, coati (a diurnal mammal native to Central and South America), llamas, kangaroos and alligators.

“Alligator wrestling’s not part of my job description,” Ball says. And yet, when a call came in regarding a pair of 7-foot-long illegal gators living in someone’s backyard, it fell on Animal Control to impound and handle them. The trick, Ball says, is to lower the gators’ temperature, which keeps them docile. Heat reminds them of their natural habitat, and that’s when things get hairy.

The city of Columbia doesn’t allow the team to use tranquilizers without a vet present, so in many situations, they have to think on their feet to find solutions. For instance, using duct tape to connect a broom handle to a butterfly net lets them catch bats from almost anywhere, and unfurling a sheet under a tree is the best way to catch a cat or iguana that accidentally crawls too high. Anderson always carries a lasso in his trunk and has used it to wrangle dogs, sheep, goats and horses.

Caution is a privilege and one not granted to Animal Control. When they get a call, they wield no weapon, and they bring no backup. A few of the officers carry a small index card in their wallets that reads “Occupational Exposure Advisory.” In an emergency, it would alert medical staff of the possible diseases they could have been exposed to as animal control officers. A few highlights of the card: Rabies. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Toxoplasmosis. Plague.

But the dangers don’t stop with just the animals. Ball once helped someone she described as a polite young man catch his loose dog during a pretty routine outing. The next week, she was reading the news and recognized his name — the same man had stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death.

PRAIRIE DOG PHOTO AND GRAPHICS COURTESY OF THINKSTOCK

Since the department stays open 24/7, someone is on-call at all times.

Once, when it was Aust’s turn, she responded to a call in the middle of the night about a raccoon inside an abandoned house. She arrived to find a man was squatting in the shack, and with nothing but a flashlight and a catchpole, she called in the situation to police and went inside. Minutes later, the police called back, urging her to get out as soon as possible.

The man apparently had a history of violence.

Their arsenal of tools — or lack thereof — work for and against the team. It can throw them into dangerous situations or help them connect with the community and gain access in ways police officers often can’t.

“We’re nonthreatening,” Aust says. “I don’t care what kind of drug dealer you are, if you’re scared of a raccoon, I can handle it.

I’m not arresting you, I’m helping you.”

F LORE ILS O A T Prairie home companion

A prairie dog once got loose in a classroom, which led to Aust capturing it with her bare hands and taking care of it in the office until they found the owners. “We shared my lunch that week,” she says.

Will they or won’t they?

Animal Control fields all kinds of calls. To save time, find out if your problem is something they handle or not before you call.

What the team will do:

What the team won’t do:

Find your lost pet

Catch critters in your attic, garage or other “non-living” areas

If you lose a pet, call the team at 449-1888. Some pets have a microchip implant, which allows the team to find the GPS location of any runaway critter. They’ll also microchip your pet for you.

Loan you a free Havahart trap

These are humane traps that let you catch small, rodent-like mammals in your house then safely release them.

Assist you with low-cost spay or neuter options

Oftentimes, these services can get pricey, but officers can provide vouchers to cut down the cost.

Pick up your sick or injured animal and take them to the vet

If you are unable to transport your animal by yourself, the team will help.

If a raccoon were to show up in your bedroom, bathroom or on your dinner table, that’s a different story. Otherwise, those are the domain of exterminators.

Deal with insects or moles

Despite getting a plethora of calls to come catch wasps, bees and other insect infestations every year, they’re not an extermination team.

Track down loose cats

The team is ordinance-based, and since there’s no city ordinance against letting cats roam outside, they don’t enforce it unless the cat is injured or in danger.

The full list of ordinances and array of services the team provides can be found on their website at como.gov/health/animal-control/

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THE LONG ARMS OF THE PAW Columbia’s Animal Control team has one unifying trait: All members must be able to think on their feet. This means improvising by inventing tools or using unusual devices when animal situations begin to get, well, hairy.

THE FIX-ALL

Animal Control officers often use duct tape to connect broom handles and butterfly nets to catch wayward bats.

