BLEEP Magazine 307

AUGUST 2013 Issue • 307

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P E E BL

THE SKIVVIES

THE DUO TALKS SOLD OUT SHOWS AND SINGING IN THEIR SKIVVIES BLEEP GOES TO COMIC CON

SEE WHAT WE SAW AT THE SAN DIEGO MEGA-FAN-FEST

THE BIG D

NORTH TEXAS DANCERS SHARE THEIR STRUGGLE TO SHINE IN THEIR ART BLEEP 1

what’s

n i p e ble inside

ON THE COVER

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There’s no one else quite like The Skivvies. They’ve shared the (nearly nude) stage with the biggest names on Broadway and are taking New York by storm with sold-out shows.

We chat with the duo about what inspires them.

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HOUSTON to AUSTIN

Austin is known for having some of the best indie music in the country and Seraph is proving that’s true. After relocating from Houston to Austin, Scott Andrews and co. are getting people talking with their brand of music.

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BLEEP GOES TO COMIC CON

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RED HOT SUMMER Summer Crosley has modeled all over the world and been featured in every major fashion magazine you can think of. Now, she’s using her name for more than press and fame. She’s focused on preserving the oceans and beaches she loves so much.

The annual mega fan-fest in San Diego is a destination for pop culture lovers of all types.

This year, we take a look at why it’s important and get a look from the floor at the fans wearing some of the coolest costumes inspired by their favorite pop culture characters.

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Letter from the Editor It’s August, it’s hot, and so are our cover artists. The Skivvies have taken New York by storm and here’s why they are such a hot commodity: they are jacks of all trades. Both are accomplished performers on stage, performing all over the country and around a year ago, they joined forces, lost a layer of clothing and enlisted some of the most talented performers in musical theatre to sing with them.

Here’s what I love about BLEEP. In the same issue with The Skivvies, two people who are established performers who share the stage with TONY Award winners, we’ve got four up-and-coming dancers who are just getting their start. These four college students are preparing to make their mark on the stage. I love that we run the gamut of “success” on our pages. Success has to be in quotations because success isn’t defined by awards on a shelf or money in the bank. Success, for an artist, is defined in a myriad of ways. It can be the success of taking on a new challenge, or it could be making a connection with an audience member.

It might be having your art showcased, or sometimes, just completion can equate a monumental success.

For me, this has been a wild few months and I feel a lot like these up-andcoming artists in that my first book releases this month. It’s scary and exciting and invigorating to know that something I’ve worked so hard on is going to be out there in the world. To me, success will be if it helps someone think differently about their life and the lives of others. That’s success for me. I feel like I’m about to take the stage and the curtain is about to rise...it’s really exciting.

Where else can you find the array of artists that you can find in one of our issues? I don’t think you will. Even the people who work on BLEEP are as diverse as the artists in it. I love that. And thank you for continuing to support the artists on our pages because for the up-and-coming artist, your support in going to their show/buying their painting/downloading their song could plant the seeds of future successes in them.

Ryan Brinson Editor-in-Chief

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The Big D These dancers could argue that Dance is one of the most expressive forms of art. We let them. Check out these four dancers from Dallas.

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ANOTHER BEN HUMENIUK CARTOON!

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BLEEP CREATIVITY. UNCENSORED. RYAN BRINSON Editor-in-Chief LISA SORENSON Design/Decor Editor RACHAEL MARIBOHO Culture Editor SARAH ROTKER Business & Audience Development Manager BEN HUMENIUK Cartoonist TYLER DEAN KING Cover Photography FEATURE EDITORS: Juan Lerma Molly Craycroft WRITERS: Caleb Bollenbacher Danielle Milam Courtney Shotwell Lisa Sorenson Laura Seitter Alex Wright FEATURE CONTRIBUTORS: Katherine Morgan Nathan Robins WEB CONTENT: Sheena Wagaman Renee Rodriguez Eric Lehman Jordan Shalhoub

All articles and photos are the property of the writers and artists. All rights reserved.

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SIX WINDOWS PRESENTS A HERO OF OUR TIME

by Sheena Wagaman

SIX WINDOWS PRESENTS A HERO OF OUR TIME is a meta-theatrical play about a theater company on their closing night of a show they produced based on an adaptation of a 19th century Russian novel.

Walking into this theater, you feel as if you are going to any another off-off-Broadway play, there are 3 rows of 10 chairs each, the set has papers thrown all around it, gradually, there are people running back and forth the room and you realize some audience members look like they belong in the cast.

As things seem to become more and more hectic and chairs are being placed in a row infront of you, you start to question, did I read something on the ticket wrong? Did I miss the show? What’s happening right now?

The actors then file in one at a time and begin talking and finally you realize this was and is all part of the play.

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This play centers itself around how different people interact and deal with each other as it breaks down their characters through revelations revealed through those interactions.

The improvisation of the show keeps you on your toes since most of the time, you really have no idea what to expect next. The stage presence of all the actors is divided up well, considering how many people you are getting stories from all at once. I enjoyed this play because I think it’s something new and fresh and a twist on the meta-theatrical plays people have seen before. Though I will say this, you will walk out of the play thinking to yourself, What just happened? You will also leave feeling as though you intruded on people’s personal lives and feel like you want to go back in the hopes of finding something you missed the first time.

WWW.CALLIOPETHEATRE.COM

INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER

We live in a time when anybody has the capability to use their laptops and even their phones to create high quality videos and films. But as the field becomes more crowded, the artists who really know what they’re doing need to be highlighted and made known.

Up-and-coming filmmaker Nazim Uddin, who’s film “Freedom of the Damned” was made Official Selection at the Manhattan Film Festival chats about the inspiration behind his film and what the filmmaking process was like filming the short.

After a couple years worth of work, the film is being seen by audiences all over the world, thanks to YouTube.

