The Miami Hurricane -- January 30, 2012

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The Miami

HURRICANE Vol. 90, Issue ue 3 30 0 | JJa Jan. an n.. 3 30 0 - Feb. 1, 2012

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STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY E RS S IITT Y O OFF M MIAMI IA AM MII IN CORAL G GA GABLES, AB BLL E ES S , FFL FLORIDA, LO OR R SINCE 1929

MARLENA SKROBE // Photo Editor

FINISH STRONG: Juniors Brian Van Cleave (left) and Michael Oates, who represented TriCanes, cross the finish line at the ING Miami Marathon on Sunday.

Going the distance YEAR OF THE DRAGON

UM HOLDS FIRST CELEBRATION OF CHINESE NEW YEAR PAGE 3

DECADANCETHEATRE

Q&A WITH DIRECTOR OF FEMALE HIP-HOP GROUP PAGE 8

WOMEN ON A ROLL

10TH-RANKED CANES IMPROVE TO 8-1 IN ACC PLAY PAGE 10

Students run in 10th annual ING marathon in Downtown Miami

BY KRISTEN SPILLANE STAFF WRITER

A

t 4 a.m., while many Miamians stumble home after a night out on the town, one group of students was on their way to take on the ultimate physical challenge.

Members of both the University of Miami running and triathlon clubs were among the estimated 25,000 runners who competed in the 10th annual ING Miami Marathon early Sunday morning.

The ING, which has been a Miami tradition since 2003, has grown every year since its inauguration and attracts worldclass athletes and runners from across the globe.

For UM students, it ’s just a short ride on the Metrorail

away.

“It ’s hard to take in how many people are in one place to go on a run, ” said sophomore Amanda Durham, who was running in her first half-marathon. “But with so many people in the crowd cheering you on, it ’s just an amazing experience. ” The ING event offers both marathon and half-marathon races, with significantly more individuals signing up for the 13.1-mile challenge (about 19,000 as opposed to the 6,000 participants running 26.2 miles). But for many, the appeal of running in Miami, under the lights and through the beach as the sun is rising, is an experience that they can ’t pass up.

SEE MARATHON, PAGE 10

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STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Service fraternity making a comeback Alpha Phi Omega gaining interest

Check out what’s exclusively available at TheMiamiHurricane. com.

BY ALEXANDER GONZALEZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

The co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega (APO) may return as a full-fledged organization after a 30-year discontinuation, given that it meets its student quota.

Since 2005, the University of Miami has been trying to recharter the fraternity, one of the first chapters created in the United States.

Until APO attains its official charter, the members working to bring the organization back are part of a petitioning group. Forming this group is the first step toward a new charter, APO president and senior Molly Coller said.

After being recognized as a petitioning group, a ceremony must be completed each year that a new pledge class enters. This occurs until the group members are initiated as brothers of the Alpha Pi chapter.

Other requirements include attendance at leadership development activities, completion of annual chapter assessments, participation in 12 service projects and establishing a service plan, budget and laws.

The group must obtain written permission from the school to operate as a chapter. This statement of permission must also be approved by the regional director, section chair and chapters in the section. APO also needs four advi-

Take a look at Cayla Nimmo’s photo slideshow of the candlelight vigil for Alexandra “Sasha” Drbohlavova.

Want to go shopping on a budget? Read Rosa Orihuela’s list of the best thrift shops in Miami.

PHOTOS COURTESY MOLLY COLLER

SERVICE GIRLS: Senior Molly Coller and junior Hali Cohen write letters to Invisible Children at a Random Acts of Kindness concert last November. Alpha Phi Omega helped organize the event. sors, a sponsor, a faculty advisor, a community advisor and a boy scout advisor.

“The process to bring back a fraternity is very difficult, ” Coller said. “Nationals and UM have been very supportive and are ready to have us on campus. ” In accordance with UM ’s Committee on Student Organization ’s regulations, new organiza-

HELPING HAND: Coller works to build a window at a Habitat for Humanity event that Alpha Phi Omega helped plan in late 2010.

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tions require at least 25 students before being considered active.

The petitioning group consists of 16 members so far, and 24 other students attended the APO information sessions.

“They seemed truly interested, ” Coller said. “We have so much interest that I do not foresee any problems. ” She also said the organization is unique when compared to other organizations.

“We have a special bond that other organizations don ’t have, ” Coller said. “We are a brotherhood. ” Junior Rebecca Levine said that this organization is needed for its role in community service and student involvement.

“Community service is needed everywhere, ” she said. “APO is a great opportunity for students to get involved. ” Levine worked with Coller and attended regionals to learn about chapters at the University of Florida and Florida State University.

“I learned how big of an impact APO has at other schools and communities, and I would love to

Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2012

see the same happen at our school, ” Levine said.

Senior Kristen Khoury, the service vice president, organizes APO ’s numerous service initiatives. She plans to partner with several other established service organizations on campus to make APO ’s presence known.

Every other weekend, members will participate in several projects while working with kids and assisting in environmental cleanups.

APO ’s major project is called Fill-A-Bus, in which it will work with a local church or temple, collect goods via a rented school bus and donate them to a local shelter.

“This is unlike any event that has ever been planned on campus because we will be partnering with the local Miami community to help us reach our big goal, ” Khoury said.

New recruitment and rush events begin Monday.

“All those who choose to go through the pledging process are making a great decision, ” Khoury said. “It will positively impact the rest of their college experience and life after graduation. ”

Missed the Chili Cookoff ? Check out Cayla Nimmo’s photo slideshow.

