AS Review - Jan 16, 2017

Vol. 32 #13 01.16.17

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“We Dreamt Deaf” exhibit by artist Nicholas Galanin in the VU Gallery.

Cover photo by Janna Bodnar // AS Review Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2017. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

The AS Review is an alternative weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on underrepresented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.

IN THIS ISSUE Wednesday Night

4 Concert Series

My Cartoon Heart is coming to brighten up the Underground Coffeehouse with their unique sound.

Tips for renting 5 your first place

Nervous about navigating off-campus housing? This article will give you all the basics for renting in Bellingham.

“We Dreamt Deaf” 6 exhibit in VU Gallery

Hip-Hop club 10 merger

Movie review: 8 “Arrival”

Winter Sports 11 Update

This sparse new exhibit tackles issues of colonization and manifest destiny in native lands.

Looking for a new movie to watch? This new sci-fi piece will make your head spin.

Find out how two hip-hop clubs came together over their shared love of dance.

The quarter has only just started, but things are already heating up for basketball, softball and track & field.

We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork, letters to the editor or anything else physically printable. Please limit letters to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school. Send all submissions to as.review@wwu. edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar.

The AS Review is distributed via electric bicycle, the purchase of which was made possible by the Sustainable Action Fund Grant Program.

Morgan Annable Alexandria Baker Ricky Rath Erasmus Baxter Julia Berkman Josh Hughes Chris Beswetherick Photographers Jaden Moon Janna Bodnar Adviser Jeff Bates

Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers

“We Dreamt Deaf” exhibit by Nicholas Galanin. This piece features a stuffed polar bear that is posed half-naturally, while it’s back half has been skinned for its pelt and is pinned down. Photo by Jaden Moon // AS Review

01.16.2017 • 3

EVENTS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS “Arrival” screening

Jan 17 // 7 p.m. // Arntzen Hall 100 // Free

AS Films presents the 2016 hit “Arrival.” Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, this is a science-fiction film unlike any other. For more information and a review of “Arrival," see page 8.

Workshops with Nikkita Oliver

Jan 17 // 1 p.m. for faculty and staff, 4 p.m. for students // VU 565 A/B // Free

Artist and activist Nikkita Oliver will be leading these workshops for staff and students. A meditation area will be open in VU 565 C.

“The Danger of Silence”

Jan 17 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC Concert Hall // Free

This event held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will feature writer and scholar Clint Smith III, as well as activist Nikkita Oliver. The two will present a keynote presentation for staff and students.

Sustainability, Period.

Jan 18 // 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. // VU 565 // Free The Womxn’s Center and the Environmental Center are teaming up for this in-depth discussion of the environmental impact of traditional feminine hygiene products.

SUCK presents: Comedy Open Mic Night Jan 19 // 7 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free The Stand Up Comedy Klub is once again hosting their hilarious open mic night. Laugh the night away with your friends at the Underground.

Winter Dance Performance

Jan 19-22 // 7:30 p.m. Jan 19-21, 2 p.m. Jan 22 // PAC Mainstage // See PAC Box Office for tickets

Original student choreography is featured in this performance for the Western Dance BFA program. The dances are largely impressionistic and contemporary.

Arthur Greene Guest Piano Recital Jan 20 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC Concert Hall // See Box Office for tickets

Spend your Friday night at the PAC, with great music provided by pianist and teacher Arthur Greene.

Women’s March On Bellingham

Jan 21 // 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. // Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie St // Free

This march of solidarity is open to people of all identities, including men and boys.

There will be speakers and poets, and at 11 a.m. those who want to participate will march in a 1-mile loop downtown.

Top Ten: Jan 16 - 22 1

And the Anonymous Nobody De La Soul

2

IV BadBadNotGood

3

Freetown Sound Blood Orange

4

My Woman Angel Olsen

5

Requiem GOAT

6

We Got it From Here...Thank U 4 Your Service

A Tribe Called Quest

7

Schmilco Wilco

8

Soft Hair Soft Hair

9

Yes Lawd!

Nx Worries

10

The Divine Feminine Mac Miller KUGS is the Associated Students’ student-run radio station. Listen online at kugs.org. If you’re interested in getting on the waves, pick up a volunteer application in the station’s office on the seventh floor of the VU.

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Wednesday Night Concert Series: My Cartoon Heart

BY JOSH HUGHES

Spencer Goll, frontman of My Cartoon Heart, writes music that is quite accessible on first listen.