Check out what Nazim had to say about the film and then watch the short.

WE’RE ‘LOVING’ MATT CARDLE

The X-Factor in the US might not be producing any superstars just yet, but in the UK, they are finding world-class talent. Leona Lewis had huge success State-side and currently Olly Murs and Little Mix are in regular radio play.

Another talent is Matt Cardle, winner of the seventh season, and his new single with Spice

Girl Melanie C, “Loving You,” is a perfectly crafted and beautifully sung duet. The video is simple and sexy, the song is the same.

Leave the self-indulgent hip-hop music behind and take a listen to an actual love song by two stellar artists.

Click on the link below to watch the video and hear the song.

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CHECK OUT OUR BACK ISSUES ON WWW.BLEEPMAG.COM

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the intersection by

caleb bollenbacher

Photo by Eva Rinaldi

Importance

I had a different post ready to go.

I had given it a lot of thought, it grabbed my interest, and it’s a discussion I still want to start, maybe next month. But then a tragedy hit Hollywood and I was left asking myself “why is this affecting me?”

As most of you are surely aware by the time of this publication, Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson on Glee, died this past week (at the time of this writing, at any rate). At 31, well before someone like that should be dealing with their mid-life crisis, let alone the end of their life. I was online when the story broke and as soon as I started seeing headlines pop up my stomach curled up into a ball. I felt nauseous.

And then I felt a little embarrassed. It’s not like Cory was one of my friends or part of my family. He was my favorite actor on my favorite show, and I admired the way he chose to use his fame to give back, but I didn’t even know him. Why was it bothering me so much? I felt guilty.

So I started to think about it. I started looking deeper. What is it about celebrity that makes my parents and grandparents still talk about the day they saw JFK assassinated? Why do I still remember where I was when Heath Ledger died? No, these aren’t people that are part of our daily interactions…but they are part of our lives, strange as it may be. Entertainment is important. Maybe not important with a capital ‘I’, but it is important, and here’s why: stories allow us to explore the spectrum of who we can be, within a safe vacuum. We can see and examine the dangerous potential for dark, and we can be challenged towards the light. Actors specifically provide a very relatable point of entry into the question of “what if?”

My friends and I constantly play a game where we assign fictional characters to ourselves. Sometimes the debate gets heated. Anytime the discussion came up in regards to Glee I would passionately insist that I am Finn. Anytime we watched the show I would point out similarities between us, even though there were plenty that weren’t there, because there was so much 12 BLEEP

about that character that inspires me. Of course, there’s a certain limit to how much I want to be like any on-screen idol – or any human for that matter – but that’s the point of television: to give us heroes that we can aspire to, something slightly beyond human.

That’s why, in times like this, we hurt. Yes, part of it is because we are losing someone who we have let into our living rooms, and because in cases like the deaths of Ledger or Monteith – who both left unresolved characters in their wake – we are losing some part of our story. The real problem, though – the less superficial, but perhaps even more selfish reason – is that is an absolutely brutal collision between reality and fiction; life plowing into art at the intersection.

When we lose a star, this access point into hopes and dreams, we are forced into the realization that even in the midst of potential there is vulnerability. The glass shatters, and the vacuum disappears. Finn Hudson might have been a controlled environment in which to challenge us, but when all was said and done his good deeds didn’t equal invincibility. When all was said and done, Cory Monteith was one of us, and that truth can be an unnerving one.

We equate stars with power, but as much as we might allow ourselves to be deceived, they are just like us. At the end of the day, there is no salvation in celebrity.

Rest In Peace, Cory.

REEL LIFE

by Alex Wright

Hunting Season

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f your Facebook news feed looks anything like mine, it is covered with announcements of weddings and engagements. If your summer has been anything like mine, you have been flying from city to city, hopping from wedding to wedding, and paying off a credit card bill that only consists of dishware and towel purchases. And if you’re an artist in your prime hitching years, and if you’re anything like me, this time of year brings up a lot of questions.

I call this time of year “hunting season” because for us single folk, summers make us aware of our singledom in a way that is not unlike the holiday season, and this causes everyone to go on the hunt for a mate! The only difference is, the source of your single shame is not Aunt Mabel and her relentless questions about your relationship status, but is instead a little tick box on a RSVP card. Plus one? Or dreadfully ALONE? Also, in this season, you can hunt for hookups in a way that isn’t really possible at Aunt Mabel’s (or maybe you’re like that with your second cousin, I don’t know).

It wasn’t shocking when my friends from Mississippi and Texas were getting hitched. It is the South, after all. (Side note: I’m pretty sure all of my friends and family are worried that since I am 25 and single, I am doomed to die a lonely death, reciting Shakespeare to my cat and yelling at those darn neighborhood brats to get off my porch. I will become eccentric ole Alexandra, the lonely spinster who is rumored to have killed the beau from her youth as a sacrificial offering to the God of Theater, Dionysus.)

As soon as my friends from California and Boston started getting engaged, my head exploded a little on my computer. Just a little bit. I found solace in the fact that my inner circle of close friends and I were all rowing in the same single boat. Happily rowing, as it were. While I have a handful of married theater friends (three, to be exact), most of my actor friends are single. Sure, we date, but we rarely make the commitment to be in a serious relationship. What is it in us, or rather, what is not in us, that causes this phenomenon?

The thing is, I do want to be married one day. I want children. I want a fun-loving, dopey dog and a sassy, overweight cat. A goldfish too, why not? I don’t want to end up as the crotchety eccentric loon down the street. For some reason though, I have this absurd thought that I won’t be able to do the things I love. All

of a sudden, I won’t be able to travel and explore new cities. I won’t write. I won’t act.