CAT GRASPER

Animal Control officers use this to pick up feral or injured cats and guide them into carriers. From there, they transport them back to the office or Central Missouri Humane Society.

In unconventional situations, officers use the tongs to get raccoons out of dumpsters in the summer heat.

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SNAKE TONGS SNAPPY SNARE

Situations involving aggressive dogs can still be intimidating for seasoned officers. This catchpole lets officers handle threatening animals safely.

When the team isn’t responding to calls about rubber snakes, they handle the real serpents with this device that allows them to maintain a safe distance from even the largest of our slithery friends.

DUCT TAPE PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

to me, become commonplace to them, blurring into each other, superimposed, until the luster of their work fades.

But as I reflect on my time with the Animal Control Department, I find a team that makes a significant impact in the Columbia community, in the lives of humans and animals. So in the next Disney movie, when the protagonist puppy dashes through the twisted legs of the bumbling, dumbfounded Animal Control officer, remember the real-life ones who save animals of every kind, every day.

TAILS OF LO RE

“Hi, there’s a snake in my living room. Can you send the guy over?”

More often than not, that’s what people ask when they call in — and the women of the office notice. All four of them have been there at least 25 years, and each have seen a life’s worth of surprised faces when they show up in the doorway.

“I’ll go to fraternities who are freaking out because a possum snuck in,” Ball says. “They’re all scared, and then I show up and handle it with no problem. Then, they’re all amazed and want to take pictures with me.

Who knows how many strangers’ photo albums I’ve been in.”

For the women of Animal Control, there are no excuses. As the veterans, they have to be ready for any and every situation. Sometimes, that means crawling through thick grass on hands and knees in search of a pregnant pig’s missing babies. For Easley, it once meant saving a woman who was four months pregnant from an intruding raccoon while Easley was eight months pregnant.

The officers rattle off these anecdotes and dozens more, one after another, as if each one wasn’t endlessly fascinating in itself and didn’t deserve its own dedicated performance space. For them, these things happen every single shift, and the memories, though extraordinary

Hog wash

A pig, riding in the rear of a trailer on its way to a slaughterhouse, made a daring escape by jumping out of the back. For the next few months, the department periodically got calls about a loose pig in the woods, but every time Anderson responded with a lasso in hand, the pig narrowly escaped. Anderson hypothesizes that the pig was probably killed by coyotes, but for the sake of a gentler universe, we’ll imagine it’s still out there somewhere.

TOP: Columbia’s Animal Control center reminds pet owners that their responsibilities include giving pets love and attention daily, food and water daily, exercise, discipline, shelter from the elements and regular veterinary care.

BOTTOM: City ordinances state every pet needs a city license, but the team often deals with people either ignoring or misunderstanding this ordinance.

The more you know A combined century of experience has left Columbia’s Animal Control team with a wealth of knowledge about animals and pet ownership. Here are some things they wish everyone knew.

1

Every pet needs a city license. The most common problem the team runs into is people either ignoring or misunderstanding this ordinance. If you don’t buy a license for your pet, you could face a hefty fine.

2

It’s illegal to leave your dog on a chain outside. If your dog is living outside, it needs to have a proper doghouse: a weather-proof roof and adequate walls to keep the dog cool or warm. “A crate or a couple two-by-fours thrown together isn’t gonna cut it,” Aust says.

3

It’s also illegal in Columbia to own more than four adult pets. As Ball puts it, “You can technically have 101 baby Dalmatians, but once they grow older than six months, you gotta figure something out.”

4

PIG PHOTO AND GRAPHICS COURTESY OF THINKSTOCK

If you have questions about your pet or a city ordinance, call 449-1888. The team is more than happy to find the answer for you.

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NEWS & INSIGHT

Punching out Parkinson’s

Three Rock Steady Boxing warriors share success stories about slowing down their incurable disease

BY ALEXANDRA EDWARDS

A

soft, slow ’90s jam echoes throughout the fitness center.

“Well, this is quite the song for boxing,” Courtney Meyers says.

Laughter ensues until Meyers grows serious and asks the group if they’re ready to rumble.