That is integral to the band’s characteristic sound.

After all, it only feels right that a band named My Cartoon Heart should share some lineage between equally vibrant bands like Passion Pit and Hot Chip.

With bouncing synths, hyper-melodic vocals and over-the-top production, Goll creates an image and sound that poses him as a heart-on-sleeve frontman popstar. This coming week at the Underground Coffeehouse, My Cartoon Heart will perform an hour of peppy electronica.

“That Was Then (This Is Now),” (TWTTIN) the band’s latest album, which came out last spring, bounces all across the map, coming back to EDM-influenced dance floor jams. Goll’s vocals sound professional and annunciated in a similar

vein to Owl City and the seven piece band sounds equally fine-tuned, both in terms of production and musicianship. Four-on-the-floor beats give way to sweeping, grand choruses, and songs like “Tonight” sound more like a Tiesto remix than anything else.

On first listen it can be hard to discern the different instruments at play, but the band explores pianos, strings and banjo, to name a few. This adds to the breadth of their LP; some songs sound like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, some sound like a take on Hot Chip and others explore everything in between.

While nearly every song follows a simple verse/ chorus structure, Goll’s voice lends itself well to this pop template, and he seems to fully embrace it on TWTTIN. A Seattle-based outfit, My Cartoon Heart seem to be shaping themselves in a niche sound that

Weather forecast: Jan 16-22

Student Technology Fee (STF) Committee requesting Tech Initiatives proposal abstracts January 25 is the deadline for one-page Tech Initiatives abstracts from students. All Western students may apply.

This is an opportunity for students to propose how they would like the Student Technology Fee to be spent. Previous accepted proposals have included: the wireless laptop loan program, specialty printers, recording studio and upgrades, small unmanned aircraft systems, iPads, sound and lighting equipment, microscopes and more.

Once the abstracts for the proposal have been submitted, the STF Committee will review all the abstracts, and select those from which they would like a full proposal.

The abstract form is available on the STF website at https://www.wwu.edu/stf/tech-initiatives.shtml, along with an overview of the Tech Initiatives proposal process.

Tech Initiatives make up approximately 8.5 percent of the Student Technology Fee, or approximately $125,000 in 2017. The Tech Initiatives portion of the Student Technology Fee pays for technology projects—proposed by employees and students—that support the Student Technology Fee mission.

has yet to be completely explored in the area, so Goll and company still have good breathing room to grow as a band. They share some of the pop sensibilities as The Postal Service, an electronic staple of the PNW, but My Cartoon Heart seems to be paving their way as a full-on pop band, without the alternative influences that Ben Gibbard brought to The Postal Service.

The colorful sound that My Cartoon Heart creates in all their music gives them a propulsive energy, one that seems to translate well to a live setting.

With Annie Jantzer singing accompanying vocals and Will Gearhart playing piano, expect a fine tuned performance of songs from the band’s most recent album, as well as older and possibly newer material.

Their set will last an hour in the Underground Coffeehouse on Wednesday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Monday, January 16 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy. High near 45.

North wind, up to 8 miles per hour (mph).

Tuesday, January 17 Rain. Cloudy. High near 45. Southeast wind 17 mph, gusts to 20 mph.

Past STF funds have been used for microscopes, welding equipment and more. Photos from Public Domain Pictures // publicdomainpictures.net

Wednesday, January 18 Rain likely. Cloudy. High near 51. Southeast wind 16 mph, gusts to 21 mph.

Thursday, January 19 Cloudy. Showers in the morning, rain in the afternoon. High near 47. Southeast wind 15 mph, gusts to 18 mph.

Friday, January 20 Cloudy. 25 percent chance of showers. High near 4.

West wind 10 mph, gusts to 13 mph.

Saturday, January 21 Cloudy. 35 percent chance of rain. High near 43.

North-northeast wind 10 mph, gusts to 14 mph.

Sunday, January 22 Cloudy. 25 percent chance of rain. High near 44.

East wind 13 mph, gusts to 20 mph.

Six tips for renting your first place

01.16.2017 • 5

BY ERASMUS BAXTER

The dos and don’ts of navigating the Bellingham rental market

1. Choose your roommates carefully.

The first thing to think about when renting a house is who you want to live with. This can have a huge impact on everything from your GPA to your future life path. Your friend may be a lot of fun to party with on Friday night, but do you really want to be the one cleaning up their vomit on a school night? If your roommates want to establish your house as a vegan co-op and run it on principles of reciprocity you’re a lot more likely to become politically involved than if they want to add an aftermarket stripper pole to your kitchen.