And then, if I’m honest with myself, I will admit I just want control. I wish people and their secrets were as easy to unlock as cities and that they came with maps, a Zagat guide of sorts. When I act, I feel in control. Characters can be unlocked with some textual hunting. Hunt long enough and you will find the seed from which the character sprouts. People are different; you can hunt and hunt and never find the seed to that person. There is always some unknown factor, and that is the factor that can hurt you. You can never fully know or understand a person like a map, or a city, or a piece of text. Everyone is alone in their life experience, and, in the end, people are islands, not cities.

Is there a way to reconcile these two sides of me: the actor and the wife? I’m currently rehearsing the Wendy Wasserstein play Uncommon Women and Others, and one of the characters says, “I would really like to meet my prince. Even a few princes. And I wouldn’t give up being a person. I’d still remember all the Art History dates.” I could be in a serious relationship and still be the artist I am now. I would probably be a better one, at that. More open and not quite so afraid. I’ve done it before, and truth be told, some of my best work was created while I was in love.

Actors tend to be rebellious and stubborn. We don’t like being told what to do—unless we are onstage or on set. Instead, we flit away before you can pin us down. I have a feeling that we seek families in the form of castmates because it is safe and temporary.

We are often lonely and nomadic, and so we scream across an orchestra pit to have the world hear us.

However, we will always row along with you, give you all we have to give. We will adore you, and ask that you adore us, but at a distance, please. Rehearsal is ending or the show is closing, and while we might not go home alone, I think every actor has an inner seed that is inherently melancholy. It keeps us exploring, keeps us rowing. Keeps us hunting.

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CREATIVE pages

The Sh!t No OneTellsYou by Dawn Dais

Danielle Milam

5/5 BABY BOTTLES “When I told them [friends with kids] I was pregnant all I heard was “Congrats!” and “Yippee!!” Never did any of them say, “Hold on to your f’n hat. Shit’s about to get real.” - Dawn Dais The world has been gripped with baby fever since the moment we learned Princess Kate was pregnant.

Now, Kate has popped out little Prince George and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

“Okay, sure,” you’re thinking, “I followed the news of the Royal Baby, but why in the world would I read a book about parenting if I’m not a parent?” Here’s why: you have judged the mom at the grocery store with the screaming child. Don’t deny it. We’ve all done it. This book will help put that judgement into perspective. But, don’t think I’m getting high and mighty on you because I still find myself judging those mom’s too. However, I think I have a bit more compassion to go along with my judgement.

I recently crossed the gap from baby-less to babyfull to screaming baby in my arms. About a month and a half into my new role as mommy, the fog started to lift and I suddenly became enough of a functional human to feel an emotion other than tired and freaked out by this new little person that I was totally responsible for and love more than anything.

Unfortunately, that new emotion was annoyance.

“Why did no one tell me having a baby would be like this? Why does everyone expect me to be jumping up and down with joy every second of the day when I’m covered in spit-up, have dealt with four poopy diapers, and still have crazy, uncontrollable hormones? Don’t give me this ‘What To Expect’ nonsense. No one could ever expect this!Where is the book that tells it like it is?” I wondered.

And then, I found Dawn Dais book. It is

wickedly funny in the way it describes all the struggles and unexpected experiences of having a newborn.

Finally, someone is addressing the real issues of becoming a new parent.

With hilarious chapter titles like “Having Pets Did Not Prepare You For This” and “No One Is Loving This as Much as Their Facebook Posts Would Have You Believe” I just couldn’t put the book down (unless the baby was crying which may have led to me crying or I was crying from laughing so hard or crying for absolutely no reason- see chapter 6 “So Many Tears” for clarification).

The truth is that I am a new enough parent to remember how I thought about that screaming kid and parent before I entered the mommy club myself.

But, how do you make a non-parent understand what its like to be a parent? You can’t. Dais is right when she says, “having pets doesn’t prepare you for this”. There is no correlation I can make to life before kids and life with kids.

However, the amazing thing about books is they let us see from another perspective. That is the most amazing aspect about this book. Non-parents reading it wont understand completely what it’s like to have a newborn, but behind the sarcasm and laughter of Dais words is truth. It is my hope that after reading this book if you see me in the store with no make up, covered in spit up, with bags three miles long under my eyes, holding my crying bundle of joy, you will judge me a little less harshly and instead offer me a compassionate look while thinking, “I am so glad that is not me.”

MUST READ FOR: ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYONE WITH A NEWBORN, ALL NEW PARENTS, AND, WELL, JUST EVERYONE! Want more book reviews?

Check out www.daniellesviews.blogspot.com

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List

by Rachael Mariboho

We at BLEEP have long been fans of the royal family, particularly the beautiful Kate, whose style and comportment we wish some American “celebrities” would emulate. Now that she has birthed the royal heir, we wanted to pay tribute to the new little prince, and what better way than to pay homage to his esteemed, though rather long, name. What we realized is that in spite of all the posturing about the various historical meanings of and associations with his name, the new Prince of Cambridge’s name is actually tied to some significant pop cultural art and artists. We have looked to the realms of television, literature, film, and music to find notable representations of in popular cultural of Prince George Alexander Louis’s name.

Prince – Of course we have The Artist formally known as Prince, who we must give some credit

to, because our favorite prince is Fred Armisen’s version of The Artist Formally Known as. Watch any one of the SNL presentations of “The Prince Show” and you will agree that Armisen’s overthe-top, slightly bumbling, and always hilarious, impression of Prince is one of the best celebrity impersonations in SNL history.

George – Yes, there are a lot of George’s out there: George Clooney, George Costanza, George of

the Jungle, etc… but our favorite George is Curious George, obviously. He is an adorable monkey who goes on lots of adventures with The Man in the Yellow Hat, and his stories are beloved by millions of children. Perhaps it will also be a favorite tale of the future king of England.