A unified “Ready!” reverberates around the room, followed by enthusiastic punches.

Meyers, along with physical therapist Becky Edwards, works for Rock Steady Boxing, an exercise program intended to delay symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. Located at the MU Human Performance Institute on Peachtree Drive, classes are held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The program was founded in Indianapolis in 2006 when founder Scott Newman saw his Parkinson’s symptoms decrease after taking up one-on-one boxing lessons.

In February, Rock Steady opened in Columbia with about six participants.

There are now around 40.

Classes focus on boxing, with fine-motor skills and gait work incorporated.

Workouts can include jump rope regiments, punching bags and even lacing beads onto pipe cleaners. The group also perfected its own Mannequin Challenge, which can be found on Garrett Buschjost’s YouTube channel. This is a feat for someone battling Parkinson’s because symptoms of the disease are tremors and poor balance.

Meyers says the trainers are certified to accept and train those in wheelchairs and even those who are high-functioning because drills can be modified based on skill level.

“Parkinson’s disease hits every part of you,” Meyers says. “You lose your balance. Your body gets weak. Your voice goes quiet. So it’s pretty much anything you can think of all in one workout. It’s like physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and exercise all in one program.”

During the classes, words of encouragement bounce across the room.

Each individual has his or her own success story but claims being together as a group is what helps them excel.

“Depression is huge in people with Parkinson’s,” Meyers says. “Once they start doing the class, their personality really starts to come out. They get a lot more lively, joking and fun.”

Greg Busacker, Susan Vittone and Roger Brubeck battle Parkinson’s together every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and each has a success story.

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Greg Busacker, 74 After Busacker watched an ABC News story about Rock Steady’s benefits, he became curious about the class. And after hearing Meyers and Edwards present on behalf of Rock Steady at one of his support groups seven months ago, Busacker signed up.

Busacker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010, and he drives 25 miles from Hartsburg twice per week for his Rock Steady classes.

When he started, he couldn’t use the jump rope, and now, he considers that one of his many favorite exercises.

“I’ve got more stamina, a lot more stamina,” Busacker says.

Busacker says it’s inspiring to know people fighting the same disease and getting the opportunity to see how hard they work.

“People who haven’t seen me for years tell me I look a lot better and much healthier,” he says. “I just move better, and I feel better.”

Susan Vittone, 67 Vittone was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in December and has participated in classes since April. She works the hardest at boxing and says the Rock Steady team has conducted research showing that the exercise slows the progression of the disease.

“It’s unbelievable because I’m so much stronger,” she says. “In fact, I think I’m probably the strongest I’ve ever been in my life. I can do things that I would’ve never been able to do before.”

After Vittone was diagnosed, she noticed her voice began to grow softer.

In class, she focuses on projecting her voice and answering Meyers’ constant encouragement.

She boasts about a recent accomplishment of jumping rope 34 times in a row. When she began, she couldn’t even jump. Despite her personal improvements, Vittone says the camaraderie of the group is her favorite part about Rock Steady.

Roger Brubeck, 73 Brubeck flashes a gap-toothed smile. “I haven’t fell really since I started coming here,” he says. “I haven’t had any serious mishaps. I had had several before — in fact, these teeth are gone because of a mishap.” His daughter, Pam Stott, chimes in. “They met the kitchen floor.”

Brubeck was diagnosed in 2005 and moved to Mexico, Missouri, from Clinton, Missouri, in June to be closer to his daughter.

Since beginning the program in July, Brubeck can now stand up straight and jump rope. His left shoulder has aligned with his right one, and he is able to work all 90 minutes of class.

Stott says Brubeck even asked for a pull-up bar for his birthday. He says the bar helps him stretch out.

“The second time I came, they told me, ‘Don’t come back without somebody to spot you,’” he says. Stott attends almost every class. Although she doesn’t need to help him sit down anymore, she still stays by his side.

Ringside numbers: Rock Steady Boxing and Parkinson’s 45 states in the U.S. have Rock Steady programs.