Didn’t catch the men’s basketball game against Boston College? See David Furones’ recap of the Hurricanes’ big win.

Feeling out of the sports loop? Read Ernesto Suarez’s blog for Hurricanes and local sports updates.

Have a question for V? Ask at dearv@ themiamihurricane.

TWITTER ACCOUNTS @MiamiHurricane @Dear_V @TMH_Photo @TMH_Sports FACEBOOK PAGE facebook.com/ themiamihurricane

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

SPECIAL EVENT

Chinese New Year celebration comes to campus Students prepare for the holiday’s first events

BY ASHLEY MARTINEZ CONTRIBUTING NEWS WRITER

LAUREN M. COUGHLIN // The Miami Hurricane

ALL IN THE ARMS: UM senior Matt Straney, known by campers as Aquaman, teaches archery at Camp Kesem. Straney has been involved for the past four years. The camp is now is dealing with fiscal issues.

Student-run camp faces financial woes Camp help kids whose parents have cancer

BY ARIELE GALLARDO CONTRIBUTING NEWS WRITER

For more than a decade, Camp Kesem has been bringing magic to children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. This year, however, the camp may be in financial trouble.

Camp Kesem, which means magic in Hebrew, is a free sleepovercamp run by college students with more than 40 chapters nationwide.

It welcomes all children between the ages of 6 and 16, and no child is turned away.

“It ’s an amazing organization and allows kids to be with other kids who are dealing with the same struggles at home, whether they choose to talk about it at camp or not, ” said Abigail Zocco, the cochair of UM ’s Camp Kesem chapter.

Daily camp activities include swimming, arts and crafts, singing,

races and various competitions. At night, counselors and campers participate in Cabin Chats.

“Most of the younger campers simply talk about camp and things they had fun doing, while our teen campers often share their stories of their family ’s battle with cancer, ” Zocco said.

This year, fundraising has been slower than usual even as the camp is expecting around 60 children this summer.

“I think the economy is a contributing factor, ” Camp Kesem ’s UM chapter co-chair Brielle Buckler said. “People who usually donate are not donating as much. ” The current goal is to raise $20,000. However, the organization has “got a ways to go to reach that, ” Zocco said.

Their current strategy is to continue to hold fundraisers at places like TCBY and My Yogurt Bliss, as well as through various sporting events. Also, they plan to apply for several grants and petition local businesses for donations. Counsel-

ors are also personally responsible for raising a certain amount of money.

“We take donations from anywhere we can get them, ” Zocco said.

For Buckler, the camp has made a personal impact on her life.

“It was the best week I ’ve ever had in my life, ” she said. “My dad had cancer, and seeing the kids helps me cope and relate to them.

It truly changed my life. You can ’t believe the feeling you get after the kids don ’t want to leave the camp.

It ’s amazing. ” Zocco has also been impacted by the kids at Camp Kesem.

“I ’ve learned a lot from my campers, ” she said. “Hearing their stories and the varying types of situations their families have gone through has allowed me to see the amazing strength that lies within so many kids who have found themselves in these situations. ” If you would like to apply to be a Camp Kesem counselor, email Brielle Buckler at b.buckler@umiami.edu.

The year of the dragon has arrived, and with it comes the University of Miami ’s first Chinese New Year celebration.

The Chinese Students & Scholars Association (CSSA) and the Asian American Students Association (AASA) will host the inaugural celebration on Monday.

“People here don ’t really know about New Year ’s celebrations except for what they see on TV or the Internet, ” CSSA treasurer Xiaochen Tong said. “So this event is a platform to show them the foods we eat, costumes we have and sports we play. In China, food brings family members together, and since everyone cooks a dish, we all get together to eat. ” Interactive booths will be set up on the UC Patio. Students will be able to watch calligraphy masters at work, experiment with Sichuan Opera Masks and experience Chinese knotting, the colorful IF YOU GO artwork that can currently be seen in the UC. WHERE: UC Patio Trad it iona l WHEN: Monday snacks like dumpat 6:30 p.m. lings, buns and bubble tea will be served, Interactive and the dining halls booths will be set will feature a Chinese up at 6:30 p.m. menu for the day.

Performances Students will also restart at 7:30 p.m. ceive traditional red envelopes filled with paper yen.

The main performance will start at 7 p.m. at Hecht and Stanford Residential Colleges. A dragon dance team will lead students from Hecht and Standford to the UC patio, AASA public relations coordinator Jacinta Yong said. UM President Donna E. Shalala will speak at 7:30 p.m. on the UC Patio, and the stage performances will begin shortly after.

The first performance will be the Lion Dance, a traditional way to begin any new celebration. It will be followed by a Chinese yo-yo demonstration, a showcase of Asian and Latin culture by Miami Ballroom, and a presentation of the Cho Lay Fut style of Kung Fu by the John Wai Kung Fu Academy.

Many of the decorations that will be used were flown in from China by several AASA and CSSA members who went home for winter break.

“When we talked about putting this event together, I got really excited and ready to create this vision, ” Yong said. “ The new year is a time to be with friends, eat a lot and just wish everyone well. ”

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PHOTO BRIEF

NEWS BRIEFS HOUSING OPT-IN All current student residents planning to live on campus next year can opt in through myUM until Feb. 10. Residents can indicate if they would like suite-style dorm rooms or University Village apartments.

CAREER EXPO Hundreds of recruiters from various businesses and organizations will be on-site at the Spring Career Expo on Wednesday.

This is a great opportunity for students to learn about full-time positions and internships. Make sure to bring a Cane Card or an ID, and wear professional attire. Stop

by Toppel on Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Employer Practice Interviews & Critiques (EPIC). The Spring Career Expo is on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wellness Center.

