19 minute read
SPORTS: CSU figure skating places in finals for first time in 8 years
CLUB SPORTS
CSU figure skating places in finals for first time in 8 years
By Karsyn Lane
@karsynlane1
The Colorado State University figure skating team hit the ice April 1-3 to compete in the 2022 National Intercollegiate Final at the Arrington Ice Arena in Adrian, Michigan, to finish out the season.
After dominating their regular-season competitions, the Colorado State figure skaters found themselves preparing to head to Adrian College. Notably, this is the first time in eight years that Colorado State’s club figure skating team competed in the national championship.
Once arriving in Michigan, the team was prepared to bring home an unforgettable nationals experience as they performed in a handful of events during the three-day weekend series. Among the events, several Rams performed and placed their names on the scoreboard.
In the pre-bronze cha cha dance event, three Rams found themselves competing for a spot on the leaderboard. Colorado State showed out in this event with all three athletes placing in the top 20. Those Rams included Kristen Barclay (fifth), followed by Katharina Prasetya (16th) and finally Sierra Belezos (18th).
Colorado State’s success didn’t stop there, though, as they placed in the top 10 for seven events during nationals. Since Colorado State hasn’t had the opportunity in eight years to show off their figure skating skills at this competition, the team brought everything they had to prove their strengths and close out the event.
In the preliminary dutch waltz dance, Selene Guilfoyle placed fourth, and Alexis Foster placed 16th. Guilfoyle continued her efforts in the competition and was the only Ram who found her name in first place: In the junior women’s short program, Guilfoyle competed against 14 other athletes from across the nation and came out on top.
“Nationals was such an uplifting experience — this team, my own personal growth and the work each of us has put into getting here has solidified core college memories for me, and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience this amazing moment with any other team,” Foster said.
Overall, the Colorado State figure skating team brought their all this weekend at the 2022 National Intercollegiate Final. The team’s final placements included 11th in both low and intermediate maneuvers as well as 10th place in high maneuvers. Overall, Colorado State placed 15th in the 2022 national finals. To stay up to date with the CSU figure skating team, follow their Instagram account @csufigureskating.
Reach Karsyn Lane at sports@ collegian.com.
ALEXIS FOSTER
CSU FIGURE SKATER
FoCoMX Music Festival Back In Action This April! In Action This April!
FORT COLLINS MUSIC
EXPERIMENT - It may sound like a weird science-themed CSU Lab band formed in a broom-closet, but in actuality it is Fort Collins’ own renowned music festival hosted each April in Downtown Fort Collins! Affectionately known as FoCoMX, the festival is making a triumphant return to the heart of our town’s music and culture scene after a two-year hiatus. Audiences are already showing their love in anticipation of Northern Colorado’s most sorely missed musical pageant. FoCoMX was born as an effort from the Fort Collins Musicians Association to increase the visibility and value of musicians whose talent and creativity make our local scene magical. If you have yet to bear witness to this annual event, your chance approaches this spring. On April 22 and 23 FoCoMX will take command of almost every stage in Downtown Fort Collins, including the Washington’s, Avogadro’s Number, The Comedy Fort, The Lyric, New Belgium Brewing Co.patio, and Odell Brewing patio, just to name a fraction of this year’s stages. No matter your musical tastes there’s defi nitely something for everyone. From bluegrass to metal, hip hop to punk, acoustic or synthesized, fans can hear original songs and tributes, experience the tame and the brazen, in both indoor and outdoor settings. Colorado artists will showcase all the genres during two days of musical performances. And if you want to get involved in the music scene consider being a volunteer and get a free festival wristband and commemorative t-shirt for your time. Audiences are encouraged to come see their favorite local acts, while also discovering new artists from more than three hundred Colorado artists across thirty stages. You might catch the next break-out broom-closet band in an intimate bar before they’re selling out stadiums - it wouldn’t be the fi rst time - *clears throat* Nathaniel Rateliff!
See you at the eXperiment!
CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
CSU’s public piano fills campus with spontaneous music
By Callum Burke
@burkec0621
Warm weather is on the horizon in Fort Collins, and with that comes more time to relax outside and bask in the many delights sprinkled throughout campus.
Whether that be tossing around a frisbee on the vast green Intramural Fields or skateboarding outside the Lory Student Center, music is most likely to be played and heard — music that sums up the positive emotions of both the upcoming summer months and the sense of joy among students that school is soon concluding for the break.
