STREET 4/20: Reflections & Reinterpretations Issue

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday april 20, 2017

page 7

PAGES DESIGNED BY ANDIE AYALA, CATHERINE WANG, AND JIANING ZHAO :: STREET EDITORS

REFLECTIONS & REINTEPRETATIONS

Reflecting on her time here, Street contributor Heather Grace gives words of wisdom to prefrosh, Danielle Hoffman covers the reinvention of Pride and Prejudice through ballet, and Anna Wolcke reconsiders her work in the dining hall.

Memes of Wisdom for Prefrosh HEATHER GRACE

of wisdom, which, although less a normal college student every once comical than more familiar internet in a while and gives me more energy memes, will give you some ideas for once I get back to writing my papers.

As an admitted student, you may how to get a happy and healthy start Not only will your peers understand know that many a meme in Princ- to your Princeton career. what you’re going through, but there eton Memes for Preppy AF Teens, the 1. Go to events. are also ample mental health restudent-generated Facebook group Regardless of how much homework sources on campus that encourage dedicated to sharing mood-lifting you have, you should always let your- students to know their limits and JPEGs, are devoted to bursting the self take an hour out of your day to seek help (or Netflix) as needed. bubble of “prefroshian” optimism. go to whatever event your friends are 4. Volunteer.

By being real about everything from begging you to attend, whether it’s a My most important extracurricuprecept participation and eating club belly dance show, a lecture on private lar activity on campus is a student stereotypes to grading on curves and prisons, or an arch sing in 30-degree volunteer group run through the Pace who is really the best Ivy, we Preppy weather. In the long run, these ex- Center for Civic Engagement. As a AF Teens find solace in the public periences will be more memorable Project Leader for El Centro, I work acknowledgment of our many woes. than 250 pages of Descartes, and let’s with an amazing leadership team to Aside from keeping tabs on the Uni- be honest — you’d probably spend at coordinate a group of 50 volunteers versity experience through our be- least an hour being distracted while who travel to Trenton every weekloved Facebook group — where you’ll at the library anyway. day to teach a free English class to soon discover our love for Ted Cruz2. Build a network of mentors.

Spanish-speaking immigrants. You’ll related slant rhyme — I’m here to Whether it’s your OA leader, fresh- hear time and time again that getting share some other “memes” of wis- man year RCA, or someone you met out of the Orange Bubble is the most dom for incoming students, relying while fighting over the last free hoa- valuable thing you can do, and I’m largely on its alternate definition for gie at a study break, be sure to put the here to say the same. Be sure to check my continued usage of the word. time into making those connections out the Pace Center’s activities fair to The word ‘meme’ was first used count. It’s always nice to have people get involved with a volunteer group!

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK in 1976 by British scientist Richard outside of your immediate friend 5. Be real with yourself about Dawkins in his book “The Selfish group that you can go to for advice course selection.

9,900 students joined the Facebook group Princeton Memes for Preppy AF Teens.

Gene.” Dawkins’ newly coined term and support, especially upperclassIf you don’t know about our disreferred to “an element of a culture men, and your RCAs and OA/CA lead- tribution requirement system yet. folks in your Residential College Of- will be taken away from you all too or system of behavior that may be ers love to have frosh friends. Having Don’t jump the gun trying to fill fice for more advice on managing soon, but also trying out as many considered to be passed from one a solid support network is extremely your distribution requirements with course loads, meting out distribution clubs and activities as you can. Make individual to another by nongenetic important during your time at Princ- classes you won’t really enjoy. It’s bet- requirements, deciding on a major, yourself go to any audition or open means, especially imitation,” taking eton and beyond! ter to wait a semester or two so that and more. house that you think you might be its root from the Greek “mimē ma” and 3. Take personal days. you can fill your requirements with 6. Take advantage of freshman remotely interested in — if nothing adopting the monosyllabic structure I’ve found that taking a break — a classes you’ll really like. On that note, year. else , you’ll meet interesting people of the word “gene.” (Thanks, Google!) real one, not just grabbing free bub- you also don’t want to leave them all Finally, be sure to make the most along the way!