AMBASSADOR CAYLA NIMMO // Assistant Photo Editor

Gathering in remembrance

IN MEMORIAM: Graduate student Charmain Sim shelters her candle’s flame from the wind at the vigil for Alexandra “Sasha” Drbohlavova on Thursday night. Drbohlavova passed away over winter break in Costa Rica. The Wesley Center hosted the candelight vigil so her friends could gather to remember her.

Sim read a poem for Sasha remembering their friendship and time together. After the vigil, the Wesley Center honored Sasha’s wishes by hosting a party to celebrate her life, where people had cupcakes and looked through pictures of her time at UM. A group of her friends are now working on a scrapbook to send her parents.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s Ambassador to the United States, will present a lecture, “Egypt’s Democracy and Arab Spring,” at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cosford Cinema. Shoukry’s lecture will be followed by an interview with Middle Eastern Studies expert and political science professor Bradford McGuinn.

Lyssa Goldberg may be contacted at lgoldberg@themiamihurricane.com.

LOWE ART MUSEUM

Organization makes $1.7 million donation to campus museum Money will fund art, classrooms

BY VALERIO RASI CONTRIBUTING NEWS WRITER

The Lowe Art Museum received a $1.7 million donation from the Beaux Arts organization in early January, which will fund new exhibits and educational programs.

The Beaux Arts organization, founded in 1952, has been a continuous supporter of the Lowe. It works to serve its educational and charitable mission by promoting interest in the museum, continuing community outreach and providing financial assistance.

The museum is largely financed by this organization, which 4

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This is a clear testimony of their serious commitment toward the service that the museum offers to a wiser and more involved community.

Brian Dursum Director and Chief Curator of the Lowe Art Museum

typically donates about $170,000 a year, said Brian Dursum, the director and chief curator of the Lowe.

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Rather than pledging that amount every year, Beaux Arts agreed to donate the lump sum, which is about the amount they invest in seven to 10 years.

At the end of this campaign, Beaux Arts will be able to raise more money for another Lowe donation, which will be used to restore the yearly budget or to invest in a new pledge.

“This is a clear testimony of their serious commitment toward the service that the museum offers to a wiser and more involved community, ” Dursum said.

Beaux Arts gains revenue from donations made by its 103 members, as well as from outside sponsors.

The organization ’s recent contribution will support the exhibits,

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permanent or borrowed, that are already displayed in the museum.

New art pieces will also be purchased.

Dursum previously selected works to solely be displayed at the Lowe. However, Dursum and the Beaux Arts organization will now work together to select new exhibit themes.

The museum currently has a collection of about 17,500 objects, covering more than 5,000 years of history. The museum includes works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as American, Native-American and Asian art.

Another portion of Beaux Arts ’ donation to the Lowe will be used to improve the educational programs at the museum by invest-

ing in a new renovation project. A seminar room and classroom will be built at a cost of $300,000.

The seminar room will be used for planning out what exhibits will be displayed during the year. The classroom will allow students to meet educators inside the gallery.

In addition, the museum will be equipped with Wi-Fi. The Lowe is the only building on campus without wireless access.

The museum has, on average, more than 40,000 visitors per year.

Junior Ian Bai said some of the funds from the Beaux Arts donation should be invested in buying artwork from students.

“This would give students the opportunity to start working and get credit in the early stage of their career, ” he said.

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speak

UP!

If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?

ARIANA BROWN Sophomore “I would buy a giant house on an island and I would make all the hallways trampolines, and then use all the money for good things.”

HURRICANE

”

Raymond La, Contributing Columnist

STAFF EDITORIAL

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Stadiums as shelters unreasonable ideal More than two decades ago, a Florida Senate committee passed a bill that was meant to allow hundreds of homeless people in Florida to spend the night in lavish stadiums. Don ’t be surprised if you ’ve never heard of it – neither have most Floridians.

Twenty-three years ago, a bill was approved by the Senate that ordered publicly-funded stadiums to transform into homeless shelters when they were not in use for events, according to an article from NBC 6 Miami. Down in Miami, this includes the homes of the Heat, Marlins and Dolphins. This means that some of Miami ’s indigents would be standing in line for hours waiting to lie down and take a snooze on a basketball court, football field or a baseball diamond.

Yes, this lets us assume that the homeless would also be receiving Miami Heat, Marlins and Dolphins schedules along with concerts and other events so they know when their homes are available. One question: Where should these schedules be mailed?

It seems like this idea is just the legislature ’s way of cleaning up the streets in Downtown Miami and making sports franchises look greedy. Think again.

These stadiums may be publicly funded, but they do not operate on government money alone. Senator Mike Bennett, an advocate of the bill, pointed out that this bill has never been enforced, but he might be tak-

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The Miami

Creating a diverse college campus by favoring certain races is not a rational scenario.

ing it too far, in our opinion. He wants publicly-funded stadiums across Florida to cough up the $275 million that they have received from the state in the last 20 years if they cannot prove that they ’ve been operating as a part-time homeless refuge.

The bill, which unanimously passed its first committee meeting in the Senate on Jan. 23, still has a long way to go before it becomes law. But in reality, what will this bill solve? Nothing.

Stadiums and arenas are constantly being used for sports games, concerts and events that take hired workers a day or more to prep for. Homeless people may get to use them once in a while, but the truth is that they still may have to go back to looking for a safe place to sleep fairly often.

Punishing sports franchises for the benefit of the homeless in Florida is not the solution, and neither is turning stadiums into homeless shelters on off-nights.