Alexander – Like George, Alexander is a popular name, and there are many inventors, writers,

and historical figures that could be on this list, but we wouldn’t be BLEEP if we did not draw upon at least one film for this list. So, it is with great ado, and a little reluctance, that we remember “Alexander,” that epic historical drama based on the life of Alexander the Great. While there interesting moments in the film, not the least the pseudo-sexual relationship between Alexander’s mother, played by Angelina Jolie, and Colin Farrell as the title character, what this film cannot be forgiven for, but will always be remembered because of, is dying Farrell’s hair blond.

Louis – In all of pop music, is there a catchier, yet also more confusing song than “Louie Louie?”

Written by Richard Barry and recorded by the Kingsmen’s, part of the reason the song lyrics are almost unintelligible was to conceal the dirty words in the song when it was first recorded. Still, it is, we believe, the best use of the name Louie (which is close enough to Louis) in pop culture.

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beauty & the bean courtney shotwell by

Gathering controversy, not moss In its nearly half century of existence, Rolling Stone has gathered its share of controversy and very little moss. This week, the famed magazine fighting to stay alive in a rapidly changing media market has made news again for a provocative article that has resulted in it getting banned in a number of US retail outlets: its August cover carries a cover story on the Boston bomber, seeking to understand and explain how he became a terrorist.

The sympathetic tone of the article has outraged many Bostonians who state the magazine is glamorizing terrorism and insulting a city that went into a massive lockdown when its annual Marathon was attacked by two brothers, infused with violent radicalism, using pressure cooker bombs. While elder brother Tamerlan Tsarniev died in a subsequent confrontation with police, the surviving younger brother, 19-year old Dzhokhar Tsarniev, now on trial, is featured on the magazine cover under the headline The Bomber: How a popular, promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam, and became a monster.

Isn’t this a sticky situation? Laying out the facts, the picture featured on the cover has been used in multiple newspapers. Magazine covers are used to ‘feature’ artists, celebrities and icons. Rolling Stone took a bold step. There is no such thing as bad press, right? Is the sympathetic tone in this article intentional? Of course it is. I am aware of tactics in communication that allow you to ‘feel’ certain things.

Should I be sympathetic toward his unfortunate 18 BLEEP

upbringing? I want to be. I wish I could be. Let’s not get into the nature vs. nurture battle, but let’s flirt with it. At some point, you have to put your big boy pants on and choose to live a life that is different from what has been modeled for you. Choose to be the one who sets a new pattern for your family name. Sadly, the statement he decided to make with his family name harmed innocent people.

Should Rolling Stone have put Tsarniev on the cover? Probably not. Unless they had new information to present. They did not interview Tsarniev. The article provides facts about his background, none of which are excuses for the actions he took in Boston. As someone who believes in forgiveness, I also believe in consequences for your actions.

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THIS MONTHS UNDISCOVERED TALENT IS SINGER AND SONGWRITER KRYSTAL MONIQUE. KRYSTAL’S SOULFUL VOICE AND TIMELESS STYLE ARE CERTAIN TO BRING HER TO THE TOP. RECENTLY PERFORMING AT NEW YORK CITY’S HOT CLUB THE BITTER END, KRYSTAL GOT A TASTE OF NYC THAT IS SURE TO BRING HER BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN. SHE SPOKE WITH BLEEP MAGAZINE ABOUT WHY SHE HAS YET TO BE DISCOVERED AND HOW HER FAMILY SUPPORTS HER TALENTS. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? Toledo, Ohio.

DID THAT HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR TALENTS? I would say so. I create songs based on my surroundings and real life situations.

WHAT TYPE OF ARTIST DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE? Singer/Songwriter WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER THIS ABOUT YOURSELF? I began singing at the age of 8.

HAS YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS SUPPORTED YOU FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS? My family is extremely supportive. They are my support system.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM? My dream is to become a very successful recording artist/writer that creates music that is timeless.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU’RE STILL UNDISCOVERED? I just need to be at the right place at the right time. Having the right people on your team is key also. I’ve had a few setbacks in that area but now I believe that I’m on the right path and I expect great things.

YOU PERFORMED RECENTLY IN NYC, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT PERFORMING HERE? I love the diversity of people. I believe that my music is universal.

WWW.KRYSTALMONIQUE.COM

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BY MOLLY CRAYCROFT

undiscovered Photo by Mark Von Holden: www.markvonholden.com.

WWW.MOLLYNEWS.COM

L A T S Y R K E U Q I MON

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IN SERAPH, SCOTT ANDREWS’ BRAND OF MUSIC HAS DRAWN COMPARISONS TO RYAN ADAMS, KINGS OF LEON, PINK FLOYD, AND THE GOO GOO DOLLS. NOW, THE HOUSTON NATIVE IS LOOKING TO TAKE THE INDIE SCENE BY STORM. BLEEP 23 PHOTOS BY MEGHAN HELLER OF DIGIMEG PHOTOGRAPHY

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? how important it is to live and love with everything I grew up in the massive expanse of suburban they have while they can. sprawl we call Houston. I moved to Austin to start over after going through some hard times and kicking WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO? WHO some bad habits.

ARE YOU A FAN OF? So many kinds of music. Everything from the classics WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START PLAYING like Miles Davis and Ravi Shankar, to Ryan Adams or MUSIC? Mark Knopfler, they’ve been major influences.

I started playing music as a youngster with violin and double bass then discovered the guitar years WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT MAKING later as a teenager. I’ve always been fascinated with MUSIC? music and found a real magic in the experience of Living my life like anyone and everyone else… creating it. walking or bathing my two giant rescue dogs (Luna and King), managing my finances, traveling the US WHERE DOES YOUR SOUND COME FROM? and abroad, and spending time in nature when I It’s a wide blend of musical moments from a variety can. It’s such a struggle balancing the modern and of genres and influences. The magic melodies of natural world and I have this longing to find harmony Motown, the grooves and passionate delivery of Stax between the two.