Sure, music from a portable speaker is nice, and even wearing headphones and keeping to yourself is fine, but it is time to focus on the little things, like filling campus with spontaneous music.
The vibrantly colored piano perched outside the Lory Student Center between the Curfman Gallery and the bike racks by the library, a heavily trafficked spot for regular campus-goers, is the perfect place to begin praise.
Currently painted gray with revealing cracks of rainbow underneath, the piano is one of the best mediums for artistic expression throughout the community in two main ways. First, the physical piano changes design and color often thanks to students and artists within the community. Second, it gives students of all musical experiences and backgrounds the opportunity to brush up on their favorite songs and piano jingles or just relieve some stress and bang on the deepest sounding keys to express the emotions of failing an exam.
OK, not so much of the failed exam part, but the free piano is a beautiful culmination of campus and music coming together, and some students love the chance to play in front of their peers at no cost to show off their talents.
“I’ve played this piano a lot,” Colorado State University junior Anna Dean. said “I’m pretty good at it, so I like people to know.”
Dean started taking piano lessons at the age of 6 and now teaches youth when not studying or attending class. Dean, like many other piano players at Colorado State University, can’t help but stop by and at least check out the unique piano, if not play it for a minute or two when passing.
“I feel proud to play the piano because it is something that I have spent so long working on,” Dean continued.
Students such as Dean deserve more praise for expressing their years of musical knowledge and talents to the community, and instruments like the free piano are a step in the right direction. Nothing brightens up a person’s day quite like live music to complement birds chirping in the trees on a walk to class.
Not to mention, some people are not given the proper chances to pursue their musical endeavors, especially as college students trying to make ends meet, so to see examples of CSU gifting opportunities for these people to flourish is great to witness.
“I think it is awesome because it gives people who don’t have access to instruments elsewhere an opportunity to play,” Dean said. “I honestly play the piano on campus more than my own keyboard sometimes.”
It seems nothing bad comes from offering students the freedom to play the piano, and more could come out of opportunities like this at CSU, such as another piano located in a different place on campus.
Although not heavily utilized during the winter seasons as a result of the cold Colorado temperatures, it is already clear the warmer weather is bringing out the musicians around campus, and this piano is the center of it all. The next time you are on or around campus, stop by and play it for a little. Or if you’re lucky, listen; someone might be there to uplift your day with a serenading tune.
Reach Callum Burke at letters@ collegian.com.
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EVENTS
The post-film panel at the 2022 ACT Human Rights Film Festival discusses the film “The Caviar Connection: How to Buy Democracy” in the Lory Student Center Theatre March 31. The festival returned to an in-person format after a three-year hiatus. PHOTO BY GREG JAMES THE COLLEGIAN
By Kadyn Thrope
@thropekadyn
After two years, the ACT Human Rights Film Festival returned in person and ready to make up for lost time. From March 31 to April 3, the ACT Human Rights Film Festival held 12 human rights-related film screenings at the Lory Student Center and The Lyric.
The ACT Human Rights Film Festival is hosted annually every April in Fort Collins. Due to the pandemic, they have not had the opportunity to have recent in-person showings until this year, and they came back excited to be able to enjoy these films together rather than alone through a screen.
“Thank you to you for coming; ACT only works if you’re here,” said Greg Dickinson, Colorado State University professor and ACT Human Rights Film Festival fundraiser. “It’s coming together to see the films and having the conversation — that’s what makes this a film festival.”
March 31 marked the start of the 2022 ACT Human Rights Film Festival with a welcoming reception and a screening of “The Caviar Connection: How to Buy Democracy.” The reception started at 5:30 p.m., equipped with food and ACT’s very own signature brew: Screening Session IPA from Odell Brewing Co. For everyone’s musical pleasure, Colorado State University student Mason Siders was there to play the piano and create a soothing atmosphere for everyone around.
After the reception, the theater opened, and people were let in to find their seats. As the crowd took their seats, they were handed popcorn to enjoy during the film. Dickinson took to the stage and started to introduce the rest of the night’s festivities.
Dickinson introduced what the ACT Human Rights Film Festival is: a film festival that “screens artistically excellent films from around the world and fosters conversations about social justice and human rights,” according to its website. After Dickinson introduced the ACT Human Rights Film Festival, CSU President Joyce McConnell made an appearance.
“Engaging people across communities, cultures and ideas to plant seeds of understanding, of empathy, of what it means to be human — the ACT human right festival does exactly this,” McConnell said.