On a more serious note, if your roommates don’t pay their rent or utilities you’re the one whose credit will be affected and you might also be evicted. A lease is a legally binding document that can have serious implications. Make sure that you’re living with people you can get along with, but also who you can trust with your financial future.

2. Read the lease

I know the lease is very boring and might go on for several pages, but it’s a legally binding document that you are signing. You don’t want to be surprised by additional fees or odd regulations. Once you’ve signed it, you’re locked in for around a year.

That being said, just because something is in the lease doesn’t make it legal. There are limits on what fees landlords are allowed to charge you, and what terms and conditions they can set. If in doubt, take your lease to the AS Legal Information Center in Viking Union 517. The Legal Information Center specializes in tenant issues and are a great resource. If something is wrong or illegal in your lease you can ask the landlord to change it. Make sure you get any commitments from them in writing before signing.

3. Do a walkthrough

There’s two parts to this: When you’re looking at a house, schedule a walkthrough with the real estate agent. Even if you are already planning on renting the house, and you’ve been there a hundred times because your cousin lives there, it gives you a chance to meet the landlord. Being friendly with the landlord and putting a face to your name can boost your chances of actually getting the house in Bellingham’s super competitive housing madness that breaks loose every spring. In addition, it gives you an opportunity to note any defects with the house. If you point them out to the landlord during the walkthrough sometimes you can get them to promise them to fix them. Get these commitments in writing before you sign the lease! Also, ask about insulation and what the utilities are like.

Secondly, before you take occupancy, do a walkthrough with the landlord or property manager. Document any damage or disrepair to the house. If possible, have the landlord sign a list of the damages. This may be crucial for getting your damage deposit back and avoiding having to pay additional money for things you didn’t break. In addition, take photos of all damages or defects. If there’s a lot, take video of each room. Some friends of mine had a long and bitter argument about a burn mark on their carpet before they discovered, thanks to a photo they had taken, that it was there when they moved in. Also, make sure your house is registered with the City of Bellingham rental inspection program.

4.Talk to the old residents

If at all possible try and talk to the old residents. They just spent a year living in the house so they’ll know all about it. Ask them about utility costs, how cold the house gets in winter, what the landlords are like. Ask them if there’s anything you should know. We learned that our house used to have rats, and that there was a mysterious hole behind one of the cabinets that we totally missed. We also learned that we didn’t have a dishwasher. I once interviewed a girl who’s house was uninsulated and freezing cold during the winter. It seemed fine when they were looking at it in spring, but if they’d asked the old residents they might have known.

5. Document everything

This goes with the other items, but document everything. Especially when interacting with your landlord. Take photos of the house, have them sign written agreements and keep track of all interactions with them. If you are going to notify them about an issue with the house the best way to do it is through email. That way you have proof that you contacted them, and if they don’t respond to multiple requests you have proof that you tried. If you call them about an issue, write down when and who you talked to. If they don’t come for a move in walkthrough send them an email with a list of all the issues with the house. My roommate’s mom is a real estate agent and she made sure we did that once we moved in. It’s a way of covering your back, and if things get really bad you have evidence to take to an attorney.

6. Take no guff

Most student rentals are managed by large property management companies like Landmark or Painless properties. They are used to dealing with students who feel vulnerable and don’t know their rights. Bellingham’s constricted rental market provides a huge advantage for landlords over renters. Rental companies make their money by providing as little services and maintenance as possible. Small landlords can be just as bad.

However, tenants actually have a fair number of rights under the law. Basic things like heat, hot water and locking doors must be provided and fixed promptly when broken.

Landlords must give you notice before entering your home, and must refund your security deposit if nothing is broken. Many landlords either ignore or are unaware of the law. Familiarize yourself with your rights. If something seems fishy look it up. If you’re having issues, visit the AS Legal Information Center.

There’s also a free tenants rights clinic at the courthouse downtown from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. on Fridays where you can talk to lawyer. They’re very helpful, and helped some friends of mine go to small claims court to get their damage deposit back. The worst that can happen is that your lease isn’t renewed and you have to find a different place to live next year, but is it really worth being miserable to avoid that? Stand up for yourself!