The government should be focusing on allotting money to build long-term shelters that help provide job opportunities for these homeless people, rather than trying to find a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

Editorials represent the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexa Lopez

BUSINESS MANAGER Isabel Gonzalez

MANAGING EDITOR Demi Rafuls

ADVERTISING EDITOR Demi Rafuls

ART DIRECTOR Allison Goodman

ACCOUNT REPS Melissa Castillo Danica Jones Tara Kleppinger Misha Mayeur

PHOTO EDITOR Marlena Skrobe ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Cayla Nimmo

PUBLIC RELATIONS James Borchers

NEWS EDITOR Alysha Khan

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Maria Jamed

ASST. EDITORS Lyssa Goldberg Alexander Gonzalez

FINANCIAL ADVISER Robert DuBord FACULTY ADVISER Bob Radziewicz

OPINION EDITOR Elizabeth De Armas

ONLINE EDITOR Daniel Cepero

EDGE EDITOR Margaux Herrera

WEBMASTER Amanda Zacharkiewicz

SPORTS EDITOR Ernesto Suarez COPY CHIEF Stephanie Parra COPY EDITORS Spencer Dandes Nicky Diaz Tasha Giuda DESIGNERS Carlos Mella Mariah Price Amilynn Soto

To reach a member of the staff visit themiamihurricane.com’s contact page. ©2011 University of Miami

ROBERT HUPF Senior “I would send a check to all my friends for $5,000 anonymously.”

SARAH HO Assistant Director for the Butler Center for Service and Leadership “I would start my own nonprofit.”

Speak Up answers are edited for clarity, brevity and accuracy.

Check out video Speak Ups at themiamihurricane.com. compiled by

Jennifer Levine

Admission process should not involve race

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he basis for current affirmative action policies at several universities and colleges across the nation takes RAYMOND LA CONTRIBUTING into account COLUMNIST a p p l i c a n t s ’ races in the admission process. The logic is that it is a means to improve campus diversity by improving the presence of underrepresented minorities.

However, this is flawed logic.

Creating a diverse college campus by favoring certain races is not a rational scenario. Should race be a factor in college admission when it puts another student of equal merit at a disadvantage?

Consider this situation: Let a

black or Hispanic student from an affluent background be of equal merit to a white or Asian student from a poor upbringing. With race as a factor in affirmative action, a black or Hispanic student will most likely be admitted over the white or Asian student.

The use of affirmative action is based on the assumption that it will create interactions among the students of various racial backgrounds, thus enhancing the learning environment and making it more supportive. However, this may not be true, as a Purdue University study shows that “interactions among diverse peers do not seem to make any difference as to whether students view the campus as supportive. ” Several states have passed initiatives to remove affirmative action in the college admission process in

their respective public universities, including Michigan, California, Florida, Texas and Washington.

It might be more appropriate to implement affirmative action while taking the socioeconomic status of the students into consideration. High admission test scores are noted to be correlated with family income, as these students often pay for test prep or test retakes.

Affirmative action based on the socioeconomic status of students may prove to be the more rational solution. It is time to ban race-centric affirmative action in university admissions nationally or, at the very least, factor in students ’ socioeconomic status instead.

There is a need for some parity in the university admission process.

Raymond La is a freshman majoring in microbiology.

Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2012

The Miami Hurricane is published semi-weekly during the regular academic year and is edited and produced by undergraduate students at the University of Miami.

The publication does not necessarily represent the views and opinions of advertisers or the university’s trustees, faculty or administration. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of The Hurricane’s Editorial Board.

Commentaries, letters and cartoons represent only the views of their respective authors. The newsroom and business office of The Hurricane are located in the Norman A. Whitten University Center, Room 221.

LETTER POLICY The Miami Hurricane encourages all readers to voice their opinions on issues related to the university or in response to any report published in The Hurricane.

Letters to the editor may be submitted typed or handwritten (please make your handwriting legible) to the Whitten University Center, Room 221, or mailed to P.O. Box 248132, Coral Gables, FL, 33124-6922. Letters, with a suggested length of 300 words, must be signed and include a copy of your student ID card, phone number and year in school.

ADVERTISING POLICY The Miami Hurricane’s business office is located at 1306 Stanford Drive, Norman A. Whitten University Center, Room 221B, Coral Gables, FL 33124-6922. The Miami Hurricane is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the university’s fall and spring academic terms.

Newspapers are distributed free of charge on the Coral Gables campus, the School of Medicine and at several off-campus locations.

DEADLINES All ads must be received, cash with copy, in The Miami Hurricane business office, Whitten University Center, Room 221B, by noon Tuesday for Thursday’s issue and by noon Friday for the Monday issue.

SUBSCRIPTIONS The Miami Hurricane is available for subscription at the rate of $50 per year.

AFFILIATIONS The Miami Hurricane is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, Columbia Scholastic Press Assoc. and Florida College Press Assoc.

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How I learned to look past gay stereotypes

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hen my best friend came out in high school, one of my friends showed her support by immediately asking, “So does this mean we can go shopping together? ” I reacted similarly and assumed that this new chapter of his life would not be about his newfound comfort with his sexuality, but rather his new JACKIE SALO CONTRIBUTING role as my gay accessory that would COLUMNIST shoot out glitter and belt out Lady Gaga songs on request.

I expected him to assume the title of gay boyfriend about three seconds after the purchase of his first purse.

His important duties would include telling me when my eyebrows looked asymmetrical and fathering my children in a petri dish when I became old and desperate.