303 Rock Steady affiliate gyms across the country 7,000 estimated participants are involved in the Rock Steady program to fight Parkinson’s disease.

8 years of research on Rock Steady have led to Dr. Stephanie Combs-Miller’s discovery that boxing can remedy side effects of Parkinson’s disease.

1.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

7 million estimated people worldwide are affected by Parkinson’s disease.

To watch the warriors practice, visit

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PHOTOS BY EVAN COBB

ARTS & BOOKS

THIS 2012 NOVEL WAS FOLLOWED BY A SEQUEL, BRAVO, IN 2015.

BILL BRYSON HIKED ALMOST 800 MILES DURING HIS WALK IN THE WOODS.

GREG RUCKA

The Columbia Branch Railroad

/

WHILE WRITING THIS BOOK, PAUL KALANITHI WORE GLOVES TO USE THE TRACKPAD OF HIS LAPTOP AFTER HIS FINGERS CRACKED FROM CHEMOTHERAPY.

THIS BOOK WAS PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN.

MARTY PATEN’S FAMILY SETTLED IN BOONE COUNTY BEFORE THE COUNTY WAS ORGANIZED.

Marty Paten

A bookworm holiday

Find the perfect book for everyone on your list — no matter who they are It wasn’t so long ago that we were eating turkey and giving thanks, but the time for gift giving is already right around the corner. Make this holiday season as painless as possible, and give the gift that keeps giving long after the wrapping paper is thrown away — a book.

No bookworm is exactly the same as another, and their holiday gifts should reflect that. Becky Asher, co-owner of Village Books, and Joe Chevalier, owner of Yellow Dog Bookshop, help select the perfect giftable read for every kind of person on your list, even the sibling who would rather marathon a show on Netflix than turn a page. for the optimist

Spoiler alert: This classic tale ends rather tragically. For the ever-optimistic believer in love at first sight, however, Romeo and/ or Juliet is a chance to rewrite the star-crossed story with a perfect

fairytale ending. Asher suggests this light-hearted take on the classic play because it changes every time you read it. Will Romeo and Juliet get their happy ending? Your optimistic loved one gets to decide. for the explorer

Close your eyes; feel the soft rumble beneath your feet; hear the wind whooshing past; smell the country air. This may not be your ideal ride, but your friend who can’t stay indoors will love The Columbia Branch Railroad.

Written by local author Marty Paten, this book is the history of the railroad from Centralia to Columbia. Asher recommends it for those yearning for a new adventure right in their own hometown. for the idealist

If you’re shopping for an idealistic book for someone who always seeks

ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYNE BIRD, PIXABAY, PHOTOS COURTESY OF RIVERHEAD BOOKS, HAGR PUBLISHING, RANDOM HOUSE, MULHOLLAND BOOKS, BROADWAY BOOKS

BY THERESA NGUYEN

the sunny side, go for When Breath Becomes Air. This memoir by Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon diagnosed with lung cancer who died in 2015, tells of his introspection as the doctor becomes the patient. Chevalier says, “Kalanithi’s pursuit of the human side of science and medicine, his willingness to take unconventional paths to his goals and his love and hope for the daughter he would never see grow up will make you weep and inspire you to dare greater things.” for the daring

We all know someone who drags us to scary movies and haunted houses. For the one who likes to get his or her heart pumping, Greg Rucka has the suspenseful thriller

you’re looking for, Asher says. It’s just a normal day at the theme park in Alpha, until undercover officer Jad Bell gets word of a bomb threat. Let your bravest friend tackle this one. for the non - reader

We’ll (begrudgingly) admit that delving into long reads might not be for everyone. However, for the one who doesn’t have the patience for a standard novel, try A Walk in the Woods.

In this 1998 book, author Bill Bryson details his attempt to hike along the Appalachian Trail with an old friend. “Reading Bryson is like listening to your funny friend tell you stories,” Chevalier says.

“The passages tend to be short and easily consumed.” So, if dad hasn’t read something in 25 years, use this to get him back on the bookworm bandwagon.