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“We Dreamt Deaf” at the VU Gallery

Story by Julia Berkman, Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review A shocking sight greets visitors to the fifthfloor VU gallery. There are only two pieces: a taxidermied wolf and polar bear, the back half of each flattened into a rug, and the other still upright and growling. On the wall, a video of a dancer moving to indigenous drum beats plays on a loop.

Artist Nicholas Galanin has said that the show “references the alien (European) tradition of settlers bringing beliefs of supremacy, manifest destiny and disregard to indigenous lands.”

Galanin has been featured as one of the top ten artists of 2016 by First American Art Magazine, as well as being included in several art listicles by “The Stranger.” His work has been displayed in Trench Gallery in Vancouver as well as in the National Gallery of Canada.

“Through creating I assert my freedom,” Galanin said about his creative process.

We Dreamt Deaf will be on display in the VU Gallery for the next few weeks. Galanin himself spoke at Western on January 12 about his work and his life.

01.16.2017 • 7

Winter at Western: a photo gallery Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review

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New science fiction movie makes quite the “Arrival”

A REVIEW BY JOSH HUGHES

I

n contrast the mild winters of the last two years, Western currently finds itself in the midst of a much colder winter this year. If you need a place to hide out from the temperatures or some good entertainment, check out a series of blockbuster hits put on

by AS Films. The first one, held on Tuesday, January 17 at 7 p.m. in Arntzen 100, is Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 film “Arrival,” a science-fiction film that is more than meets the eye.

There’s a scene in the first third of the film in which protagonists Louise and Ian first see the aliens with whom they have to learn to communicate. From a peculiar box that brings to mind James Turrell’s otherworldly artwork, two shadowy figures emerge in a strange fog. Instead of relying on a cookie-cutter alien trope, Villeneuve created creatures that genuinely look like something from deep within another galaxy. The humans call them “heptapods” for the seven limbs they have, and they speak in a deep rumble and paint beautiful calligraphy. It’s one of the first cues that “Arrival” is not the blockbuster sci-fi film that its marketing suggested. Instead, it is an intelligent commentary on communication and language that merely uses aliens as a device to explore the way humans connect (or don’t connect) with each other.

Two-time Golden Globe winner Amy Adams plays Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist who, alongside physicist Ian Donnelly, played by Screen Actors Guild award winner Jeremy Renner, leads a team in attempting to understand why these aliens have landed on earth.

When twelve pods suddenly appear across the planet, Banks and Donnelly are stationed at the American pod in Montana, working under military enforcement led by Colonel Weber, played by Oscar, Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe winner Forest Whitaker.

The story that then slowly unravels focuses on Louise and Ian as they attempt to bridge the language barrier between the species.

Since all twelve spacecraft appear in different parts of the world, each respective military and government must stay in contact with each other, presenting even more complicated challenges in communication and trust. When progress with one spacecraft is made, it must be shared with the rest of the world in order to solve the puzzle.

Beyond the big ideas that this movie presents, Arrival also doubles as an intricate character study of Banks, a lonely, middle-aged professional fascinated by the possibilities of human language. The film opens with a flashback to her life before first contact, and the audience comes to understand the sadness she carries with her on a daily basis. As the film goes on and she starts making advancements with the aliens, we begin to understand the glimmer in her eyes whenever she makes a breakthrough.

Instead of speaking or writing in a linear fashion, the heptapods understand language in something of a circular way, which mimics the rounded, ink splattered words/sentences/written forms that they communicate with. Without spoiling anything, this non-linear understanding of life as a whole takes the film into the canon of sci-fi stories that manipulate and question the concept of time, but Arrival doesn’t feel heavy-handed in its use of time-bending.

Throughout the film, Eric Heisserer’s screenplay thrives on subtlety, something that also seems outlandish for a stereotypical sci-fi flick. All the same, don’t let that make “Arrival” sound like a dull or boring movie for fans of films like “Interstellar” or “Gravity.” In fact, both those movies work as good reference points for just how exhilarating “Arrival” can be at its peak. Villeneuve certainly has the intent of making his viewers think about the film long after the credits roll, and this movie certainly covers enough big (yet nuanced) ideas for him to achieve that.

Western through the ages: 1968

I

BY ERASMUS BAXTER

n 1968 Western had around only 6,000 students, the equivalent of a mid-size high school. However, growth was on the horizon. Fairhaven college was about to begin its first year at Western, the Viking Union was expanded and a large pipe was installed under the Old Main Lawn. Western’s president predicted that the student population would soon double and the University would be called either “Western Washington State” or “Bellingham University”.