Records, the introspection of bands like the Counting Crows and Smashing Pumpkins. And, certainly the WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CONCERT THUS angst of bands like Pink Floyd and The Cure. These FAR AND WHY? days our sound has been very influenced by Austin’s Probably the Sigur Rós concerts I’ve been to. They folk rock scene. We’ve dropped the synths and picked were larger than life! The music was beyond moving up the lap steel and switched on the distortion. Telling and I’ve yet to feel as moved by anything I’ve heard a story while still moving your feet! since... except maybe David Ramirez, a friend and personal hero of the Texas songwriter scene.

WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM FOR YOUR SONGS? WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? Life experiences all the way. Sometimes it takes My dream is to share my story of life, death, and years to be able to distill the emotions into something music and to have my work and artistic efforts received legible. But my best songs, in my opinion, wrote in a way that it makes some lasting impression on this themselves in one sitting after years of burying the world and the people in it. past. We tend to connect most with the truths we try to avoid.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? We are looking to record a full LP with a new WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER SINGERS producer and partner with others who aren’t willing ON THE RADIO CURRENTLY? to compromise integrity or artistic vision. We are also My goals, most likely; where others want to make working on some cool lyric videos and a full blown fortunes and achieve fame, I simply want to bring video for one of my favorite tracks on the upcoming something of a revelation to my listeners and to inspire album. Going on a radio tour in the next few weeks them to love and live life to the fullest. Most people and hoping to play some shows in new markets too. are sleepwalking through their lives, including those I’m open to anything! I do know that, whatever is artists on the radio, not realizing the mortality of it all next, it won’t be settling! or the impact we all have on one another. I’m hoping to wake up the sleeping hearts and remind them of WWW.SERAPHSOUNDS.COM 24 BLEEP

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THERE’S NO ONE ELSE QUITE LIKE THE SKIVVIES. THEY’VE SHARED THE (NEARLY NUDE) STAGE WITH THE BIGGEST NAMES ON BROADWAY AND ARE TAKING NEW YORK BY STORM WITH SOLD-OUT SHOWS. WE CHAT WITH THE DUO ABOUT WHAT INSPIRES THEM. Photography by Tyler Dean King Photo Assistant: Cocoa Lynch Shot at the American Museum of Natural History in New York BLEEP City 29

WHAT MUSIC DID YOU LISTEN TO AS A KID? Nick: My first album was Janet Jackson’s “Control.”

My sister is seven years older than me and she always had the best taste in music. So whatever she was listening to at the time was what I listened to as a kid. Also, my dad was a DJ so we always had the most current music, all on vinyl, and his fancy equipment.

My dad most recently starting giving me his vinyl collection because I have become such a vinyl junkie.

I love listening to an original album on vinyl because there’s something about the sound of the needle on the record that feels like a complete experience.

Lauren: I grew up in Detroit with a father who is a bass player in the Detroit Symphony, so there was always classical music playing. My mother is a dancer and would always have Motown, R&B and pop playing on the radio. As a child of the 80s and a teenager in the 90s, my eclectic tastes ran the gamut from Madonna to TLC to Alanis Morissette to Pearl Jam to Radiohead.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PLAY THE TYPE OF MUSIC YOU PLAY IN THE BAND NOW? Nick: I feel I am attracted to things that aren’t necessarily the popular choice even though I am such a whore for pop music in general. The songs we cover are good songs for a reason whether it is the music, lyrics, or both. So we know how the song works as originally performed. We like to make it unique by putting our spin on it. What’s the point of covering a song if we are just going to copy the originals? So I like to think we “un” cover the song...literally. We are in our underwear. I also like irony.

Lauren: We love taking songs that have either a lyric that is ridiculous (most pop and hip-hop), or songs that are overproduced, and stripping them down to

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expose the words and the core of the melody. The funniest results are usually mash-ups that involve unexpected pairings of naughty language with sweet melodies on the classical sounding cello and the quirky sounding ukulele, i.e, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls, Lil Jon, Beyonce.

Nick: The instruments we use to arrange the specific songs we do rely on a lot of factors like the tone, the mood, and the lyrics and then how we want to interpret them. Creating music with Lauren is therapeutic and happiness that has been rolled up into fulfillment. When I create things from scratch, it is the most fulfilling. When I create things with Lauren, it is bliss.

WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS WHEN DOING A NEW ARRANGEMENT OF SONGS? Lauren: We usually start by taking a song that we love, or that would be extra hilarious to be heard coming out of our mouths. We see if that song would make sense thematically in a mash-up, and what other songs we could pair with it. Sometimes we have a word that unites the mash-up, sometimes, an overall theme, sometimes the chord progressions and melodies connect the songs. We decide on instrumentation and then keep playing around till we find something that feels perfect.

Nick: For me, I always keep the lyrics at the forefront.

We love to expose the lyric as much as we can. For a lot of our mash-up arrangements, we like to try to tell a story by sewing the lyrics of all the songs involved into one. It gives the songs a nice twist.

Also, if it is an arrangement designed for a specific guest, we like to work with them too. We always are trying different things out with arrangements new

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BONUS BLEEPvid and old so I never feel married to a specific idea. who have never heard it before. The reveal of each We like to remain flexible and be able to enhance it song after the other is fun because their reactions however we can. are so entertaining. I also love our “Groovy Medley” it’s a combination of “Feeling Groovy” “Groove is in STAYING FIT HAS TO BE A PART OF YOUR DAILY the Heart” and “Groovy Kind of Love.” It’s basically a ROUTINE. WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY LOOKING Skivvies classic that feels pretty, well, groovy.