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ARTS & BOOKS

The women of the Stephens College production of Sweet Charity, who play dancers-for-hire in 1960s New York, strike a pose on the stage at Macklanburg Playhouse.

Staging statement pieces

Italian movie star Vittorio Vadal, who is played by Stephens College Visiting Artist Kyle Groff, dons a look that was inspired by the ever-stylish, 1960s-era Mr. Fish.

The art of costume design deserves a round of applause

and color. Beasley recalls having to be precise with colors when designing costumes for the show Mulan because of Costume designers play a crucial role in the significance of color during ancient creating the characters audiences see on Chinese dynasties. stage. A person’s clothing communicates Designers do all of this while racing nonverbal clues about who they are. against time, which Stephens College “The costume is a tool that is used by visiting artist and resident the actor, by the director, costume designer SWEET CHARITY by the designer to either Julie Douglass says is Macklanburg Playhouse provide information or the most challenging 100 Willis Ave. hide information,” says part of her job. For Tonight, 7:30 p.m Mary Frances Hodson, Sweet Charity, which Fri–Sat, 7:30 p.m.

MU Theatre costume $8–$16 is currently playing at supervisor.

876-7199, stephens.edu Macklanburg Playhouse Nicole Beasley, on the Stephens College resident costume campus, she had 25 actors designer at Theatre Reaching Young to costume. Fittings take 30 minutes to People & Schools (TRYPS) Institute at an hour each, Douglass says.

Like other artists, costume designers Stephens College, says bringing these can be inspired by anything. “It could be ensembles to life requires much more from driving down the street and seeing work than people realize. Designers something on the side or going to a must carefully read the script, match museum and going, ‘Ah, I love that!’ or the director’s vision, create renderings, walking through the grocery store and consider budget and logistics, choose going, ‘You know, that label looks really fabrics, build the costumes, fit the actors cool,’” Douglass says. and make sure everything is cohesive.

Douglass was instructed to mimic This process can also require a what is seen in the 1969 movie version great deal of research. Considerations of Sweet Charity for the current show’s include environment, time of year, social costume designs, but she was allowed statuses of characters, silhouettes, fabrics

BY RACHEL PHILLIPS PHOTOS BY ALEX SCIMECCA

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to have a little fun with a couple of the characters. The owner of the Fandango Ballroom is typically played by a man, but for this production, actress Madeline Campbell is filling the role. Douglass took a bit of creative freedom and ran with it to create a look for the character.

Another example is the character Vittorio Vidal. Douglass says this was her favorite look to put together. She used a 1967 Mr. Fish design as inspiration and chose a paisley printed jacket with a white fedora.

The final look brings to life a stylish “Big Spender” with ’70s flair for the audience to appreciate and the designer to take pride in.

Costume Designer Julie Douglass realized her love for fashion as a child and made outfits for her troll dolls.

PETER SUAREZ can act, sing, cycle and sail, but he finds passion

in dancing and choreographing flamenco

D

iverse is the word that comes to mind when thinking of Peter Suarez’s dance career. After growing up in New York, he danced ballet with the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center for eight seasons and danced flamenco for the Gipsy Kings at Radio City Music Hall. Suarez has also performed in musicals with Tony Award-winning directors such as Christopher Renshaw and Christopher Gattelli.

He worked with the U.S. Olympic Team and choreographed seven dances for Marina Zueva’s ice dancers as they prepared for the World Championships.

Her dance teams won Olympic gold in 2010 and gold and silver in 2014. Suarez has also choreographed and performed for more than nine ballet companies.

Suarez, who has been traveling the country for his one-man show, is in Columbia this fall to teach a class of 13 dancers at Stephens College flamenco — a Spanish dance that focuses on percussive footwork, facial expressions, sweeping arm movements and clapping. Elizabeth Hartwell, Stephens’ dance program coordinator, met Suarez in 1992 while working with the Louisville Ballet in Kentucky.