Now that we’re all on the same page, ble tea and drinking it while writing for senior year, so talk to your Peer of your freshman year. That not only Congratulations, prefrosh, and here are some of my Princeton memes a lab report — helps me to feel like Academic Adviser and the friendly means enjoying late meal, which welcome to Princeton!

Contributor ‘18

Behind the Scenes: American Repertory Ballet’s “Pride and Prejudice” DANIELLE HOFFMAN Associate Street Editor ‘20

This Friday, I arrived at the American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School studio at the Princeton Shopping Center about 15 minutes prior to its run-through of “Pride and Prejudice,” Douglas Martin’s full-length ballet based on the classic novel. I was politely asked to move my chair five times before the run-through began, as the stage managers, directors, crew members, and dancers raced around me to make sure everything was ready and in its proper place.

In one corner of the studio, a woman resewed her pointe shoes while two women argued over who was in charge of helping Mr. Bennet with his quick change. Some dancers marked through their choreography on the sides of the dance studio, while others helped carry and hang various props and costumes as I tried to remain as out-of-the-way as possible.

This excitement and energy from so

many moving parts coming together finally culminated in the stage manager’s yelling, “Ladies and gentleman, places please for the top.” The chaotic energy settled down as the dancers moved to their opening positions and the production staff settled into their designated seats for the run. The recording of the overture music was cued and the ballet began. The dancers immediately transformed the nervous energy that had preceded the run into seemingly effortless composure as they began to perform.

Featuring the choreography of Artistic Director Douglas Martin and live orchestral accompaniment by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Devlin, “Pride and Prejudice” will premiere at McCarter Theatre on Friday, April 21. The ballet brings to life the story and iconic characters of Jane Austen’s classic novel, written in 1813.

While at the American Repertory Ballet’s rehearsal, I had the opportunity to speak with English professor and Austen scholar Claudia Johnson. “I

think the idea of dance springs very naturally from the text. Many people will say, ‘Why on earth would you want to make “Pride and Prejudice” into a ballet?’ and I actually think it makes perfect sense to try to do that. And in some ways it might be even more effective than the movies themselves because the dances are in large [part] to convey that emotional intensity through the bodies instead of through some mangled script,” she said.

Martin worked with his dancers to capture this emotion by reading actual lines from the novel during his choreography rehearsals, using the words to inspire the emotions of the dancing. He also began listening to music for the show about three years ago to carefully create a score that would reflect the emotional trajectory of the novel.

Martin said, “I created a score that I worked very hard on to try to explain the emotions everyone’s feeling at the different times. I basically had to tell the entire story through the sound of the music until I was satisfied that you could sit there and listen to it and un-

RYAN YAO :: THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN

Dancers at the American Repertory Ballet rehearse for the “Pride and Prejudice” show at the Princeton Ballet School studio.

RYAN YAO :: THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN

“Pride and Prejudice” features the choreography of Artistic Director Douglas Martin.

derstand the story with just the gestures and the relationships of people.

So then when I add the dance on top of that, it’s just compounded so it’s not reliant on the dance itself trying to get this massive story told.”

To achieve this Martin used bigger symphonies to accompany the big sections of the ballet and then, “as the story matures we kind of get into these small groups of people, these relationships between two people and four people, and that’s what happens to the music; we start getting duets and we start getting string quartets.”

Throughout the run, I sat next to the stage manager as she called out various cues such as “fancy chandeliers go in,” “sound cue out, conductor go,” and “stand by on front screen,” leaving me even more excited to see how the final product of this ballet will bring Austen’s timeless words to life. As I watched the ballet, even in its unfinished state, stripped of a set and stage that adequately matched the grace and elegance of its choreography and dancers, I felt the way it was able to visually capture the essence of “Pride

and Prejudice.”

As Shaye Firer, who plays Charlotte Lucas, told me, “Movement is open to interpretation, so if the choreographer choreographs certain moves it can create a story in itself without needing the dialogue. So if it’s done properly then you can see the story and you don’t need the words. If you form the story correctly on stage through movement then you can see it instead of hearing it.”