The ACT Human Rights Film Festival is not only something that provides viewers with films focusing on the complex subject of human rights, it also provides them with tools and resources to make sure that everyone everywhere has access to their fundamental rights.
“The Caviar Connection: How to Buy Democracy” showed just what McConnell spoke on: understanding what it means to be human. Focusing on the political injustice, corruption and governmental bribery in Azerbaijan, the film shows how these things impact the citizens of these countries.
The film is split up into two parts. Part one follows Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist in Azerbaijan investigating the corruption inside the government and the ruling family as she and others become political prisoners in their own country for their outspoken opposition to the government.
The second part focuses on “caviar diplomacy,” a system of bribery used to downplay the human rights issues in a country. Human rights issues in Azerbaijan have led to multiple investigations into numerous European Union member states, with many diplomats voting to deny the report that revealed the presence of political prisoners in Azerbaijan due to caviar diplomacy.
Following the film, there was a panel of experts on post-Soviet Union autocracy, diplomacy and corruption. The three panelists were Peter Harris from the political science department at CSU, Christoph Stefes, a professor of political science at the University of Colorado Denver and Julia KhrebtanHörhager from the communications studies department at CSU. Panelists spoke about the film and focused on its relevance to the present Ukraine and Russia situation.
The opening night to the ACT Human Rights Festival started off with a relevant and eye-opening film on the issue of corruption. Those interested in seeing “The Caviar Connection” or any of the films shown during the in-person showings can check out the online showings from April 4-10 on the ACT Human Rights Film Festival website. To stream virtually, one film costs $8 if you don’t buy a pass — or $4 for CSU students with a discount code.
If you have the opportunity to view any of the films that ACT introduced and want to take action, the ACT Human Right Film Festival website provides you with everything you need. Simply select the movie that resonated with you, and explore the many ways you can take action to help make sure people all around the world have equal human rights.
Reach Kadyn Thorpe at entertainment@collegian.com.
EVENTS
ACT Human Rights Film Fest ends with powerful message
By Maddy Erskine
@maddyerskine_
The seventh annual ACT Human Rights Film Festival was a reminder and example of the importance of conversation, learning and understanding the issues many face. The festival offered insight into the complexities of society’s history and present through 12 in-person film screenings, a short-film session and an ongoing virtual encore.
For the past two years, the festival took place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this didn’t stop the festival from being able to showcase powerful films, the in-person experience of this event allows for a much greater sense of community along with meaningful connections and conversations.
“It’s really an irreplaceable experience to sit in a theater and watch movies all together,” said Beth Seymour, ACT Human Rights Film Festival managing director. “And I think with two years of being prominently and predominantly online, most of us have forgotten that it’s really fun to watch a movie with other people around.”
The festival showcased 19 films from 16 different countries, focusing on the importance of diversity and solidarity. In addition to showing films, the festival hosted activities focused on conversation, processing emotions and healing.
“The films ACT selection screens pretty much require conversation after to talk about the issues and to share thoughts on the film,” Seymour said. “We are a program of communication studies, so part of our festival’s emphasis is on promoting conversation.”
The final film of the in-person section of the festival, “Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra,” was a powerful way to end the weekend. The film follows the story of three Aboriginal brothers and their roles in creating and shaping the Bangarra Dance Theatre.
“It was made for the 30th anniversary of the dance company, and actually, some of the most prominent Australian directors and producers were involved in the project, which just goes to show how impressive and important this cultural institution is,” Seymour said.
Using both new and old footage of interviews, performances and home videos, the story is told through the lens of the three brothers — Stephen, Dave and Russell Page — and current and former members of the dance company.
“The film definitely has some mental health, behavioral health and suicide themes,” Seymour said. “But I would say, overall, the film is more a story of sort of identity and racial justice, intergenerational trauma, but also using storytelling and dance and art to heal, to create community, to create identity and to forge forward.”
The film shows the struggles of intergenerational trauma and connecting to your culture while dealing with the effects of colonization and assimilation. Many Aboriginal Australians are affected by the Stolen Generations, which refers to Aboriginal children forcefully removed from their families from roughly 1910-70. They were forced to assimilate into white culture, forbidden from speaking their language and often given new names.
The brothers found a way to reconnect to their culture through dance, embracing their traditions through contemporary dance performances. The Bangarra Dance Theatre, founded in 1989, is now one of the leading dance companies in Australia and still focuses on connecting Indigenous people to their cultures.