“His class is based on creating a group environment,” Hartwell says. “His skills as a teacher are just as I would expect: Everybody is learning together.”

family. I got my first paycheck for being on stage at 6 in Hansel and Gretel. I went to New York and auditioned for my first off-Broadway show, called Let’s Misbehave. After that show, some people came up to me in the dressing room and said that they’d like me to audition for a flamenco company. I was going to be a triple threat, song and dance man, and I ended up doing some of that, of course, but really fell in love with the flamenco thing.

How did you start dancing flamenco?

I came out of the womb basically knowing this was going to be my life. I started creating shows at 3 years old and forced them on my neighbors and

What do you do for fun besides performing?

I (usually) live on a sailboat, a Cape Dory, ‘round-theworld kind of sailboat. I like that. At one point, I did a short stint as a professional skier. I’m an avid cyclist.

Why is flamenco your favorite style of dance?

I don’t think there is any other form of dance that is quite as visceral. It’s impossible to dance flamenco without being invested emotionally on some level.

You are saying something, and that has to translate.

How is choreographing ice dancing for the Olympics different from choreographing flamenco?

I’m much better at it now than I was. A lot of flamenco is evoked in stillness and explosion from stillness, and that’s not very easy on the ice because you’re always moving. By and large, I mostly focus on just trying to give it a certain flamenco flourish.

From the waist down, they’re skaters, and from waist up, they’re flamenco dancers.

Why is dance an important art?

Instrumental music and dance both are the purest forms of poetry. They are the universal number one.

You are encumbered by what the body is capable of doing, but within those limitations, we can do a great deal. You can paint with a broader brush and yet be incredibly subtle with the fineness of your color scheme. You can play with things a little bit. In some moments, you can’t say it; you have to be that and show that.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?

When I first saw the movie Rob Roy, there’s a moment after Jessica Lange(‘s character) has been raped by some soldiers while her husband, Rob Roy, was away. A boy was supposed to be guarding the place, and she explodes that he can’t tell Rob. She does it so fully, genuinely that she’s literally hideously ugly and absolutely beautiful in the same moment.

At that moment, I realized the greatest lesson I ever learned about this business and from this business is that the moment we are afraid to be ugly is the moment we rob ourselves of ever truly being beautiful. That is what artists are striving to connect with; it’s always very fleeting, or else it wouldn’t be that special.

— KARLEE RENKOSKI PHOTO BY LIV PAGGIARINO 12.08.16

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THE TO-DO LIST

this week in Columbia

ARTS & CULTURE Picturing Black American Families This exhibition displays documentary photographs depicting cross-generational connections and experiences of modern-day black families. The photos were taken from three photo collections, which were preserved in Columbia. Today–Sun., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Museum of Art and Archaeology, Free, 882-3591

Sweet Charity

Macklanburg Playhouse’s last show of 2016 is Sweet Charity. Follow Charity Hope Valentine’s life in New York City in this musical with classic tunes such as “Big Spender.” Thurs.–Sat., 7:30 p.m., Macklanburg Playhouse, $16; $8 students and seniors, 876-7199

Family concert: Emily Arrow

Book and music lovers will find something to enjoy in this family concert with Emily Arrow. She is an award-winning songwriter whose songs celebrate famous children’s literature, such as Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. Today, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Columbia Public Library, Free, 443-3161

Author reception: Ibtisam Barakat

Award-winning author, poet and human rights advocate Ibtisam Barakat visits the Columbia Public Library to discuss her memoir, Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine. The book follows Barakat’s young life in Israeli-occupied Palestine.

Today, 7–8:30 p.m., Columbia Public Library, Free, 443-3161

The Wandering Watercolorist & Captain Jim Art Auction: Benefiting PedNet Coalition

Sip on cocktails and indulge in hors d’oeuvres as pieces by watercolor artists James Joe Froese and Paul Jackson are auctioned off to benefit local nonprofit PedNet and its advocacy work for walking, biking and public transit. You’ll need to register online beforehand. Friday, 7–9 p.m., bleu Barrel Room, $15, 999-9894

Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams

As part of MAA’s Ad Hoc film series, the museum is playing Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams, an iconic film by Kurosawa, who is widely considered one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. Dreams is based on the real dreams of Kurosawa and is the first film Kurosawa wrote by himself. Friday, 7 p.m., Museum of Art and Archaeology, Free, 882-3591

Battle FBLA Craft and Vendor Fair

A variety of local crafters and vendors will offer homemade items and direct sale products for your holiday shopping. Is there anything better than homemade gifts for the holidays? You’ll have to go to find out.

Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, Battle High School, $1, 214-3300

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Holiday Gift Boutique

Drop by, and pick up holiday gifts for all your friends and family. Vendors include (but certainly aren’t limited to) Chloe + Isabel, Craft Beer Cellar, Makes Scents, Sassafras Moon World Gifts and Thirty-One. Admission proceeds benefit Columbia Independent School. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Columbia Independent School, $5, 777-9250

Mad Men Holiday Soiree featuring Amalgamation Jazz Orchestra and DJ Jen Ha

A red carpet, hors d’oeuvres, Rat Pack jazz and ‘60s fashion are just a few things on the bill for The Blue Note’s Mad Men Holiday Soiree. You’re sure to feel like Don Draper or Betty Francis for a night. Saturday, 7 p.m., The Blue Note, $20, 874-1944

CIVIC Columbia Winter Farmers Market

Keep your pantry fresh throughout the winter season by heading to the farmers market. The winter market has moved to the Parkade Center for the season and is held every Saturday, except for Dec. 24 and 31.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, Parkade Center, Free, 823-6889

Science Cafe Columbia with Jack Schultz

Did you know Missouri was once the second largest wine producer in the U.S.?

Now the state’s grapevines are used to make wine for the world, which is pretty impressive for a flyover state. Enjoy a drink while listening to Jack Schultz talk about how Missouri wine saved other wine industries from disaster. Monday, 6 p.m., Broadway Brewery, Free, 882-0562

Science on Tap

For the last Science on Tap event of the year, Nick Sievert from Fisheries and Wildlife and Levi Storks from Biological Sciences will present lectures. Sievert will discuss the threats to Missouri’s fisheries over the next 50 years and what people can do to protect them. Storks will compare human and animal intelligence and how some species, such as octopi and orcas, have comparable behaviors or surpass human behavior.

Wednesday, 6 p.m., Craft Beer Cellar, Free, 636-795-5883

FOOD & DRINK Columbia Culinary Tours: Flavors Tour

Hop on the foodie wagon as Columbia Culinary Tours guides you through local, downtown eateries. Hear about the history, discuss flavors and receive VIP treatment from restaurants and a specialty food shop.

Friday, 2–4:15 p.m., Downtown Columbia, $42, 808-6880

Ladies Night Out

Enjoy free food and drinks, giveaways, a fashion show, wine tasting, gift wrapping, vendors and more with the ladies.

Wednesday, 6–8 p.m., Mid-America Harley Davidson, Free, 875-4444

DON'T MISS: TUBA CHRISTMAS

Enjoy your favorite Christmas carols performed by tuba musicians of all ages as you shop for the perfect holiday gifts at the mall. This year marks the 43rd anniversary of Tuba Christmas performances all over the world. The performance will be held in the Cafe Court. Saturday, 1 p.m., Columbia Mall, Free, 882-2604

MUSIC Cody Jinks with Ward Davis

Things are sure to get “Loud and Heavy” at Cody Jinks’ and Ward Davis’ show tonight.

Both country artists have enjoyed a steady rise to fame, so go see what all the buzz is about. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., The Blue Note, $25, 874-1944

Indyground 10-Year Anniversary

Indyground, an independent record label out of Kansas City, is turning a decade old this year. Jam out and celebrate more than 30 releases and the group’s reputation for experimentation. Tonight, 8 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $8, 874-1944

Mannheim Steamroller

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis has been America’s favorite holiday tradition for the past 30 years. Grammy Award winner Chip Davis has created a show that features the beloved Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller along with dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate setting. Friday, 7–10 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $45–$55, 882-2121