Like every other fan of “Will and Grace, ” I found it hard to believe that all gays weren ’t born knowing all the lyrics to Ke$ha ’s songs with an IV of apple martini attached to them. I was blown away when I learned that he didn't know how to work a straightening iron even though he didn ’t need to use one.

Girls often go up to my friend and immediately proclaim they need a gay best friend in the same way they would talk about a manicure or a new pair of Jeffrey Campbells. I feel embarrassed for them as much as for myself for expecting them to enjoy that you want them to play up a stereotype for them. I can only imagine the horror I would express if someone came up to me and told me that I was the token unnatural blonde friend they had always imagined would accompany them to Jamba Juice.

Based on the fact that society has tried to convince us that all gays share universal traits, girls will let a homosexual guy know right away that they ’re acquaintances with another gay guy. They don't even list any mutual hobbies or interests that would make their union a perfect match.

I ’m glad that I ’ve regained enough of the brain cells I lost watching “Sex and the City ” to look past his sexuality and realize I ’m friends with him for many more reasons than his impeccable taste in scarves.

Jackie Salo is a freshman majoring in journalism.

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Obama succeeded during his term

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arely does our president get an uninterrupted chance before such a large audience to speak directly to the nation. For this reason, the State of GAURAV DHIMAN the Union address CONTRIBUTING often serves two COLUMNIST purposes: to illuminate the president ’s recent record and to describe his upcoming agenda.

Last Tuesday, President Obama discussed the end of the Iraq War and the slow, but steady, winding down of the war in Afghanistan.

Although unemployment is not as low as anyone would like, the truth

is that the Obama administration has created 3 million jobs in 22 months.

Last year saw the greatest creation of jobs since 2005, and the unemployment rate is steadily declining. Additionally, the U.S. is on track to double its exports.

Heading into election year, President Obama made a note that he would fight outsourcing tax breaks for multinational corporations and unfair tax breaks for oil companies. He wants to create a federal task force to monitor banks, mortgage lenders and credit card companies for fraud, and he promoted tax breaks for manufacturing in economically-challenged communities.

He also brought up the Dream Act, a moderate initiative for citizenship for hard-working and successful

students who are illegal immigrants.

Oh, and for college students, his goal is to extend college tuition tax credits and double the number of work-study jobs.

Although his agenda is more progressive, the majority of his ideas are ones that any sensible individual should find appealing. In walking the fine line between moderate and progressive, I think that he succeeded. For myself and many others, change is here and continues to come. Hopefully, as we head toward November, congressional obstructionists will not believe in a “my way or the highway ” game.

In fact, it ’s not even a game. It should be the government doing its job.

Gaurav Dhiman is a senior majoring in biology and political science, and the president of the UM College Democrats.

Children miss out on quality Disney films

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found myself strolling down memory lane by watching some of my favorite old Disney movies, some of which I hadn ’t seen since I was a child. Watching them now, years later, I can appreciate them for everything that they are: beautiful, brilliant films that not only entertained us as children, but also offered strong underlying messages that a NILOUFAR ABAE CONTRIBUTING mature audience can understand.

COLUMNIST Nostalgia aside, these films actually have a lot of substance. Hidden thematic materials include sex, lust, ambition, racism and cold-blooded murder. Many may preach that such messages have no place in movies made for children, but I beg to differ. Yes, some portions of these films were dark and possibly intended for a more mature audience, but can you imagine how boring our childhoods would have been without them?

Besides, it ’s okay to be exposed to the realities of life at

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an early age. I believe that it makes a person stronger.

Out of pure curiosity, I have watched many recent children ’s films to compare the old Disney to the new. Not to bash any of the new productions, but these films come nowhere close to the ones we grew up with, and I ’m sure most would agree.

It ’s almost as if we are trying to shield children from society by providing them with mindless entertainment. Why the sudden censorship?

If it was acceptable for us to be exposed to heavier material as children, why can ’t kids nowadays be aware of what the real world contains?

I think they are missing out because of the limited exposure they have to stronger material. Our generation just had it better and I hope that when my fellow Disney-lovers and I have children of our own, we will remember to pass on the magic.

Niloufar Abae is a sophomore majoring in psychology and business.

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Looking for some cold drama?

Check out Robert Caisley’s “Winter” at the New Theatre at The Roxy Performing Arts Center from Feb. 3-19. For more information, visit new-theatre.org.

Th T he e Next xt tT Th T e Ne Ne ex x xt th Th h he et N Ne ex xt the The T he NT ex e xt x The Th T he N Ne ex xt the The Th e Nex

B i g B i g B i g B i g B i g B i g T h i Tn hg i n Tgh i n Tg h i n Tg h i n g T h i n DESIGN BY MARIAH PRICE

BY HYAN FREITAS CONTRIBUTING EDGE WRITER

ll roads will lead to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as local bands battle in hopes of being crowned The Next Big Thing.

Revolution Live will be the South Florida stop for The Next Big Thing Tour, a show that brings together the best local and unsigned talent to battle at one of the area's premier venues.

Judges will award the winning band with a choice between studio recording time or a cash prize, which was $1,000 last year.

However, most of these young bands would agree that the ultimate prize is exposure.

“It's much larger than most of the other venues we regularly play, so we have the opportunity to reach a much larger audience than we normally would, ” said Jake Strunin, bassist for local indie band D.V.N.O. Strunin said that the caliber of the venue is also a draw for the bands.

“Playing a show like Next Big Thing

really helps because we get exposed to some of the people in charge of booking shows, ” said Strunin, who aspires to play shows at Revolution. “Breaking into that caliber of venue isn't as easy as you'd think. ” Alternative rock band Marvlec, champions of last year ’s South Florida show, were able to build off the momentum of winning the contest.