And maybe the ballet does even more than merely retell “Pride and Prejudice” through a different medium. Maybe telling the story through movement allows the audience to see and experience the story in a way that is different and new from the experience of reading the book. “[The ballet] has to be something different from the novel, but legitimate nevertheless ... watching these characters in motion makes you realize how Austen really worked all of these characters out visually. Even though she’s working in a verbal medium, she’s imagining the characters in movement,” Johnson said.

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday april 20, 2017

page 8

Q&A: Lewis Center for the Arts Princeton Art Fellowships ERIC ZHAO

Staff Writer ‘20 Every year, the Lewis Center for the Arts Princeton Arts Fellowships at are awarded to two or three promising early-career artists in any field.

Among a pool of over 740 applicants, writer Erika Sánchez, lighting and projection designer David Bengali ’04, and poet and performance artist Jaamil Olawale Kosoko were recently named as the 2017–19 Princeton University Arts Fellows.

They will join us on campus in the fall, just as the new Lewis Center opens

Bengali, and Kosoko will teach courses, work on artistic projects, and collaborate with the community.

The Daily Princetonian interviewed Sánchez and Bengali as they prepare to come to the University this fall.

The Daily Princetonian: Could you describe your work as an artist?

COURTESY OF LEWIS CENTER OF THE ARTS

Poet and artist Jaamil Olawale Kosoko

its doors. The current awardees will be joining the 2016–18 fellows: composer Shawn Jaeger, filmmaker Afia Serena Nathaniel, and writer Rebekah Rutkoff.

As part of the new cohort, Sánchez,

COURTESY OF LEWIS CENTER OF THE ARTS

Lighting designer David Bengali ‘04

David Bengali: I design projections and lighting for theater, dance, and other live performances. I am responsible for visual compositions to coordinate with these events. I use video, imagery, screens, and projectors to create one coherent image. Lighting is more abstract but also part of the same world.

Erika Sánchez: I am a writer and I work in all three genres. I’m publishing a novel this year, working on a poetry collection, and writing a collection of essays. I also write articles, critical analyses, and other such pieces.

My work is mostly based on feminist discourse and social justice, so I write a lot about sex workers, labor, borders, and things of that nature.

DP: What led you to apply to the program?

DB: I learned about the program last year through Jane Cox [director and senior lecturer in theater]. I also was a student at Princeton a number of years ago, so [through this program] I can give back to the community and help any students who have similar interests. I was a computer science major and also had a certificate in theater, so this was a great way to combine those fields of interests.

ES: Actually, a friend of mine sent me the posting. I had never even considered it, but then I read it and realized I was very qualified. I like to aim high and I thought, “Why not take a chance?” It all worked out and it’s like a

dream for me to be able to do this.

DP: What about the position either excites you or worries you the most?

DB: It’s really just exciting to have the chance to pursue creative projects in an environment with such a vibrant community of artists. Also, I’m excited to get in touch with experts in other fields and expand creatively into those areas. This is a great opportunity to evolve along with the students through these projects and find even more opportunities for the community.

ES: I’m just excited to work with talented students and teach with freedom. That’s a privilege that not many people get, along with the space and time to write. I’m not nervous or worried — just completely ecstatic.

DP: What hopes and expectations do you have for your time at the University?

DB: I don’t know that I have any expectations, but I hope that I can spend time working on a variety of projects and collaborate with both the staff and the student population. Also, I hope that I can bring students of diverse backgrounds together and see what

COURTESY OF LEWIS CENTER OF THE ARTS

2017-19 Fellow, writer Erika Sánchez

they can create.

ES: I hope to develop great relations with the students and also be a mentor especially to students of color. I want to create events, organize readings, and do many other similar things with my time. I also plan to work on and possibly finish my next project. I find it very exciting to have such an opportunity to become immersed in a place of knowledge and inquiry, and to be able to attend lectures and other events at Princeton.

More information on the artists and the Princeton Arts Fellowship can be found at arts.princeton.edu.

This Side of Princeton: Rocky’s Dining Hall Workers ANNA WOLCKE Staff Writer ‘20

While trying to scrub off a dried ketchup stain from the tub in the dish room on a Friday night, I started to reflect on my life choices so far and wonder why I was in a dish room, on a Friday night, scrubbing off dried ketchup from a tub. Before coming to Princeton, I had always prided myself on only working jobs that were meaningful to me. When I applied, I certainly had not envisioned myself breaking that pattern by working in the dining hall.