Fister with Christworm, Smokeseeker and Bloodfroth

Heavy — that’s the word that best describes Fister’s metal sound. This St. Louis band has labeled its music in its own genre: “Doom.” If you need to let go of some of your pent-up stress that’s built as the busy holiday season and finals approach, Fister’s show will provide an outlet for you to do just that. Friday, 8 p.m., Cafe Berlin, $6, 441-0400

Tim Warfield’s All-Star Jazzy Christmas

Enjoy your favorite Christmas carols as veteran saxophonist Tim Warfield delivers one of the finest modern Christmas jazz performances around, based on his album

Jazzy Christmas. Performing a selection of familiar songs with a heavy contemporary flavor, the music is smooth and enticing in nature that seasonal tunes such as “Let It Snow,” “Joy To The World” and “Silent Night” are almost unrecognizable as Christmas music and could easily be part of any playlist throughout the year. Sunday, 3:30–5:30 p.m., Murry’s, $20–$45, 449-3009

Capitol Caroling

Join Jefferson City Public Schools for a holiday program consisting of classic Christmas carols. This 79th annual event will get you in the spirit for Dec. 25. Several performances will be showcased by Jefferson City High School and Simonsen Ninth Grade Center. Seating is limited, so make sure to show up early. Monday, 8 p.m., Rose Music Hall, Free, 874-1944

The Uh Huhs with Cantalouper

Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, The Uh Huhs are set to bring a pop punk sound to Columbia. The night’s bill also includes a band named after a fruit, but that’s not to say they don’t rock. Cantalouper produces a new-wave post-punk rock sound.

Wednesday, 8 p.m., Cafe Berlin, $5, 441-0400

SPORTS Missouri Women’s Basketball vs.

Wichita State

The Tigers are on the way to another successful season on the court. Be a part of what might be a crucial win for the Tigers against the Wichita State University Shockers. Friday, 7 p.m., Mizzou Arena, $5–$8, 882-6501

Jingle Bell Run

Grab that ugly sweater, throw on some reindeer ears and tie on those jingle bells.

The Arthritis Foundation's holiday-themed 5K fun run raises funds and awareness to PHOTO BY ERJUN PENG

find a cure. Saturday, 8 a.m., Silverthorne Arena, $35, adults; $25, children 13 and under; $5, Tot Trot, 314-991-9333

Office Christmas Party (R)

Missouri Gymnastics vs.

Black & Gold

(T.J. Miller), he attempts to hold the ultimate

When a CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close the company branch of her partying brother office party that will help him close a sale

Join the women of MU’s gymnastics team as they flip, swing and sprint in an exposition meet to the 2017 competition season. Saturday, 3 p.m., Hearnes Center, $5, adults; $3, children and seniors, 882-6501

and keep his job.

F, R RUNTIME = 1:45

Also playing Allied (R) F, R

Columbia College Basketball vs.

Hannibal-LaGrange University Root for the home team as you watch the Columbia College Cougars battle the Hannibal-LaGrange University Trojans out on the court. Saturday, 3 p.m., Southwell Complex, Free, 875-7454

Arrival (PG-13) F, R Bad Santa 2 (R) F Doctor Strange (PG-13) F, R The Edge of Seventeen (R) R Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

SCREEN

(PG-13) F, R Hacksaw Ridge (R) F, R

Miss Sloane (R)

Incarnate (PG-13) F, R

A sought-after D.C. lobbyist (Jessica Chastain) defends a bill to impose regulations on firearms. She is known for her record of success but learns winning comes at a cost.

R RUNTIME = 1:32

Nocturnal Animals (R)

Almost Christmas (PG-13) R

Loving (PG-13) RT Moana (PG) F, R Moonlight (R) RT Rules Don’t Apply (PG-13) R Trolls (PG) F, R

An art gallery owner (Amy Adams) is haunted by a manuscript from her exhusband (Jake Gyllenhaal) that forces her to examine her life after the divorce.

RT RUNTIME = 1:56

Theaters F = Forum R = Regal

RT = Ragtag = Available in 3-D

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The Diane Rehm Show 9-11am

Fresh Air with Terry Gross 11am-Noon On your radio dial at 89.5 fm or live streaming at kopn.org

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