16 dance pieces ready for showcase

Performers ready for ‘Signatures’

Michaia Hernandez

Online Editor

“Signatures,” the annual Fall Dance Concert scheduled for Nov. 15 through 17 in the Performing Arts Complex, will feature 16 dance pieces choreographed by students and faculty from Pierce College’s dance department.

This year’s showcase will feature performances that are on the more personal side, according

“Kribians”

Choreography: Joelle Manga

Music: “Sexy Dance” by Fally

Ipupa feat. Krys

Dancers: Marie Bayo, Omid

Haghnegahdar, Johnny Ceja, Marilyn Garcia, Joelle Manga, Jeremy Powell, Florabel Rubio, Drew Sterm

“Storm”

Choreography & performance: Noelle Andressen-Kale

Music score/composition: Kristopher Kale

“A Love Forever Known”

Choreography: Char’Donai’

Brooks Music: “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee

Dancers: Marie Bayo, Bryan

Garcia, Cassandra Godirez, Sandy Luque, Brooklyn Merritt, William Jace Rain, Jessica Uthus, Gracia Camila Yturrizaga

“She is Both Subject and Object”

Music: “I’m Spiegel” by Arvo Part

Choreography: Bonnie Lavin

Dancer: Paula Salvador

“Let This Be My Last Battleground”

Choreography: Noelle Andressen-

Kale

Music: “Rosewood” by Kristopher

Kale

Dancers: Noelle Andressen-Kale, Sandy Luque, Amani Minter

“Bachantigua”

Choreography: Denise Gibson & The Wonderland Team

Music: “Down” by Mambo 7

Dancers: Latin Dance Team “Salsa in Wonderland”:

Joel Alvarez, Johnny Ceja, Lynda

Escalante, Bryan Garcia, Giselle

Elias, Erika Figueroa, Camila Medel, Zafir Molina, Yesenia

Perez, Sean Pinto, Gary Silveyra

“Under the Bridge”

Choreography: Denise Gibson & to dance instructor Denise Gibson, who is the artistic director of the production, as well as a choreographer for a number of the pieces.

The concert will feature a variety of dance styles, including ballet, lyrical, modern and hiphop. Tickets are now on sale for $10 each. For reservations, call (818) 610-6598.

“It usually sells out very quickly,” Gibson said.

Dancers

Music: “Boadicea” by Enya

Dancers: Jeta Vlashi, Char’Donai’ Brooks, Cassandra Godirez, Sarah Hochstatter, Sandy Luque, Tyler Moore, Sydney Catran-Whitney

“The Distance”

Choreography: Philip Pham

Music: “Die in Your Arms” by Ariana Grande & “Hold on We’re Going Home” by Drake

Dancers: Kay Padilla Manalac, Philip Pham, Paula Salvador

“Vive Le Swing”

Choreography: Dennon Rawles

Music: Gabin Brassy Remix

Dancers: Alanelle Bagamaspad, Julio Alanya, Char’Donai Brooks, Joseph Carter, Giselle Elias, Lynda Escalante, Samantha Fairbairn, Bryan Garcia, Arianna Hall, Faisal Hossain, Rikkarria Jones, Sandy Luque, Ana Miranda, Brian Villafan, Busisiwe Yende

“An Odd Number of Women”

Choreography: Natalie Metzger

Music: “Augur” & “The Beautiful

Dead” by Robert Allaire

Dancers: Marie Bayo, Morgan Corulli, Cassandra Godinez, Sarah Louise, Brooklyn Merritt, Samara

Cibrian

“Makes Ya’ Wanna Holler”

Choreography: Bonnie LavinHughes & Dancers

Music: “Strange Fruit” by Nina Simone and “Blood on the Leaves” by Kanye West, mixed by Tony Johnson

Dancers: Julio Alanya, Char’Donai’ Brooks, Sydney Catran-Whitney, Marlene Chavez, Giselle Elias, Bryan Garcia, Scott Kriloff, Magaly Lemus, Gabriela Lopez, Sandy Luque, Ana Miranda, Brooke Merritt, Yesenia Perez, Javier Ramirez, Vanessa Rivera, Sophia Willis, Brian Villafan

“The Cool”

Student choreographs dance for annual Fall Dance Concert

Chaez Pearson Roundup Reporter

For many, dance is an expression that can be used to express emotions, but for 21-yearold Char’donai’ Brooks, it is a way of life.