GREAT IN YOUR SKIVVIES? Nick: I would consider myself an excellent “rhythm Nick: I so look forward to Lauren’s answer on this ukulele” player if that’s even a thing, meaning I like to one! I haven’t eaten meat in 18 years. Lauren also strum the uke like I am playing the drum. So the more doesn’t do meat. I’ve trained with Cory Stewart here percussive I get to be, the happier I am. I also love in the city. My mom bought me an Ab Roller when I getting to play the Boomwhackers like a bell choir was in the 7th grade. She must have used her psychic for our “Live Like We are powers to know I was going to have to be in my Young Folks” mash of all underwear a lot at some point in the future. Honestly, things “young.” And of I feel as though my brain makes better choices with course our bluegrass/ every aspect of my life, especially in a creative setting, hip hop tinged single when I have broken a sweat. So however I can do that “Hardbody Hoedown” Check out our interview everyday, I’m cool. because it has garnered with the duo to find out how Lauren: I am very active, running around on a daily the most popularity they met, why they’re in basis. I am a pescetarian and try to eat on the healthy through iTunes and their underwear and more side. I do yoga and P90x abs too. our video directed by about all things Skivvies!

Augusten Burroughs.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG IN YOUR SET CURRENTLY? Nick: It’s easier for me to tell you my least favorite song! For me, I try to find reasons to love each song whether its because of the instrument I play on it, the words we sing on it, if it is for a really fun and special guest (always a highlight), there are endless variables.

I always enjoy performing our first song “Its Hot Hot Hot Up in Herre” because it’s the first moment we get to hear the audience respond. That is always an exciting moment in any performance. It’s like having a conversation with someone and their reaction encourages your next move.

Lauren: That’s a tough one, I always love performing our dirty mega-medley of “Hardbody Hoedown” (a hip WWW.THESKIVVIESNYC.COM hop and rap body part mashup of songs) for people

WANT MORE SKIVVIES?

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COMIC THE SIGHTS IN SAN DIEGO

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C CON ON THE SCENE WITH ANDREW SHADDOX & ANACELY LOPEZ

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“What is this?” The Lady asks to no one in particular. She is clearly aghast at having to share a table with me and watches crowds of people walk by in costumes, carrying large bags advertising television shows, movies and comics.

“It’s Comic-Con.” I offer, and she stares at me, mystified. I smile, before picking up my own massive bag filled with the day’s purchases and stepping off the curb to rejoin the mad rush of bodies that will sweep me back to the San Diego Convention Center for Comic Con International 2013.

Once a year, we come here in droves.

Thousands upon thousands of us fly, drive or otherwise transport ourselves for four glorious days devoted to all our favorite fandoms. A sea of diverse, faces from all walks of life descend upon San Diego Comic Con united in our love of all things geek. For many, it’s a long road. We have spent all year scrimping and saving, foregoing an extra drink at the bar just to have enough to get here. In the end, we know we will be well-rewarded.

As the mecca for fans who love video games, movies, television and most importantly comics, a walk through the convention on any given day will send you through a dizzying arrangement of technicolor booths, a bizarre pastiche of the once-familiar and altogether brand-new, and a massive conglomeration of people who are all there to worship at the altars of 36 BLEEP

their greatest escapes. From the most obscure to the most popular, nothing is forgotten at Comic Con. What makes the biggest impression? For some, it’s those colossal booths set up by the big Hollywood entertainment houses. For others, it’s Artist’s Alley, home to some of the most talented artists working in comics and illustration today. Still others appreciate the wealth of independent artists, writers and creators located in the Small Press Pavilion who are always eager to introduce their work to new fans.

These are merely what Comic Con offers to its eager members. The members themselves are sometimes at the center of attention as they stroll the aisles in brilliantly designed costumes and props. The exhibit hall is nothing less than a feast for the eyes and senses filled with the very best the entertainment industry has to offer.

What elevates San Diego Comic Con beyond the average comic book convention though goes beyond its impressive exhibit hall, cadre of famous special guests and legions of devoted fans.

The true beauty of SDCC is that it is also a place for fans to genuinely connect with the people who create their favorite entertainment franchises. It is a place that provides fans with the tools to become creators in their own right, which elevates it beyond the scope of other conventions where fandoms and famous people are the main focus. There are many

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panels devoted to assisting artists, writers and programmers with the sometimes overwhelming task of breaking into the field of their choice while also introducing them to the people who currently work in their field. Inspiration flows through every corridor as creators and fans meet in a symbiotic exchange of ideas that simply does not happen in other places. People meet people, throw around ideas and occasionally begin projects as a result of the collaborative spirit that runs through the convention.

It is easy to understand why some people so desperately want to get inside and why the convention has continuously sold out for years, which has not stopped a handful of hopefuls from standing outside and begging for a cast-off badge year after year.

While it is difficult to imagine changing the recipe to success that has put this convention on the map, Comic Con has changed throughout the years. Altruists wish for the comic-con of their youth, when times were simpler and you could get into Ballroom 20 and Hall H (the location of most of those big budget production panels) without having to spend the night in line outside; when everyone who went to Comic Con was a hardcore fan, rather than the starry eyed matrons trying to sneak a peek at the hunk from Twilight. That sentiment belies how far comics, as a medium, have come. Now, creators have to think across various media platforms to get their stories to the masses and nothing reflects this change more than Comic Con itself and its representation of all the different forms of modern media. With the advent 38 BLEEP

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of transmedia conglomerates creating comics-tofilm-adaptations, video-games-to-comics, webzines, fansites, e-publishing, mobile gaming and webcomics the lines of traditional entertainment platforms have blurred to the point of distraction, whereby attracting and maintaining a fan following means serious attention to creativity and product. Comic Con is a place for these numerous mediums to come together briefly every year and make sense, if only for a little while, of the ever-increasing accessibility of the popular arts.