“After we won the battle, we kept entering in others and continued to win firstplace, ” Marvlec guitarist Gustavo Lombana said. “We just rocked out and played our best. ” However, there is some controversy surrounding a band ’s eligibility for the show. The event utilizes a “pay-to-play ” system, which means bands need to sell a minimum of 30 tickets to play.

The number of tickets sold also determines a band's slot in the line-up. More tickets means a later slot, which typically means a larger crowd.

“It may not seem like a lot for bands

that have been around for three-plus years, but for new, upcoming bands it's difficult, ” said drummer Stephanie Delgado, who will be performing with Miami artist Quietus. “It seems some of the better venues are turning to the 'pay- to-play' mentality, and it's almost like they're trying to weed out the

If You Go

big What: next thing tour Doors WHEN: SATURDAY; open at 11 A.M. NATION, WHERE: LIVE 100 SW 3RD AVE., FT. LAUDERDALE

For more information, go to jointherevolution.net

Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2012

new bands. ” Melanie Dewey, a sophmore in the Frost School of Music, said that she would enter her band in a pay-to-play event.

"The prizes are worth it but even if you don't win it's a great way for a new band to start up," Dewey said. "If you want it, you ’re gonna make it happen."

These kinds of situations come up often in the industry and it's important to recognize the role of the promoter, Frost School of Music professor Christopher Palmer said.

"Promoters and bands need to be closest friends," Palmer said. "Don't discount the fact that these promoters are gambling with thousands of dollars hoping that somebody shows."

Those participating agree that these events provide some of the best opportunities for new local artists to perform and establish a following.

“We learned to never take any gig or competition for granted because you never know what will come of it," Lombana said.

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Q&A

Hip-hop group talks 3-D choreography, gender roles

BY DEANNA MAVIS CONTRIBUTING EDGE WRITER

Decadancetheatre is bending gender roles through a 3-D hip-hop performance at the Adrienne Arsht Center this weekend.

The Brooklyn-based company, an entirely female group, is composed of dancers from around the world who strive to break the gender barriers of the hip-hop world by bringing dancers out of the background of music videos and onto center stage. The Miami Hurricane got a chance to talk to founder and artistic director Jennifer Weber about the group and what she does.

The Miami Hurricane: Let ’s start at the beginning. What initially sparked your interest in hip-hop?

Jennifer Weber: I like that it is not just a dance, but that it ’s also a culture. My introduction to hip-hop really came from the club scene in New York, and in London and in Philly. I guess that is what I thought was so cool about it – it was not just a dance style, but something greater.

TMH: What, then, inspired you to start your own company?

JW: When I first moved to New York, I realized that there were so few opportunities for hip-hop

dancers – especially female hip-hop dancers – to do their thing. Most of the work for them is just being in a commercial and selling something, or being in a music video behind an artist. But there are just so many brilliant dancers who don ’t get the opportunity to express themselves in full-length forms. I wanted to create opportunities for the artists who are part of hip-hop culture, to bring the

art outside of the club scene, and to make it accessible to more people.

TMH: So what has the response been?

JW: It ’s been amazing. People feel really inspired by us because we draw both a hip-hop audience, who might not think of hip-hop being longer than three minutes, and we also get more of a classical dance audience, who are used to seeing bal-

PHOTO COURTSEY DANIEL PINCUS

HIP-HOP IN 3-D: Decadancetheatre is redefining gender roles through 3-D hip-hop choreography, including 3-D videography.

lets in a certain way. But we ’re really fusing the idea of concert dance with the vocabulary of hip-hop. So we ’re bringing all these different audiences into the theater and everywhere we go, everyone has just loved it.

TMH: What is the message you hope they take away from one of your performances?

JW: I just hope they feel inspired – that ’s my main goal – but I also hope that when they hear “women in hip-hop, ” they don ’t just think of booty dancers in a music video. In the old school roots of hiphop, men, women and everyone did the same stuff, so I hope that people see that women can do everything that men can do, and dance doesn ’t need to be about gender.

TMH: Have you seen any new trends in hip-hop? Are there women at the professional level?

JW: I ’m seeing just more of everyone in hip-hop; now the culture is all over the world. You can go anywhere – Australia, Japan, France, England – and there are people participating in hip-hop, creating art with hip-hop, really using it as a language to express themselves.

Our dancers in particular are very diverse, from Norway to Nigeria.

IF YOU GO WHAT: Decadancetheatre WHERE: Adrienne Arsht Center WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

Friday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday COST: $35 FOR MORE INFORMATION: arshtcenter.org We all know hip-hop, we all grew up on hip-hop and we all use it to work together.

TMH: What can the audience at the Arsht Center expect?

JW: The piece that we ’re doing at the Arsht Center is called “When the Sky Breaks. ” It ’s a piece inspired by water. It has 3-D video projections, so the audience actually wears 3-D glasses, and we interact with the 3-D environment.

FINISH READING AT THEMIAMIHURRICANE.COM

PHOTO BRIEF

Country music comes to Miami SWEET SOUNDS: Dana Yarkin cheers as Luke Bryan takes the stage at Sunday’s Chili Cookoff. Thousands of people crowded into CB Smith Park for the 27th annual event, hosted by Kiss Country.

Sophomore Lizzie Garcia also attended.

“The amount of people there was overwhelming, but the energy from so many people made the concerts even more fun than a smaller concert would have been,”she said.

“It was a perfect Sunday filled with great friends and amazing music.”

Tickets sold out last Wednesday. It was the highest number of sales ever for the cook-off.

The headline performers were Luke Bryan, the Zach Brown Band, Clay Walker and Chris Cagel.