From North Hills, Calif., Brooks is now in her third semester at Pierce College as a dance choreographer.

Currently living in the inner city of Los Angeles, Brooks has brought her hip-hop style to Pierce dance. She is preparing for the college’s annual Fall Dance Concert on Nov. 15, 16 and 17. She is constructing a performance with students in her class that will consist of 10 people total performing a lyrical and modern type of dance to the song “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.

“I’ve been dancing ever since I could remember, even at a young age,” Brooks said. “I was always very energetic, and hip-hop was always my style. Teaching my younger sister as well as her friends to dance is, I think, part of the reason I’m here now at Pierce.”

Nelger Carrera / Roundup

REHEARSAL: Morgan Corulli (L) and Samara Cibrian on Friday, Nov. 1 practice the choreography for “An Odd Number of Women,” a piece they will be performing for the Fall Dance Concert.

Choreography: Paula Salvador

Music: “Kitty Kat” by Beyonce, “Electric Lady” by Janelle Monae & “Latch” by Disclosure feat. Sam Smith

Dancers: Paula Salvador

“9th Ward”

Choreography: Wendy Baity

Music: “Minority Report” by Jay-Z

Dancers: Marlene Chavez, Lisa Flory, Marilyn Garcia, Ryan Kuromiya, Maggie Lemus, Ian McCabe, Camila Mendel, Jeremy Powell

“La Clave Gitana”

Choreography: Denise Gibson & The Wonderland Team

Music: “El Ritmo de Juanito” by Sabor de Gracia

Dancers: Latin Dance Team “Salsa in Wonderland”: Char’Donai’ Brooks, Bryan Garcia, Giselle Elias, Gary Silveyra

“Surrender”

Choreography: Sandy Luque

Music: “My Immortal” by Lindsey Stirling

Dancers: Sandy Luque, Rudolph Secundino

“Swinging in the Rain”

Choreography: Denise Gibson & Dancers

Music: “Swinging in the Rain”

Jive Aces

Dancers: Musical Theater Class: Julio Alanya, Emma Bock, CharDonai Brooks, Joe Carter, John Ceja, Sarah Elias, Lynda Escalante, Sammie Fairbairn, Sarah Hochstatter, Brooklyn Merritt, Tin Nguyen, Yesenia Perez, Brittany Walker, Sydney Catran-Whitney, Sally Wenqian, Sophia Willis

List courtesy of: Denise Gibson *In order of performance

Brooks has progressed into an amazing dancer while incorporating her hip-hop roots into other styles of dance, such as lyrical and modern.

“Modern dance is what I first started with when I initially began dancing at Pierce,” Brooks said. “It’s a style of dance that I think was made for my body. Rosario Carache is definitely someone that mentored me during my beginning stages at this campus. She helped me a great deal getting started.” Brooks prides herself as someone that loves to learn and is open to a variety of different styles of dance. Lyrical dance is the most recent style that Brooks has learned, but she has caught on so quickly that she is now teaching it to students in her class.

“I have always used dance as my great escape,” Brooks said.

“I use dance to tell a story of my emotions, and usually it’s the sad and slower songs that appeal to me the most. Those songs seem to give me the best feeling while doing my dances.”

Dancing is a way of life for Char’donai’ Brooks. She also views it as something she shares with her 2-year-old daughter Kailah.

“My daughter has such great rhythm and a love for dance at an early age,” Brooks said. “It is really something that I am grateful for because it is something we will always be able to share.”

Along with teaching dance at Pierce, Brooks works with her mother doing medical billing and coding. Her ultimate goal is not to perform around the world, but to open her own dance studio for many mothers that share the same passion as she does.

