Anjali Krishna Editor-in-Chief

ENTERTAINMENT THE SIDEKICK

2022 APRIL

@shrayesgunna

As her pencil hits paper, she floats in a world of her own with her thoughts, beliefs and emotions fluttering around her like the subjects she depicts.

Coppell High School junior artist and debater Alexis Sibanda toys with the line between the real and fantasy through art, her communicative and creative outlet, by depicting people and objects in less than real configurations such as floating.

Sibanda conjures finished pieces full of raw texture and depth with ease reminiscent of wizardry. Her wands? Pencils and pens that allow her to render surreal depictions of the world around her and that of her dreams.

“I draw what’s around me and combine reality with [my] inner thoughts, a sort of amalgamation of both reality and creativity,” Sibanda said. “I do that through using realism in conjunction with elements that would not be found in real life.”

From a year in the Coppell Band as a clarinet and baritone saxophone player to being a casual listener of a variety of artists, Sibanda’s passion for music has always driven her creativity. According to Sibanda, she often reflects on the visuals used in music

videos by artists such as Janelle Monae and how they are utilized to enhance the listening experience. Outside of avenues of music, Sibanda also draws inspiration from her heroes; her definition of which is more vast than those on the big screen. “Athletes, politicians and personalities who use their talents in a way that is heroic also inspire me,” Sibanda said. “I depict them as heroes because they do things most people could I draw what’s around never do by me and combine dedicating themselves reality with [my] to their craft and to their inner thoughts, a passion, which is insort of amalgamation spiring to me. I hope to of both reality and let everyone see what I creativity.” see.” Her creALEXIS SIBANDA COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR ations are molded by her unique style, a personal glimpse into her world of what makes Sibanda, Sibanda. “Alexis’s art is rugged and has a lot of texture in it,” CHS visual arts teacher Sarah Williams said. “She never leaves [her pieces] smoothed over but instead exposed. She drew a girl with the ocean consuming her. With her texture, whether brush strokes or pencil markings, her art is a lot more than a pretty piece. They have a deeper meaning.” The clarity Sibanda maintains with her vision and stories she tells through the creative process are fueled by the world around her. To foster meaningful and authentic conversations about Coppell High School junior Alexis Sibanda creates artworks portraying realistic subjects in surreal circumstances. Sibanda often depicts her friends and family, commenting on her perspective and the world around her. Josh Campbell various topics such as identity as a mechanism of resistance, she pursues debate. Currently, Sibanda and her partner CHS junior Keerthi Chalamasetty compete in policy debate, reading critical arguments such as Afro-pessimism and militant preservation.

According to Chalamasetty, their case is one that challenges the debate space and logistical reasoning to foster systems of care that address anti-Blackness in the real world. Debate offers Sibanda a space to advocate and delve into her identity, which translates into her perspective as an artist and visionary.

“In a debate round, Alexis is very analytical and well organized, giving passionate speeches,” Chalamsetty said. “When she creates, her cultivation of creativity and skill is very important. I have seen her work and I’m in awe; at the current moment, she creates self-portraits and her artworks embody the beauty of a Black female and their experiences.” For Sibanda, art is more than a pastime. It is an embrace of her heart, views and being. “[Art] is the way in which I am able to communicate things that are less than conceivable with words,” Sibanda said. “It’s a win Sibanda's Significant Figures A self-portrait created by Coppell High School junior Alexis Sibanda A piece created by Coppell High School junior Alexis Sibanda dow into who I am, and I can use tools like art and music to express that and what I think.” The window is one into a surreal landscape, in which Sibanda conceives magic with paper, pencil, paint and a canvas. - Shirley Ann Jackson - Lina Iris Viktor - Janelle Monae - Angela Davis - Eva Noblezada - Ukele Ukegbu - Amanda Gorman

Three generations, one love for dance

Hasan preserving family’s legacy in Bollywood dance at Milaana

Tracy Tran

Staff Writer

@AnhImtracy

Closing her eyes, her body naturally felt the rhythms of the song. Tiptoeing in small movements, she explored her new happiness in dancing. The 3-year-old Arisha Hasan started dancing as if she was born with talent.