However, not all was ideal in Bellingham-land. The large trench across Old Main lawn prompted the Western Front to publish the headline “It’s not just the ditch - it’s the hole problem.” In other hole problems, a student’s parked car was pushed into the hole dug for the Viking Union expansion causing her to remark on the ongoing difficulty of finding parking at Western.

Some Things Never Change Another issue that might seem prescient for anyone who recently lived in Edens Hall was the failure of water heaters in North campus dorms. Despite many plumber’s best efforts the top floor of Nash Hall remained as cold as the present day social scene there.

A freshman wrote a letter to the Western Front complaining about students packing up before class was over and

making it impossible to hear the professor. Fortunately, this obnoxious behavior has been largely eradicated.

Finally, an article introducing a blues legend coming to campus talked about “white America’s” fascination with and appropriation of “Negro Music.”

Some Do To raise funds for the World University Service, an organization of students worldwide, students held a week of events that included a computerized date finder, an ugly man contest and a turtle race. No word if ugly man contestants got complimentary use of the computer matchmaker.

A student wrote to the newspaper to complain that female students in a PE class were docked points for wearing pants around campus and to class. According to the letter, there was an unwritten rule that women were not allowed to wear pants on campus before 4 p.m. or in cold weather or during finals week.

In other patriarchal news, dorms had curfews, were separated by gender and had a Dean of Men and a Dean of Women. Quite impressive titles!

Another matter of much contention was the establishment of a ROTC program on Western’s campus. That matter was fiercely debated by staff and students as Western was the only

state school in Washington to not have a ROTC program.

With the background of the Vietnam War many were opposed to the establishment of a Department of Military Sciences on campus. In the end, no ROTC came to be.

Some are Horrific I’m just going to leave this excerpt from the February 27 Western Front of 1968 here: “Slave auction Friday Slave labor may be purchased Friday in the VU foyer for 25 cents a half hour.

Masters may request a slave, either male or female, to iron, mend, shine shoes, mop and wax floors, type, tutor, wash cars, wash windows and mirrors, sweep and dust, empty waste baskets, run errands and so on.

Work must be done by the slaves on slave day, Saturday, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Dorms will be open for this period.

The master is responsible for telling his slaves where and when he wants the work done and for furnishing supplies.

Any students wishing to sign up as slaves may do so at any dorm desk before Friday.

Slave day is sponsored by the freshman class.”

01.16.2017 • 9

UCLA history professor to discuss groundbreaking research on Native American genocides

BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK Learning about and remembering the Holocaust is important, but we would be best served not to forget about the other genocides through history. The Ray Wolpow Institute for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, on Wednesday January 18, will host UCLA’s Associate Professor of History Benjamin Madley in Academic West 204 at 4 p.m. to discuss his stance on Native American genocides in the United States.

Madley is one of the first academics to extensively research the trends of population decline of the Tolowa tribe. His investigates the Tolowa tribe from 1851 until 1856, where he analyzes certain massacres and compares them side-to-side with the definition of genocide.

Madley also researches pre-1851 factors that caused Americans to kill whole tribes.

“I think last year, there was a controversy where in a history class, there was a discussion if [Native American Genocide] could be considered genocide or not,” Sandra Alfers, founding director of the Ray Wolpow Institute, said. “[The term was] adopted in 1948 by the United Nations, coined in the light of the events of the Holocaust, so can you use that 20th century concept when you talk about 19th century Native American communities with very different setups? Madley argues you can.”

According to Madley’s chapter in “New Directions in Genocide Research,” up to 82 percent of the tribe died or was killed between 1851 and 1856. The population declined from 5000 to 900 in those five years.

His chapter, titled “When ‘The World Was Turned Upside Down’: California and Oregon’s Tolowa

Indian Genocide, 1851-1856,” provides examples of American actions that suggest genocide.

Tolowa villages were burned entirely, California Indians did not have full government protection and the government also supplied munitions to Americans wanting to kill Indians. Overall, the chapter tries to prove the argument that genocide is an applicable term to these mass killings. Madley wants the world to know this.

“I think it is a really important topic because we are at a university and in the United States, sitting on native land,” Alfers said. “I think hopefully [Madley] will be a way to reach out to our community and inform them this is something we want to learn about.”

The Ray Wolpow Institute has previously hosted Michael Berenbaum and Noemi Ban for lessons on the Holocaust. Now, still focused on genocide, they have shifted their focus.