Despite Rockefeller College’s beautiful, Harry Potter-esque architecture, its dish room can in no way compare to Hogwarts. One soon gets the impres-

sion that Princeton must have forgotten about the room’s existence, because tools are constantly broken and drains are often blocked, and the dishwasher has stopped working twice this year.

Thanks to these conditions, a day without slipping once on the wet food while carrying dirty plates on my arm can be considered a real success.

Damn it, I say to myself. Because I am so focused on cleaning the tub, I totally forget to take care of the dishes coming through on the belt. Now they are piling up and a cup full of water makes its contribution to the already wet floor. While multitasking is never a problem for me in class, cleaning the tub and simultaneously collecting the dishes from the belt proves to be a real challenge. Instead of helping me, my

co-workers choose to make some sassy remarks. Our sass is based on a mutual understanding, though — we use it to release all of our stress and anxiety. It’s almost therapeutic.

But sass is of course not the only thing that unites us. We usually play music while we work, which allows us to invent a completely new set of dance moves on the wet floor. If there is ever a dance competition in the dish room, my crew would win for sure! And I love joking around with them, hearing their different life stories, and threatening them with the hose if they are getting too sassy.

Yet this is not the only way working in the dining hall has become therapeutic for me. I have come to appreciate the routine, the sweat, and the manual

Princeton Atelier Program: Fall 2017 MIKAELA SYMANOVICH Contributor ‘20

The Princeton Atelier program offers students the opportunity to participate in a one-time-only course in which they work with professional artists and cultivate a unique experience.

The program aims to bring together professional artists from different disciplines with students of various backgrounds and majors in an effort to create a unique project in the context of a semester-long course.

I caught up with Robert Sandberg, the acting director of Princeton Atelier, and Josephine Decker ’03, an instructor and guest artist in the Atelier program, to chat about their experiences with the program in fall 2016 and the upcoming opportunities for students interested in the Atelier.

Sandberg described the course as “a chance to play, to experiment, and to learn from awesome artists doing fascinating work.”

This past fall, Sandberg and Decker were involved in the Atelier course called ATL 497/DAN 497/VIS 497: Butoh and Technology, which dove into the possibilities of capturing dance on film. Award-winning film director Josephine Decker co-taught the course with critically-acclaimed dancer and choreographer Vangeline. Decker, a Princeton alumna, applied to teach the course partially because of a rewarding

experience she had taking an Atelier course while at the University.

Regarding this past fall, Decker described her experience teaching as “magical.” “A lot of it was oriented around learning the form of dance, butoh, and then thinking ‘how do you make films about butoh and about a sensation beyond yourself?” she explained.

While the class had a distinct focus based in dance and film, Sandberg assured me that there is no required background to be chosen for the course. He emphasized that the people teaching Ateliers prefer a broad spectrum of students with varying levels of experience.

“You might want to pair a student who is already a composer with a historical researcher with no musical expertise at all,” he said.

Sandberg noted that this is a common approach by Atelier directors and artists. Decker noted, “It never felt like people were coming from contrasting backgrounds. I felt more commonality stemming from the fact that we all shared a hunger for living outside of our minds.”

In fall 2017, two Atelier courses are being offered.

ATL 498/MTD 498/THR 498: Reimagining a Masterpiece: Mozart’s Symphony #40 is taught by theatrical designer and stage director Michael Counts and

conductor and composer Jayce Ogren.

It aims to explore Mozart’s piece in a new light, providing “an immersive experience utilizing visual art, lighting, scenic installation and design as well as movement and musical performance.”

ATL 499/AMS 499/THR 499: Who Owns A Song?: A Theatrical Investigation of Princeton and Slavery is taught by two Princeton graduates who formed their own critically acclaimed theatre company, Prospect Theater. The project is being conducted in conjunction with the history department, tackling the often overlooked history of the University in relation to the institution of slavery in America.

Sandberg explained that while the professors have a general idea for the course, there is an aspect of unpredictability to the final production.