With her grandmother Maya Nehal being a part of the Bangladeshi Expatriate Society of Texas (BEST), an organization for Bengalis for dancing, singing and acting, Hasan went to the practices, watching how other people were dancing.

“Once I turned 5, my mom [Iffat Nehal] put me into dancing for the dance part of BEST,” Hasan said. “When I got older, I did ballet, jazz and hip hop on and off. And then when I was around 8 or 9, my mom opened a dance studio for Milaana Dance. She decided to do Bollywood dancing and that’s when I originally started my Bollywood dancing.”

Growing up, Hasan went to BEST practices with her mother and grandmother, seeing many dancers performing in front of her eyes. The passion grew but she wasn’t allowed to perform dancing until she turned 5.

“She was very observant,” Maya Nehal said. “She would be watching others how they were dancing. Then shortly after that, she remembered she wasn’t allowed to perform it until she was 5 and she was upset. What I noticed about her was that even though she wasn’t dancing well at that time, she was really watching others [and] how they were doing it. Then by the time she was 5, she was practicing, rehearsing and on particular performance days, she would go all the way. I don’t even remember if she ever missed one of our dance classes. She is gifted, so we always have been encouraging her to dance.”

From a young age, Hasan experienced the pressure of many dancers: performing in front of the audience. Reflecting on her earlier performances, Hasan has seen a lot of improvement in her dancing and expressions on stage.

“When she was a child, even when she was doing other things, she would always move and dance,” Maya Nehal said. “ Over the years, it’s become such a passion for her and she’s really worked on building her skills, her form and her technique. It’s very exciting for her to see that development.”

With eight years of Bollywood dancing, Hasan became a Milaana dance instructor in April 2021. All three generations of her family, including her grandmother, her mom and herself, have a love for dancing and plan to continue passing down the family traditions.

“We have a lot of jokes,” Iffat Nehal said. “I’m Generation X, Arisha is Generation Z and my mom is a baby boomer. So there are three generations working in this company and we love it. Enjoying music is the most common thing all three of us have.”

The family company holds the special meanings between all three members of Hasan’s family.

“Dance is one product you don’t see right away until fully completed with lessons,” Maya Nehal said. “When it goes on the stage, it is the biggest satisfaction to see your product displayed on a stage. It’s beautiful to see that, especially when you see your daughter and your granddaughter dancing.”

The biggest support and understanding for Hasan comes from her mother and grandmother, who also inspired her to start dancing.

“My grandmother and my mom both inspired me a lot,” Hasan said. “Working at the same place with my mom is definitely really interesting and very different. My grandma helped me get into dance. If I ever end up having kids, I would hope one of them would continue my dancing.”

Being a dance instructor as a high school freshman requires Hasan to manage her time for each activity.

“For a while, balancing between teaching and school was really difficult,” Hasan said. “Now I make sure that school is more of a priority than my dancing. The days I have teaching, I make sure those hours are specifically for dance. Besides dancing, I like to run, bake, read and watch TV in my free time.”

Dancing has shaped Hasan’s characteristics and her confidence about being onstage, while letting her experience the ability to dance to different types of music without understanding the actual languages. In the future, she plans to join a Bollywood dance team when going to college.

“If you’re a new dancer or want to try it out, just go for it,” Hasan said. “Dancing is one thing that’s definitely changed my life and it keeps me sane. It makes me really happy. And even people around me, they’ve noticed that I’m always in a really good mood after I dance.”

Grandmother Maya Nehal, CHS9 student Arisha Hasan and her mother Iffat Nehal all share a generational love for dancing. From age 3, Hasan has explored her talent for dancing and became Milaana Dance’s youngest dance instructor. Photo courtesy

Arisha Hasan

Hasan’s History

- was adopted at age 3

- favorite styles of dance

are bollywood and lyrical

- would rather eat salad