Check out Cayla Nimmo’s photo slideshow at themiamihurricane.com.

CAYLA NIMMO // Assistant Photo Editor

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SPORTS

53

combined point differential for the men’s and women’s basketball teams in their wins over Boston College on Sunday

0

number of matches that the women’s tennis team lost on Saturday against Cal State

WOMEN’S TENNIS

ZACH BEEKER // The Miami Hurricane

POWER HITTER: Senior Anna Bartenstein hits a backhand during her match against Cal State this past weekend. Miami won the ITA Kick-Off on its home courts.

Hurricanes win Kick-Off, clinch ITA tourney bid Sweep of Cal State fuels win

BY KRISTEN SPILLANE STAFF WRITER

The women ’s tennis squad emerged as this weekend ’s ITA Kick-Off Tournament champion after two decisive wins over Cal State Northridge and the University of South Florida.

With a 7-0 sweep over Cal State Northridge, the Hurricanes faced off in Sunday ’s championship match against the University of

South Florida and claimed a place in the ITA Tournament with a 6-2 team victory.

“On this team, everyone is held accountable, ” coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We don ’t put the pressure on any one individual – the entire team leads by example. ” The Canes took the doubles point with easy wins from the second doubles tandom of sophomore Melissa Bolivar and freshman Liat Zimmerman (8-3), and third doubles team, senior Gabriella Mejia and freshman Lina Lileikite (8-2).

Singles wins from Mejia (6-2,

6-2), Lileikite (6-4, 6-3), Zimmerman (6-2, 6-1) and sophomore Brittany Dubins (6-2, 7-5) clinched the hardfought victory for UM. In Saturday ’s match against Cal State Northridge, the Hurricanes took an early lead with strong doubles play from the first doubles team, senior Anna Bartenstein and Dubins, and the second doubles team, Bolivar and Zimmerman.

The energy carried into singles play with quick, straight-set wins from Mejia (6-1, 6-0), Lileikite (6-1, 6-1) and Bolivar (6-4, 6-1).

“The quick wins help your other teammates, ” Mejia said. “You

have to send energy all over the courts. You have to keep thinking about winning the next point and focus on your own game. You go crazy if you are too worried about the other courts. ” After split sets, Zimmerman and Dubins each contributed to the Hurricane lead with tiebreaker wins in the third set.

Despite not winning a game in her first set against Cal State ’s Jennifer Sher, UM ’s first singles player Anna Bartenstein rebounded and came away with the 0-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory.

“I came out slow and didn ’t Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2012

have good focus, I wasn ’t playing point for point, ” she said. “In the second set, I took it point for point, focused on her weaknesses and played it out. It ’s important to be here for each other. When you see the scoreboard, you want to stay positive and transact positive energy. ” Despite the quick start to the season, the team understands that the season is a long one and they have a lot to look forward to.

The Hurricanes travel to Charlottesville, Va. for the ITA National Women ’s Team Indoor Championships on Feb. 17.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Canes notch two big ACC wins Riquna Williams on verge of 2,000 points

BY PATRICK RILEY STAFF WRITER

The Hurricanes women ’s basketball team is coming off a weekend in which they enjoyed overwhelming victories against struggling ACC opponents.

On Sunday evening, the Canes were able to come away with their eighth straight win against Boston College, beating the Eagles 88-57 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Miami built a double-digit lead with just more than 14 minutes left in the opening half and never let that lead trail into single digits. Seniors Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams combined for 31 points in the opening half.

Last Thursday, in what coaches and players later described as an “ugly, physical ” contest, Miami beat Wake Forest 6439 at the BankUnited Center in front of 1,648 fans.

The Canes won their 36th straight home game as senior Shenise Johnson recorded her 33rd career double-double and filled up the stat sheet, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and two steals.

“It seemed like she had 10 rebounds before the first meeting, ” coach Katie Meier said after the game. “I mean, I was really impressed with her energy. At halftime she had 10 and no one else had more than three rebounds. ” But while Johnson ’s rebounding numbers were superb in the first half, the usually-prolific scorer struggled offensively early on.

ZACH BEEKER // The Miami Hurricane

ON THE BALL: Senior Riquna Williams puts up a layup against Wake Forest last Thursday night. The Canes easily defeated the Deconds 64-39.

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THE MIAMI HURRICANE

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“My shot wasn ’t falling, ” Johnson said. “So I said, ‘OK, let me do something else. ’ I started to distribute the ball and get my other teammates shots. They did a great job of knocking it down. But nobody put a body on me so I ’m like, ‘something I can always do is rebound. ’ ” Nothing came easy early on for Miami, as Wake Forest was able to hang with the Canes and keep the game close.

“They kind of had more energy than us to start the game, ” Meier said. “But what happened is I think after they kind of got through that, I think our defense just took over. ” As the defense started to clamp down and big shots from junior Stefanie Yderstrom, freshman Michelle Woods and Johnson started to fall, the Canes were able to put some distance between themselves and their opponents midway through the first half.

Guard Riquna Williams also chipped in with nine points of her own to make it 33-20 at halftime.

Miami carried that momentum into the second half, where they led comfortably by 12 or more points until the final buzzer sounded. The Canes took control of the game and never looked back, finally finding their offensive rhythm and improving their field goal percentage significantly.

Also, with renewed energy on the defensive end, Wake Forest was shut out for the final 7:03 of the game.

With Morgan Stroman out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, Miami needed other players to step up in her place and provide the energy that Stroman is known for.