And, that is what San Diego Comic Con exemplifies in the end how the popular arts have truly become popular and how anyone, young or old,

from any corner of the Earth can become a hardcore fan. We, the fans reap the benefits of this exchange as television programming and movie offerings do continuous battle to attract our attention. We are no longer relegated to the fringes of sub-culture. We have become a powerful group in our own right beyond the typical “male-18-to-24-year-old� demographic and Comic Con is the place where our voices are heard and our opinions matter. It is no wonder the rest of the world is lining up to experience this great meeting place where people, ideas and media collide to create such a wonderful, mad, mad world.

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summer crosley has modeled all over the world and been on some of Tv’s biggest shows. now, She’s using her name for more than fame.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? Fiji, and Bali. All so amazing and the cultures are so I grew up in a small town in the Midwest. There intriguing to me. They are all wonderful. wasn’t much opportunity in the modeling and acting industry were I grew up, so in my younger years that WHAT DREW YOU TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR was all a “dream” instead of a reality.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CAUSES SUCH AS OCEAN LIFE CONSERVATION? WHEN DID YOU START MODELING? Through my travel I got into Ocean Conservation.

After moving to Miami when I was 20, my dream I started noticing that some of our worlds most came true. With all the modeling agencies around, I beautiful beaches were in danger as well as many fish, was able to fulfill my dream, and from there, I moved coral, and ocean marine life, and a lot of this is due to Los Angeles, where I landed a role on the TV series to plastic killing our oceans. So I got involved with a “Californication” and several magazine covers. ocean conservation group to make a difference.

WHAT DREW YOU TO IT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RAISE AWARENESS? I was drawn to the world of fashion at a very young I started educating people and locals when I age. By the time I was 12, I would subscribe to every traveled on the importance of beach clean-up. Just fashion magazine that was out and try to copy the picking up one small piece of litter on the beach a day makeup and wardrobe looks. It was all so intriguing could make a huge difference. to me.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BIG Well I can’t predict the future so I hope more BREAK? wonderful acting jobs with amazing casts and crews.

My big break was definitely my first year of living in LA. I landed a small part on the show “Nip Tuck” and WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? from there, everything fell into place.

My dream is to live a happy, healthy life, and to make a difference in the life of someone else. There is WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO YOU’VE nothing that makes me happier then putting a smile BEEN ABLE TO SHOOT? on someone else’s face and being a role model for Wow, I don’t know if I have a favorite. I have seen them. some amazing places the past couple years: Africa, 46 BLEEP

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We love creative people.

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express Creative Direction by Juan Lerma Photography by Shannon Touchstone and Patrick Green Makeup 50 BLEEPby Jerrad Trahan

sion These dancers could argue that Dance is one of the most expressive forms of art. They listen to their bodies response to movement and twist, turn, and contort however feels most natural. There is no set definition to modern and interpretive dance, merely your own definition. In this feature we explore the world of modern and interpretive dance and get to know four very talented dancers at the top of their class at The University of North Texas. A corresponding video of a performance by our all star cast is included for your viewing pleasure.

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will never die. My largest weakness is my own selfdoubt, I have to remind myself daily that no matter how much room there is for improvement I have already accomplished more than my thirteen year old self could have ever imagined.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE DANCING AS A MAJOR IN COLLEGE? Honestly, when I came to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, the only thing I ever really enjoyed doing was dancing but I didn’t think I could turn it into a viable career path if I hadn’t been doing it my whole life. As an undeclared major I was enrolled in a class to explore career possibilities in which the final project was to research a particular field and interview someone who works within it. I chose to interview a professor in dance at the university named Mary Lynn Babcock. As I expressed to her my concerns about starting late and feeling I needed a back-up plan, she told me that she started dancing at age 30 and that if I truly loved dance it would be my fall back. With that encouragement and the belief that I could make anything happen I set out to get ballet training and audition for the program.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF DANCE AND WHY? Each form of dance that I do feeds a different part of my personality. Modern allows me to get in touch with a deeper internal part of my psyche, Contact Improvisation helps me connect with others in a social yet non-verbal environment and hip-hop unleashes my wild side and builds my confidence.

I’ve been told many times to not box myself into one style, so I will just call myself a mover.

ALLIE COSTELLO WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I was born in Jacksonville, Florida but have spent most of my life in Flower Mound, Texas.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH DANCE IN YOUR FUTURE? I hope to communicate with the world on a level that will not only entertain but also inspire.

I personally believe all people have an inherent ability and underlying desire to dance. My hope is that I can bring as many people as possible to believe this and enjoy movement.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST DANCE MOMENTS? At the risk of being vague again I feel proud of every moment I am dancing because I am working toward a better version of myself.

WHEN DID YOU START DANCING AND WHY? I started doing hip-hop in leisurely studio environments around age 13. In this time I found my love of being in the studio but it wasn’t until I turned WHERE CAN WE SEE YOU PERFORM? 18 that I started branching out into other styles and This coming fall semester at UNT we will be pursuing serious training. putting on our annual senior choreography showing called New Choreographers Concert, I will be WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND choreographing and most likely performing in the WEAKNESSES AS A DANCER? show. Also I am waiting for a video of my own hipMy strengths as a dancer have to be performance hop choreography to come out on YouTube, so keep quality, a willingness to take risks and a passion that an eye out.

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DAVIS STUMBERG WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Originally I am from West Texas where I grew up on my parents horse ranch. I went to school in Sanderson, Texas.

