Friday inside
Writer challenges beliefs
Derrick Jensen, a writer who is concerned with environmental issues and human and civil rights, spoke to about 200 students last night at the Burge Union. PAGE 3A
Two new buses
KU on Wheels has purchased two new buses. The new vehicles replaced some of the older buses that rolled through campus in recent years. PAGE 3A
Offensive graffiti Senior Maggie Beedles has been the victim of vandals on four different occasions in the past year. PAGE5A
Kicking the Lone Star state
The soccer team will take on two Texas teams this weekend that are
among the best in the nation. PAGE 10A
Kick the Kansan
Kansan sportswriter Ryan Greene gives his picks for this weekend showdowns. PAO
for this weekend's conference showdowns. PAGE6A
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index
Briefs 2A
Opinion 4A
Sports 10A
Sports briefs 7A
Horoscopes 8A
Comics 8A
KANSAN
The Student Newspaper of the University of Kansas
Friday, October 3, 2003
Aaron Showalter/Kansar
Monica Trogani, rehearsal director for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, held a master session yesterday afternoon with the advanced ballet class in Robinson Gym. Hubbard Street, a contemporary dance troupe, is performing at the Lied Center this weekend.
Dancing partners
Dance students learn from some of the world's best
By Alex Hoffman ahoffman@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Before Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performs at the Lied Center this weekend, the company has some teaching to do.
University of Kansas dance students had the opportunity yesterday to learn from dancers and staff of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, one of the premier contemporary dance troupes in the United States. Its program at the Lied Center begins at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.
"Think as many different teachers as we
As ballet shoes squeaked on the floor and a pianist played a variety of waltzes to accompany the dance moves. Monica Trogani, Hubbard Street's rehearsal director, taught the University's intermediate ballet class yesterday.
"They're very open and they were very serious, but it was a good serious," Trogani said of the students.
Ellie Goudieaverill, Topeka senior,
said it was beneficial to learn from people
besides the professor.
can work with is wonderful," she said, "because there are so many different aspects to dance and so many different aspects that we can choose to go into."
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Its founder, Lou Conte, started rehearsing dances with four women in his studio in 1977 and the group gave its first public performance in a nursing home in 1978.
Today, the company has 26 dancers from around the world, including Italy, Israel and Hawaii. The main company includes 20 dancers and the remaining six perform in Hubbard Street 2, which focuses on dancers between the ages of 17 and 25.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is known for mixing jazz and modern dance with classical ballet. Trogani led the ballet students yesterday in head-roll warm-up techniques usually associated with modern dance.
"There's a good deal of spill-over between the techniques," Trogani said. "And now more and more works combine the techniques, which is fun for us."
The dance faculty also chose students
to join Hubbard Street Dance Chicago dancers in a class with the full company led by artistic associate Lucas Crandall, at the Lied Center. Three KU students observed and rehearsed with them yesterday, and three more will take the class today and tomorrow.
Jeff Potter, Great Bend senior and one of the students selected for the company class, said rehearsing with the company was a valuable experience.
Not so when Hubbard Street Dance Chicago comes to town. KU advanced ballet students will also take a class with company staff today.
"It's just interesting to see them in the class situation because that's not something we usually see," Potter said. "It's different to see how they work."
"I love that they do these sorts of activities, that you get out and teach new people and see new things," Trogani said.
Kathleen O'Connor, Topeka senior, said interaction with dancers was usually rare when companies teach a master class.
— Edited by Andy Marso
Practice pays off for orchestra
By Alex Hoffman
ahoffman@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
For University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra musicians, scheduled rehearsal time is only part of their schedule.
Kit Loffler/Kansan
Julius Zilinskas, Vilnius, Lithuania, graduate student, spent 30 to 35 hours a week practicing and preparing music for the orchestra's first concert. In addition to playing timpani in the orchestra, he also plays in the wind ensemble and percussion ensemble.
Add music history classes to the mix, and Zillinskas is a familiar face around Murphy Hall.
"I spend more time in Murphy than at home," he said, "I guess you get used to it."
Jonathan Glawe, Waterloo, Iowa, senior, and contrabass player, said he spent almost 50 hours a week practicing his instrument. Glawe plays for the Topeka Symphony Orchestra and also practices concert music and solos for his performance class.
The long hours serve as preparation for the KU Symphony Orchestra's first concert under conductor Nicholas Uljanov. The performance begins at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Lied Center. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students.