As the Bangarra Dance Theatre rose to success, the Page family experienced multiple losses to suicide, which deeply impacted them and the community of dance. Following the film was a panel of local experts to discuss suicide prevention, intergenerational trauma, racial justice, dance and whatever else the audience felt they needed to talk about.
Panelists included Scott Smith, executive director for the Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County; Lisa Morgan, instructor of dance at Colorado State University and Chloe Wright, senior staff psychologist for Colorado State University Health Network.
The discussion, moderated by Shannon Quist, director for community connections for the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, focused on the complexity of intergenerational trauma and identity. When asked for advice on how to navigate the themes of the film, panelists talked about the importance of being aware of yourself and your connection to history or lack of history. They also discussed being authentic to who you are.
The panel was followed by a closing reception in the lobby, where people were able to continue discussing the films they saw over the festival’s duration with a performance by Colorado State University musicians and free dessert.
The festival will be hosting a virtual encore April 4-10 for those who missed the in-person screenings or want to rewatch.
Reach Maddy Erskine at entertainment@collegian.com.
The logo for the 2022 ACT Human Rights Film Festival sits on a checkin table March 31. The ACT (Awaken, Connect and Transform) Human Rights Film Festival is an annual event held at Colorado State University to highlight documentary films that bring human rights violations to the forefront. PHOTO BY GREG JAMES THE COLLEGIAN
Sudoku
Last edition’s sudoku solution
Last edition’s crossword solution
Across
1 Manila bean 4 Forehead 8 Cool drinks 12 Small brook 14 French Sudan, today 15 Sugar portions 17 Everything’sokay 19 Foxy-faced primate 20 Flycatcher 21 Baseball players at the July classic 23 Before, poetically 24 Alias 27 Fizzles out 28 Helpless statement 31 Buck dispenser 34 Diminutive suffix 36 Uncle (Sp.) 37 Balm ingredient 38 Stadium sounds 39 Forest god 42 Dour 43 Ticks off 44 Driver’s aid 45 Beetle Bailey pooch 46 ___’easter 47 Really nervous 51 Danish cheese 52 Camera type, briefly 53 Color TV pioneer 56 Over a period of time 60 Bitter 62 Squirrel away 63 Conductor’s cry 66 Sleep disorder 67 Hints 68 Game equipment 69 Small whirlpool 70 Slangy assent 71 Waking ___ Devine (1998 film)
Down
1 Vineyard fruit 2 Gulf ship 3 Type of outdoor gear 4 Upscale wheels 5 Actress ___ Dawn Chong 6 Cantina cooker 7 Command answer 8 Good to go 9 Pairs 10 Mrs. Peel of The Avengers 11 Cowboy boot attachment 13 Fabrication 16 12th graders (Abbr.) 18 Close, as an envelope 22 Fleur-de-___ 25 Young foxes 26 China setting 29 More or ___ 30 Numbers game 31 Type of bicycle 32 Tipster 33 Exec’s note 34 Hibernia 35 Poi source 37 In awe 40 Cravings 41 Casting need 47 No restrictions on a ticket 48 DiCaprio, to fans 49 Madness 50 Ho-hum 51 Exposed 54 Odyssey sorceress 55 Extra 56 Triumphant cry 57 Easy gait 58 Touch down 59 Paste 61 Atlantic food fish 64 Grassland 65 Cigar residue
COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN GREENE @TFOGDOGS
WEEKLY HOROSCOPE
By Hailee Stegall
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY
(04/07/22)
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
Treat yourself, Aquarius. If there’s something you’ve always wanted, now is the time!
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)
You attract what you are, Pisces. Put out the energy and behavior you want to see around you.
ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)
Work to understand, Aries. Strengthen your bonds with those you hold close through listening.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)
The sky’s the limit, Taurus. Physically map out your goals — career, travel or hobby — and manifest them.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)
Focus in, Gemini. Whatever ambitions you have require discipline and clarity, no matter the scale.
CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)
Let it go, Cancer. You may be holding onto things that no longer serve your happiness — release them.
LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)
Get down to brass tacks, Leo. Hone in on the small details, and evaluate them for best results.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)
Relax, Virgo. You’ve been on edge, so look around at the big picture and realize you’re safe.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)
Find a balance, Libra. Nothing is ever as black and white as it seems, so don’t perceive it that way.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
Let people in, Scorpio. It’s all right to accept help or care from others and not tough it out on your own.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC.
21) Start a routine, Sagittarius. Picking up a new habit or two can help provide some much-needed stability.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN.
19) You’re worth it, Capricorn! You are your own worst critic, but you can also be your own biggest fan.
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