“One of our main objectives for winter quarter is trying reach out and being more engaged with our Native American communities,” Alfers said.

Since its inception in the summer of 2016 the institute has gained popularity, and hopes to maintain the university’s interest. Their efforts have introduced the institute to more people in the community and inspired increased involvement.

“We are co-organizing [the lecture] with two other departments: the history department and libraries,” Alfers said.

The institute also invites anyone to attend a luncheon with Madley from 12 - 1 p.m. on Wednesday January 18 in VU 565. Visit wp.wwu. edu/raywolpowinstitute/lunch-withthe-scholar/ for more information.

Women’s soccer team celebrates historic national win

BY MORGAN ANNABLE

On December 3 most Western students were hunkered down studying for finals. Not the women’s soccer team. This group of Vikings was over 1,900 miles away playing their hearts out in the Division II National Championship. After 90 minutes of play, the team’s efforts earned them the national title, a first for Western.

Now, the women’s soccer team is being honored in a celebration on January 23 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. at the Wade King Recreation Center and the Viking Union.

This ceremony is free and open to the public.

Western students are invited to join the team (and their national championship trophy) in a procession from the rec center to the Multipurpose Room (MPR), where alumni, faculty, staff, parents and fans will be gathered to welcome the members of the procession.

Once in the MPR, the team and their supporters will mingle at a reception where food will be provided.

To guarantee that enough refreshments are provided, register for free online at the Western Alumni website. Everyone who registers for the event will be entered into a drawing to win 2017 women’s soccer season tickets and an autographed soccer ball from the 2016 National Championships.

Western’s president, Sabah Randhawa, is slated to be in attendance at the celebration, as well as various local and statewide dignitaries.

Travis Connell, head coach of the women’s soccer team, said that he is excited to share this moment with the people who have shown support for the program.

The Vikings earned the trophy with a 3-2 win over Grand Valley State of Allendale, Michigan.

Senior midfielder Caitlyn Jobanek scored two of the goals for the Vikings, one in the 18th minute of the game and the other in the 37th minute.

Each of those goals was followed up by a point by the Grand Valley State Lakers, tying the score.

The final goal of the game was made by the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, junior midfielder Emily Webster, in the 76th minute of play.

This season was full of broken records for the team. Not only are they the first Western women’s soccer team to take home the national championship, they also broke the all-time GNAC record for longest winning streak (24 games in a row) and the GNAC record for most wins in a single season. Those records were both previously held by the 2007 Seattle Pacific team.

Join the team on January 23 to celebrate this remarkable season.

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More than the sum of their parts Two hip-hop dance clubs merge to become one

BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK

S

ini-GANG and WWUHHA, Western’s two hip-hop dance groups merged in May of last school year to create the Sini-HHA, a new dance crew. The club meets inside Fairhaven Complex’s main floor on Tuesdays and Thursdays to practice new choreography, to learn and to dance.

For the last four years, the two groups functioned independently. One year, however, the groups did band together for a dance showcase. The members combined the names of the groups for the showcase which birthed the name Sini-HHA. There were no plans for the group to remain together once the showcase ended, so they each went their separate ways after the event.

Last year, many officers from both clubs graduated and those elected to take over leadership lacked a lot of experience because they were so young.

“WWUHHA would have trouble maintaining practices,” Austin Langsy, Public Relations Director of Sini-HHA, said. “Sini-Gang had the same problem but they did not have enough choreographers to cover and the member retention rate was going down. The merge made it easier for us to schedule practices and open sessions [which are] 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

At these practices and open ses-

sions, members of the club line up and rehearse their routines. Usually, the dancers perform moves in time and relative to other dancers in the room.

The simultaneity of their steps enhances their overall routine to create their entertaining show and to teach their members how to dance.

“The new Sini-HHA is a club that provides a safe and welcoming environment for dancers of all levels. We want to expand the dance community at WWU and the Bellingham community as well,” Langsy said. “We really push for self growth and expressions through dance. All styles are welcome, all ages and anyone who can make it to our practices.”

So far this year, the club has performed at the AS events like the Info Fair as well as Break Down the Ballot.

The club choreographed their routine for the show at the Info Fair, and at Break Down the Ballot, members from the club were break dancing as students were debating the ballot and learning how to vote.

For now, the club continues their weekly practices and invites anyone to participate. Austin Langsy invites anyone to add him on Facebook so they can learn more about the group, and check out their Facebook page “Sini-Hha.”