Aleksandr Snytkin, third-year doctorate student, plays Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 during symphony orchestra practice on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The symphony's first performance is Sunday.
Despite the musicians' busy schedules, they share the goal of becoming a group of professional caliber.
The ensemble sounds more exciting than it's ever sounded," Glwa said. "I've been here for four years, and this is the best we've ever sounded."
The orchestra will perform works by
Aleksandr Snytkin, third-year doctorate student, plays Dvora orchestra practice on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The symphony's first Richard Wagner, Joseph Haydn and Antonin Dvorak, three influential composers from the classical and romantic eras.
"He chose really exciting music, and it's going to be one of the best concerts I've played at KU." Glawe said.
The 60-member orchestra rehearses twice a week for an hour and 50 minutes, sometimes splitting into sectionals for strings, woodwinds and brass. Ideally, Uljanov said, he would like a third day in the week to work with the students.
But after more than a month of getting to know each other, he said the students had responded quickly to how he wanted the music to be performed.
"For me it's a good challenge to, in a
very short time, increase the level of the students," Uljanov said. "And we must do it immediately."
Zilinskas said Uljanov asked the musicians for precise playing and group cohesiveness in rehearsals.
"Every single time we play through some sections, it's like, 'Yeah, yeah, we can do it.'" he said.
Uljanov said the orchestra members should have the feeling that their hard work and talent are needed in the community.
"And after the people leave the Lied Center, they'll think a little more about the art, about the music and about the symphony," he said.
Edited by Jonathan Reeder
Committee questions blood drive advertising
By Abby Mills almills@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
A committee affiliated with Queers & Allies is analyzing legal issues with the University of Kansas funded advertising for blood drives.
Food and Drug Administration regulations do not allow men who have had sex with with another man since 1977 to donate blood.
The committee will analyze how antis discrimination sections in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities may be violated by the University funding blood drive advertising. The code states that no person can be excluded from a University-sponsored activity based on sexual orientation.
Those regulations are among several restrictions on who may donate blood, said Paul Richards, public affairs specialist with the FDA.
"Although current recommendations may appear to be discriminatory in nature, the FDA's intent is to protect the recipient of each blood donation," he said. "Our focus is on the safety of the blood supply."
Other groups at high risk for disease, including prostitutes and injection drug users, are also excluded from donating blood, said Diane Elder, chief operating officer for the American Red Cross.
"We want to make sure the blood drive succeeds," she said. "But how often are you going to allow discrimination? At what point does the law become more important?"
The committee will bring together a variety of legal professionals to analyze the legal issues of excluding gay men, said Sarah Burris, outreach chairwoman for Queers & Allies and Lawrence junior. She said the group didn't aim to end blood drives like this week's blood drive at the University of Kansas, but wanted Student Senate to either stop funding advertising or fund an informational campaign to show that gay men are excluded.
Ross said despite the high risk group, individual people may still be safe. Conversely, people not in risk groups could be infected. He said societal factors helped the FDA justify its decision to continue excluding gay men as a group.
By singling out a group instead of looking at individual behavior, the FDA discriminates against gay men, said Patrick Ross, director of Queers & Allies and The University Daily Kansan editorial board member.
"What we would like to see is the FDA change rules to focus on risky behavior itself instead of equating gay with risk," the Topeka sophomore said.
"African Americans are the highest risk group by race," Ross said. "But there's no way anybody would prohibit them from donating because our society knows that's not OK."
A different report issued by the CDC this year reported that HIV was rising among gay and bisexual men. The study showed a 7 percent increase from 2000 to 2001.
Elder said gay men continued to be excluded because they had a high risk of HIV infection.
A 2002 study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said men who had sex with other men accounted for the largest number of AIDS cases each year. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV.
According to the report, that category accounted for 13,562 reported AIDS cases in 2000, compared to 8,531 drug users and 6,530 heterosexuals.
Richards said erring on the side of caution helped keep the blood supply safe.
"Although an individual potential donor may practice safe sex," he said. "Persons who have participated in high-risk behaviors are still considered to be at risk. Safe sex practices reduce, but do not eliminate, the risk of transmission."
Elder said the FDA's primary goal was to keep the blood supply safe, even if that means restricting potential donors.
The University Blood Drive continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.at Allen Fieldhouse and the Kansas Union Ballroom.
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— Edited by Erin Riffey