“She brings the energy to us, ” Johnson said. “We kind of all collectively took that on as our own role, because that ’s something we can do. It doesn ’t involve talent. But we miss Stro. I thought Jessica Capers and Maria Brown did a great job of getting rebounds for us, being strong inside the paint, just being able to catch and finish. That ’s something that Stro did well for us. I think they give us this power set that we ’re not used to seeing Miami have. ” Demon Deacons coach Mike Petersen, whose team held Miami to one of its fewest point totals of the season, said afterwards: “Tonight, we learned Miami is a lot better than us. ” The Hurricanes have a week off before coming back to the BankUnited Center to take on the Clemson Tigers this coming Sunday. Williams needs just six points to become the fifth Cane in program history to reach 2,000 points for her career, after Johnson became the fourth earlier this season.

Students put in long hours for grueling race MARATHON FROM PAGE 1 “What ’s great about the race is the location, ” Durham said. “Running through South Beach, downtown with all the buildings, it really is a great spot. ” But as exciting as the ING might be, it ’s the work done in the months before the race that makes crossing that finish line all the more satisfying.

“Normally, you start off training by running anywhere between three to four miles the first time, looking to see how you feel after that, ” said junior Brian Van Cleave, running for the second time in the ING event. “After that, you just gradually add on. It normally takes about two months to train for a half-marathon, but for someone who is generally active, it can be done in less time. ” All runners have their own ways of preparing, but sometimes it comes down to just going in and hoping for the best.

“I started training in mid-September ... but during winter break an injury kept me out for a little bit, ” Durham said. “I was only able to do one long run before the race and kind of had to wing it. ” After months of rigorous training, however, it ’s the hours leading up to the race that prove to be the most strenuous.

“For the most part you ’re just trying to stay relaxed, but it ’s a struggle to go to sleep. Your mind is just racing, ” said David Magida, a graduate student who raced his second marathon. “I found the best way to fall asleep is to just walk yourself through each mile of the course and just focus. If not, you ’re way too amped to even consider sleeping. ” As the race time approaches and runners warm up and gather near the starting line right in front of the AmericanAirlines Arena, experienced runners will note that once the gun goes off, the hardest part is not getting off to a fast start, but making sure you don ’t tire out too quickly.

“The biggest mistake a marathoner can make is starting off too fast. You want to stay steady to your training and your pace, ” Magida said. “Later in the race, it ’s one of those things where at some point or another, you ’re going to hit the wall and it ’s all about survival. The mindset there is ‘just survive. ’ You start to doubt whether it ’s possible. The challenge is finding a way to fight through it. ” But while the training may be grueling, and the race itself both a physical and mental struggle, crossing the finish line at the end of the long race is an experience all its own.

“A marathon is just one of those things where, as a runner, if you haven ’t accomplished at least one in your career, it ’s hard to really consider yourself a runner, ” Magida said. “I lost two toenails and have a giant bloody gash, but the pain eventually subsides. Finishing a marathon though, that ’s a truly special feeling. ”

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dear ...

Dear V: I’m too sexy to be sober...

, My friends and I are all a bunch of drunks. Every weekend (and some weekdays), we get completely trashed at the bar, and we often wake up the next morning and realize how embarrassing and pathetic we all are. Every bar we go to hates us, and none of us can ever establish any form of a relationship with women because they figure out that we ’re a bunch of drunken sleezes. I find myself being labeled as an alcoholic douchebag just because I ’m associated with them. I really like having a good time, and they ’re really good friends, but at this rate I ’m never going to be able to find a good woman. What should I do?

Hangover Hater Dear Vinny Guadagnino, While we all like to get loose and unwind on the weekends, there is such a thing as excess, and if you ’re involved in every single tavern horror story in Miami, you should probably cool it. Remember when Charlie Sheen kept telling everyone that he was winning? The

truth is, he wasn ’t winning at all, he was in a half-baked cliche sitcom that people didn ’t actually watch, they just had it on the TV when they left their house so the dog didn ’t get lonely.

The reason Charlie Sheen did all of those drugs was because he realized what a hack he really was; how he turned “Spin City ” from watchable to sputum and filled every $5 bargain bin at Wal-Mart with his crappy budget comedies. You ’re not winning either, you ’re just making it more difficult for people to take you seriously.

It ’s okay to party, but you don ’t want to be that guy who evacuates bar clientele quicker than a hurricane siren. Try drinking six or seven beers instead of a gallon of Patron - remember, Tony Yayo drank Patron. Who is that? Exactly.

When you get that drunk, you ’re not going to attract any women unless they ’re equally as drunk, and let ’s just be honest here, that ’s practically rape. Hitting on anything with a vagina and a pulse is not going to impress the ladies at the club, they ’re just going to see you for what you are: a desperate lunatic reeking of sweat, booze and shame. Purposefully spilling your drink on your lap is not an acceptable way to cover up the fact

ly pissed yourself, and just because that you inadvertently ’t mean you can sleep l th it ’s called Mansion d doesn ’t there.

We all get a little wild, and we ’ve all had that one night that we can ’t make any excuses for, but you don ’t want to make it a weekly performance. Either stop going out so much, or stop drinking so much when you are out, because getting thrown out of a club once is a funny story, but getting thrown out of every club every weekend is pathetic. Just because there are 50 girls at the club doesn ’t mean you have to try to bang all of them, and if you ’re as drunk as you say you are, you ’re not going to bang any of them. If you settle down but your friends don ’t, then move a little further away from them the later it gets, so if they do something stupid, you have an alibi later.

Oh and get on Facebook and do some serious untagging, V Have a question for V? Hit up DearV@themiamihurricane. com.

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Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2012

}

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