LEFT: Sini-HHA performs on the PAC Plaza at Fall Info Fair last September.

RIGHT: The members of Sini-HHA smile for the camera before their showcase.

Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review

Kuntz and Company presents “AIRINGS,” a look into the minds of adolescents

BY ALEXANDRIA BAKER

On January 25, at 6:30 p.m. on the Performing Arts Center (PAC) Mainstage, Kuntz and Company is performing their original work titled “AIRINGS...voices of our youth.”

The dances are visual depictions of the struggles many people face in their adolescence, particularly the period from middle to high school. The choreography was influenced by meetings with Western’s psychology department, which helped the dancers truly enter the mindset of a teenager. Additionally, 20 teenagers from the Bellingham area shared their stories with Pam Kuntz, the artistic director and founder of Kuntz and Company.

Kuntz states on the website for her company that she is particularly interested in sharing stories from the community. Past topics the company has tackled with their dances include Asperger’s Syndrome, HIV/AIDS and themes of family. The website also states that the topics are often chosen by request, so the dances truly reflect the stories and struggles of the community.

“AIRINGS” was previously shown at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center in November.

Kuntz and Company also used input from the psychology department to develop workbooks for educators and parents to discuss the topics covered in the show.

Tickets are free with reservation and can be reserved online at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/airingsvoices-of-our-youth-tickets-29736659148.

Annual “Winter Dances” to grace the stage

BY ALEXANDRIA BAKER

Running from January 19 - 22, this performance of original student choreography is a great showcase for Western’s many talented dance students.

The show will be held at the PAC Mainstage, at 7:30 p.m. on Jan 19, 20 and 21, with the final show on Jan 22 a matinee at 2 p.m.

This performance is an annual tradition for students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) dance program. Students pursuing choreography, dance and lighting design participate in the creation of the work.

Since the show features original work by students, there is no set genre for the dance.

Dance professor Nolan Dennet describes it as impressionistic and contemporary, and urges the audience to simply enjoy the show, rather than try to “figure it out.”

The choreographers for this performance are Tara Reiter, Evyn Bartlett, Keenan Komoto, Shannon Jung, Laurel Jenkins and Toshinae French.

One piece, “A-Lure-ing,” will represent Western at the American College Dance Festival in the spring. Tickets can be bought at the PAC Box Office.

01.16.2017 • 11

For a quintessential house show experience, check out Jacuzzi House

BY JULIA BERKMAN

J

acuzzi House was my refuge from the freezing night one Thursday evening. The house, located some 30 feet from a gas station, was packed to the gills with people who, despite the school night, were ready to dance their hearts out to the music. With both Faux Pause and Kuvoza on the headline for the evening, Jacuzzi House’s theme seemed to be fairly instrumental. However, rowdy Step Dads and Iris Jupiter came through with the noise.

Jack Aldrich is the man behind the curtain in overseeing events at Jacuzzi House. He founded the venue in September of 2014 after moving into the

house. He and his friend Matt Velez started booking shows almost immediately and it went from there. After Velez moved out, Aldrich worked solo for a while before partnering up with his former neighbor and current housemate Adam. The pair now book at least a show a month.

Aldrich is also the guitarist for experimental instrumental band Kuvoza. The four-piece ensemble, “focuses on layering and building a sound and groove which washes over the listeners.”

He himself loves heavier music, but unfortunately Jacuzzi House isn’t reinforced to support the mosh that would ensue.

Kuvoza was one of four bands that played at Jacuzzi house the night I stopped by. The room was crowded, especially for a Thursday. People danced in the dim pink lighting and socialized in the kitchen beyond it. Unlike Mosh Eisley, Jacuzzi House has a layer of empty beer cans and a back-alley feel. This venue is the quintessential house show starter pack. Admission to Jacuzzi House is free and open to all.

What other venues does Aldrich think you should check out? Mosh Eisley and Karate Church are his two picks. You can check out Jacuzzi’s upcoming shows on their Facebook page.

Winter Sports Update: basketball, softball and track & field

BY JOSH HUGHES

A

s winter briskly sets in, Western’s athletics prepare to amp up for an exciting quarter.

After women’s soccer won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II (D2) tournament this past fall, the winter sports teams intend to keep up Western’s excellent track record as a D2 school. While our consistently title-winning women’s rowing team will have to wait another quarter for their spotlight, a plethora of other teams will undoubtedly have their moments to shine over these next few months.