“Becoming a mother really put a lot of things into perspective for me,” Brooks said. “Dance is a great release and also helps with staying in shape and fit. I want to give other moms that same feeling and way to express themselves one day.”

‘Signatures’ concert

Annual Fall Dance Concert

Nov. 15 @ 8 p.m. Nov. 16 @ 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 17 @ 2 p.m.

Performing Arts Complex

For tickets, call (818) 610-6598.

Open mic event attracts more than 100 people

Todd Rosenblatt Roundup Reporter

More than 100 students and staff gathered in the Great Hall on Thursday Nov. 7 to watch and participate in Harmony in Diversity, an open mic event hosted by Pierce College’s Diversity Committee.

During the open mic session 23 people read poems, sang, danced and discussed social issues. In the middle of the event there was a performance by Diane Kelly, a musician and Pierce professor.

meeting and they came up with the idea of having the event so I said ‘I’ll play,’” Kelly said.

Having Kelly perform was a draw for some students like Karen Ibarra.

“I had professor Kelly before, and I was interested to see what kind of genre was hers,” Ibarra said.

While performing an original song Kelly broke into a guitar solo and the crowd erupted in applause.

Professor Maria Bates, co-chair of the Diversity Committee, said the committee is a group of faculty who support diversity and help to bring people together on campus.

during the event was Arnel Reyes, who attended the event to receive extra credit in one of his classes and recite a poem entitled “I Know You” by an unknown author.

“You’re pretty open to do whatever you want. It’s a good vibe, good environment to be yourself in,” Reyes said.

Food and drinks were provided for students in addition to the entertainment, and included cookies, muffins, chips, water and soda. There was no budget for the event so funding came from Bates’ own pocket.

Some of the students who took the stage were from foreign countries and performed in foreign languages such as Farsi and Spanish.

Christine Valada, co-chair of the Diversity Committee, was happy with the turnout.

“It’s always gratifying to see participation,” Valada said.

Events like these have a good impact on the campus and students at Pierce, according to Kelly.

Bobak Radbin / Roundup

INSTRUMENT: Albert Yang, a 26-year-old student, plays his guitar in the Great Hall during the open mic on Thursday, Nov. 7.

Kelly is a fan of the event and offered to support it when she first heard of the event.

“I sat in on the [Diversity Committee]

Arts & Entertainment Briefs

Compiled by: Tracy Wright

Student photos to be displayed through exhibit [11/14 - 12/11]

Two academic departments are hosting a student photography exhibit beginning Thursday, Nov. 14 and ending Wednesday, Dec. 11 in the Art Gallery, Room 3301.

The exhibition, entitled “Urban Sight,” opens Thursday with a reception that goes from 6 to 8 p.m. Students from the Department of Architecture and Media Arts

Department joined together with three other community colleges to participate with the Getty Center for the photo exhibit. “Urban Sight” focuses on Los Angeles structures and architecture. Through the project, the departments hope to demonstrate the relationship between Angelinos and cars through architecture, according to the press release.

The exhibit itself was designed and installed by students from the Art 519 Exhibition Design class. The event is open to the public.

“This is such a positive thing because it allows you to express your individuality,” Kelly said.

One of the students who performed

Thursday concerts continue [11/14]

Following the first Pierce student concert, the college’s Music Department will feature Music of Persia for its next free weekly Thursday shows.

Matin and Misaq Eshaghi will be performing, with the former on the taar and daf and the latter on the tonbal, kamancheh and daf.

The concert will take place in Music Building room 3400 at 12:45 p.m. Doors close at 1 p.m. Event is open to the public.

“I just felt like it wouldn’t be a really nice event unless we offer food. Students come here, they’re spending their afternoons here, it’s really a nice perk,” Bates said.

“I think it’s important for students to be able to connect to one another and it just kind of brings a really cool spirit to the campus,” Kelly said.

Following the success of the event, the Diversity Committee is planning to host another one of a similar format for May of next year.