WHEN DID YOU START DANCING AND WHY? I first started dancing in my room as a kid. I was obsessed with MTV and all the pop stars. I would try to imitate their movements, which lead to me to become a cheerleader. I joined a competitive hip hop group at Alpha Cheer and Dance Company based out of Midland my freshman year in college. That’s when I started to take dance more seriously.

be used for dance and sometimes you don’t even need music. There are many factors that need to be considered when choosing music for dance. I would say as long as the song stirs something within you and fuels your passion for movement it is a good dance song.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH DANCE IN YOUR FUTURE? I want to pursue a job on a cruise ship at first as well as dance for Disney. I want to use dance to travel the world and learn about different cultures as well as be given the opportunity to entertain people from all places. I would then like to become a teacher and be a mentor to young people and adults, using dance as platform to promote self confidence and an outlet for creativity.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST DANCE WEAKNESSES AS A DANCER? I feel that one of my greatest strengths as a dancer is MOMENTS? In 2009 I was given the opportunity to be a part my dedication and willingness to try new things. I don’t really feel that I have a weakness per say, but in the of Alpha’s International Hip Hop Team that won a world of dance there is always room for improvement. world championship at the U.S. All Star Federation competition at Disney World. I have since been given I strive to become a better dancer everyday. many opportunities to perform for charities and WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE DANCING AS A MAJOR organizations that have positive impacts on the world.

I think honestly the proudest moments come from IN COLLEGE? Growing up I wasn’t really aware that you could dance when I can use my dancing to speak to someone in a for a living. Cheerleading lead me to do some research way they wouldn’t ordinarily expect to inspire them, into the dance program at UNT and my sophomore and bring out a passion for art and beauty. year I decided to try some classes and see what they where all about. I soon realized that dance was my WHERE CAN WE SEE YOU PERFORM? I do several events in the Dallas area, but you will passion and changed my major to pursue it further. most likely find me on the stage at UNT performing in all the dance concerts until I graduate in 2014.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD DANCE SONG? It depends on what your trying to do. All music can 54 BLEEP

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JEANNINE RIVERA

that allows each dancer to reveal themselves through the choreography.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Harlingen, Tex.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD DANCE SONG? One that can bring feelings to the surface that you didn’t even know you had buried within.

WHEN DID YOU START DANCING AND WHY? I began dancing when I was 14 because I always loved how professional dancers could exceed the average body’s physical capability.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AS A DANCER? I believe my strength is my performance quality because I love to connect with the audience. My weakness is the fear of being rejected in an audition.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE DANCING AS A MAJOR IN COLLEGE? The desire of wanting to strengthen my dance technique.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF DANCE AND WHY? I really enjoy theatrical dancing. Basically anything

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH DANCE IN YOUR FUTURE? I hope to either dance professionally or combine my other passion of Interior Design and design public facilities that can be used for dance and theater.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST DANCE MOMENTS? My proudest dance moments are when the audience or my dance partners inform me that I made the dance more enjoyable with just my passion and excitement.

WHERE CAN WE SEE YOU PERFORM? Because I am busy with two majors in school, you can see me dance within UNT Dance and Theatre Productions.

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SEE THEM IN ACTION

A story and photos can only tell part of the story. Want to see them dance? Check out this exclusive video with the quartet, shot by Kamille Carlisle.

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CHRIS LAFUENTE WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I am from Desoto, Texas. It’s a small suburb just south of Dallas.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF DANCE AND WHY? I don’t really have a specific style that I prefer, I like combining all the skills and technique I’ve learned from other styles and try to make my own style/ movement.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD DANCE SONG? WHEN DID YOU START DANCING AND WHY? Almost any song makes me want to dance, just in I started dancing hip-hop when I was about 15, and started to branch off and learn other styles of dance different types of ways. Sad piano songs make me want to tell a story and be more emotional, whereas in college. a pop song makes me want to just show off all my WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND best moves and entertain a crowd. Any song can be a dance song.

WEAKNESSES AS A DANCER? My strengths in dance are my creativity and diversity. I know a lot of different dance styles, and I WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH always try to incorporate all their different movements DANCE IN YOUR FUTURE? I hope to one day be the founder of a style of into my own style. This knowledge mixed with my creativity, helps me stand out as a unique dancer. My dance, and to open an all styles company that would weaknesses are my flexibility and my knee. I have had showcase diversity among dancers. lots of injuries to my left knee, and I am not as flexible WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST MOMENTS as most other dancers.

IN DANCE? Overcoming my injuries on my knee are probably WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE DANCING AS A my proudest moments as a dancer. I tore my ACL just MAJOR IN COLLEGE? I’ve always known I wanted to be a dancer. When a little over a year ago and to be able have recovered I graduated high school I told myself I was going to to the point that I have is a blessing. college though so I could have education to fall back on. Since UNT offered dance as a major I decided that WHERE CAN WE SEE YOU PERFORM? You can see me perform at UNT where the dance it would be best to continue perfecting my technique program holds dance recitals at the end of every for a few more years and get a degree. semester.

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by Katherine Morgan

KATIE, 25, Academic Advisor katiemariev.blogspot.com

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? I would describe it as a lot of thrifting, to be honest. I go to Value Village and Goodwill a lot to find a lot of my clothing.

I wear a lot of crop pants and flats, with a cute casual vibe. I like clothes that have multiple purposes.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE THING THAT WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE? A crisp, white button down will never go out of style.

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF CLOTHING THAT YOU’RE WEARING NOW? I love my shoes. They’re from Urban Outfitters.

bleepquiz Davis Stumberg

Dancer

I am… Davis Barrett Stumberg.

I’m here because…This is the path God has set me on.

What makes me happiest is…Dance.

The color that best represents me is…Green. What I hope to accomplish today is…to be the best me I can be. My best friends are…the ones who love me for who I am. I can’t live without…the people I love. Between an Olympic champion or an Oscar winner, I’d rather be…

Oscar winner. If I wasn’t me, I’d be…

Someone else.

I like it best when you…Try your best.

God is…Love.

I’m hungry for…A serious dance career that will allow me to travel the world. I cry…when I’m sad.

Style means… being confident in yourself.

I want to go…on an adventure.

The most obnoxious sound in the world is… when people complain. What makes me weak is…my fear of being judged.

At this exact moment, I’m passionate about…strengthening my relationship with Christ. I crave…excitement. My inspiration is…the idea that i can help make the world a better place through dance.

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