Men’s Basketball: Western’s men’s basketball team has already won two games this quarter, against Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage, and they’ll have at least seven home games in the next month and a half. Since Carver is still under construction, home games will be held at Whatcom Community College (WCC). Men’s basketball had an impeccable fall quarter, winning 11 of their 15 games, so expect an equally exciting winter for them.

Last December, Western’s Taylor Stafford scored 44 points against UC San Diego, leading Western to victory in a 104-81 game. Last year, the team tied for 6th in the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) tournament as the number six seed, and this year they are expected to place with good standing in the tournament, which takes place the first weekend of March, followed by the NCAA DII Tournament.

Most home games can be broadcast on KBAI Radio at 930 AM, or online at wwuvikings. com Track & Field: The indoor season of Western’s track and field team starts with the UW Indoor Preview meet on January 14, which kicks off a string of UW meets over the next few months. The team never performs at Western during the indoor season, but after the UW events they will have a chance to go to the GNAC Championships in Nampa, Idaho, in late February.

The outdoor track and field season starts in spring quarter, where the team will travel to Tacoma for a Puget Sound University meet. Over the quarter, the team will travel to Texas, Oregon and California, to name just a few of the cities that will hold meets from March to late May. Senior javelin thrower Bethany Drake has recently come into the spotlight for competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials and being named GNAC Field Athlete of the week on multiple occasions throughout last year. Expect her senior year to only improve upon her unpar-

alleled track record at Western, along with plenty other runners, jumpers and throwers at Western.

Women’s Basketball: Like the men’s team, Western’s women’s basketball has already kicked off the quarter with two wins, one against Northwest Nazarene and the other against Central Washington. Also playing at WCC, they will have eight home games over the next month or so, followed by the chance to compete in the GNAC Tournament and eventually the NCAA DII Tournament.

Their ranking within the division, which has just recently improved from 23 to 22, places them at good standing for the season, and with their recent wins the team is expected to have a successful few months.

Senior Taylor Peacocke had quite the year last year, scoring a place on the GNAC All-Academic Team and starting and playing in all 28 games, and this year she should continue to be at the top of her game. Games can also be streamed online at wwuvikings.com or heard on KBAI Radio at 930 AM. Softball: Lastly, Western’s softball team will start the year off on February 2, where they will play Hawaii-Pacific as the away team. Their season, unlike the other winter sports, should extend deep into spring quarter, culminating in the GNAC Championships in Lacey, WA, in early May. Last year, four players, Emily Benson, Kali Patterson, Alexie Levin and Emma Blauser all made it into the 2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball All-Conference Team, led by first-baseman Benson, a junior. Benson hit the single season home run record last year with 12 home runs, so the next few years she has even more time to grow as an athlete and show her talents for the team.

While the team has quite a few away games this year, they will make their first home appearance against Montana State-Billings on March 4, which kicks off their busiest month of the season.

Western sports have plenty to offer during winter quarter, so go outside and support the athletes and teams! Go Vikings!

12 • as.wwu.edu/asreview

“The Danger of Silence” presentation set to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

BY ALEXANDRIA BAKER

On Jan 17, the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Western will provide some enriching presentations and workshops from two activists and scholars in his honor. The keynote presentation is titled “The Danger of Silence” and will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall.

The keynote presenter, Clint Smith III, has given TED Talks and authored a book of poetry called “Counting Descent.” His popular TED Talk “The Danger of Silence & How to Raise a Black Son in America” has been seen more than 5 million times.

The other speaker featured will be Nikkita Oliver, a Seattle-based writer and activist. She often facilitates writing workshops, and is a teaching artist. Oliver is also an attorney, and received her master’s of Education in racial disproportionality and disparate impact in school exclusion.

Oliver will be leading workshops earlier in the day before the presentation. Her workshops will focus on social justice and inclusion, with a session for staff and faculty at 1 p.m. in VU 565 A/B, and a session at 4 p.m. in the same room for students. A reflection and meditation space will be open in VU 565 C as well.

The workshops and presentation are sure to be relevant and engaging. It’s an excellent opportunity for students to remind themselves of why the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is still so important today, and how they can work to ensure that his dream becomes a reality for all people.

Image courtesy of the AS Child Development Center // AS Publicity Center

Swing Kids dance the night away at weekly jamboree Join in the fun every Wednesday night in the MPR from 7 to 8 p.m. for a lesson and from 8 to 9:30 p.m. for a social dance.

Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review