The course is as much shaped by the students that participate in it as it is by the professional artists and directors that oversee it.

“It doesn’t carry the same kinds of academic pressures or expectations.

Exciting work is almost always being done because you’re in the room trying to create something new. It is about learning the arts but also producing something unique,” Sandberg said.

His last piece of advice to students thinking of applying for the course?

“It’s one time only, take a chance.”

COURTESY OF LEWIS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Princeton Atelier program enables students to combine their various backgrounds to create a project for the semester.

work. No matter what is happening in my life and how lost I might feel, once I enter the dish room, none of this is important anymore.

It’s always the same routine: First I take care of the belt, then sort the silverware, then bring in the tub with dirty silverware from the dining hall, then clean the tubs and mop the floor. And no matter what happens in the next week, I know I will do exactly the same again when I come into the dish room the next time.

When I allow myself to immerse into this routine, I escape readings and problem sets and papers. My thoughts can wander around freely while my hands seem to know what to do automatically.

And especially in such a stressful environment as Princeton, seeing one’s own

accomplishments immediately is unimaginably gratifying. Before starting to work in the dining hall, I could never have imagined how happy a perfectly clean tub could ever make me feel.

But now I look forward to spending a few hours of my week sweating in the dish room and bonding with people, who, like me, are also trying not to slip on the wet floor.

At the beginning I didn’t want to tell people where I work because I was embarrassed to have a job where I have to wear an orange apron and where my fingers get wrinkled by the cleaning water.

But now I realize that it has become an enjoyable part of my life. I know that in these two hours, I can simply work without having to think deeply or stress about anything at all.

ASK THE SEXPERT This week, we discuss asexuality Dear Sexpert, I just started seeing this other student, and last week they told me that they’re asexual. I wanted to ask them more about it, but I was nervous and didn’t know what to say. I’m not, like, sex-crazed or anything, but sex is important to me in a relationship. Does that mean we can’t be together?

Can you tell me more about what it means to be asexual?

Thanks, Sexy Someone Dear Sexy Someone, It’s great that you are seeking out information about asexuality, as it can help you to respond to your partner in a validating and respectful way. Asexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of interest in sex that is often caused by a lack of sexual attraction to others. It is different from celibacy, which is a conscious choice to abstain from sex for a variety of reasons. Asexual people (or aces) may even still engage in sexual activity for other reasons, but the defining characteristic of asexuality is the absence of sexual desire.

Asexuality is an often-overlooked sexual orientation, so there is not as much known about how many people in the United States are asexual. Nevertheless, some research has suggested that around one percent of the population is asexual, amounting to approximately 300,000 Americans. The asexual community has become more vocal in recent years, and organizations like the Asexual Visibility & Education Network are working to improve people’s understanding and correct misconceptions.

Asexual people have no desire for sexual intimacy, but that does not prevent the desire to form emotionally intimate or romantic partnerships or build other relationships.

Asexual people still have emotional needs and other desires that they may seek to fulfill through

relationships. Many people who are asexual date and form long-term partnerships with people who are also asexual or not. Either way, the relationship simply needs to be grounded in mutual understanding.

Decisions about sexual activity, like other relationship choices, should be made after respectful and open communication between the involved individuals. For example, the asexual partner may choose to engage in sexual activity, or the sexual partner may determine that the sexual aspect of their relationship is not essential, or both partners could choose to experiment with pseudosexual behavior, and find a compromise. You mentioned that sex is important to you in a relationship; that could be a problem depending on how your partner feels and what they want to do.

Engaging in a dialogue about your wants and needs, and listening to theirs, can result in a mutually satisfying compromise. You may also want to be prepared that the relationship could be challenging and may not be sustainable.

If you want more information on asexuality, you can contact or visit the LGBT Center in Frist Campus Center, which supports and empowers students of all sexual orientations, including asexual students. They can help you navigate the process of conversing with your partner, or you and your partner could also use the couple counseling services offered by Counseling & Psychological Services in McCosh Health Center. I hope this information helps, and good luck sorting it all out!

Sincerely, The Sexpert Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with fact-checking from University health professionals, help wr ite these columns. Email sexpert@ dailypr incetonian.com for more infor mation and questions about sexual health.