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(11/07/12 11:00pm)
Mercer University Associate Professor Dr. Heather Bowman-Cutway and a group of research students have been monitoring and working on a project with endangered species in the Macon area. They are working with fringed campion, an endangered plant that is only found in two Florida counties and Macon, Ga.
“It’s only found here in Macon and a few places in Northern Florida,” said Carrie Stewart, a junior biology major. “It’s just this little shrubby plant that we go and measure and clear out its area so it will grow and make sure it is doing okay because it is endangered.”
Although the plant does not look like much at present, the research students have expressed how important the plant is for the environment and how it will continue to be important in the future.
“Right now, it’s not flowering so it’s just this little cluster of leaves called rosettes. It doesn’t look very special at all. It’s a very unassuming plant, but it is special,” said Stewart.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the fringed campion (Silene polypetala) was listed as an endangered species of plant on Jan. 18, 1991, where it has remained ever since. While a Technical Agency Draft Recovery Plan does exist for the plant, it was filed in October of 1996 and never moved past the beginning stages.
No conservation plans are listed for the plant either, perhaps making the small group of Mercer University students one of the only groups working to protect the life of this species.
In order to be a part of any research group at Mercer University, students must undergo a rigorous interview process with the professors in the biology department, who choose which students they would like to bring on board with their personal projects. Dr. Bowman-Cutway, or Dr. BC as her students affectionately call her, is currently working on two projects, both of which Stewart is involved in.
“We go out to the Ocmulgee and remove the invasive species, which, in our case, is honeysuckle [and] Japanese honeysuckle,” explained Stewart.
Despite the amount of effort that goes into both of these projects, students find that a certain level of enjoyment does come from them.
“This is the first time I’ve done research. I really like it because it’s outside, [and] we’re working, but it’s kind of relaxing in a weird way, and it’s good to get out and do something. It makes you feel like a real scientist,” Stewart said.
The research work Dr. Bowman-Cutway has headed up has made an impact on students, like Stewart, to the point where they are considering doing more research in the future.
“Because of working on this research with her, I’m kind of considering doing graduate research somewhere with something. I don’t know, I didn’t realize I liked research so much, but apparently I do,” said Stewart.
For more information on the fringed campion and wildlife conservation, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at http://ecos.fws.gov.
(11/07/12 11:00pm)
Art is a special kind of hobby. Because it is an expression of self, anyone can put pencil to pad, brush to canvas or chisel to stone and release whatever feelings he or she may have stored up inside.
What better way to express your inner self than with a painting that reflects how you see yourself? Of course, art is a skill that is easy to learn, but very difficult to master. Here are a few tips to get you on your way with creating your very own self-portrait.
Choose Your Medium
Art, like expression, comes in many different forms. Perhaps you know your way around a paint brush. Great, that will be the perfect way to create your self-portrait.
But what if your painting skills are lacking and you do not feel comfortable spending money on paint just to create something you are not happy with? Luckily for you, art is more than just painting. You could simply draw your self-portrait, mold it out of clay, or for those who are more tech-savvy, even draw it in Flash or similar drawing programs.
Are you not familiar with any of these? That’s fine too! This is the perfect time to try something different and learn a new skill.
Visualize Yourself
Most self-portraits are created based on what the artist sees in the mirror. That is fine, but why do you have to express yourself as you literally appear outwardly?
If art is an expression of one’s inner self, then what you put on canvas or paper or screen should also express the inner, rather than the outer.
Are you a mysterious stranger in the Wild West? Are you a bounty hunter riding your motorcycle down the highway? However you see yourself, or even want to see yourself, is what you should create.
This is more than just recreating how you look. This is taking the living, breathing you and putting it in an artistic form.
Do Not Be Afraid to Mess Up
Most of you reading this probably do not create art outside of the occasional doodling. Chances are, you will make a mistake.
Do not worry about it, as even the greatest of artists make mistakes! This is all about doing something new that you have never done before.
The old adage goes “if you want to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs.” Break all the eggs if you have to! Maybe you will have to start over from the beginning, but that is perfectly fine. You will learn from your mistake and not make it again.
Once you get into a groove, the mistakes will be minimal. In the meantime, stay cool, don’t freak out, and just understand errors will happen.
Share It
You just created a work of art and you should be absolutely proud of it. There is no reason to hide it away, no matter how good or bad you think it is.
Show your friends, family and anyone who wants to see it. You might think your self-portrait is more of a “self-poortrait,” but you should be proud of trying something new and succeeding, regardless of the result.
If you decide to try this and create your own self-portrait, feel free to send them in, we would love to see how you see yourselves. Who knows, maybe you will fall in love with a new hobby.
(10/24/12 9:00pm)
“Frankenweenie” should have been great. It had a wonderful voice cast, great source material to draw from and a creative director whose style should have been able to bring everything together into a possible film-of-the-year contender. Unfortunately, by the time the credits roll, it becomes apparent that what should have been did not make it to the screen.
That is not to say “Frankenweenie” is a bad film. Quite the opposite, in fact: it is creative, with good performances and a fun story. The problem lies in Tim Burton’s attempt to adapt his live-action short film of the same name into a feature-length film. The original 30-minute-long “Frankenweenie” is a tight film with some wonderful writing, acting and memorable visuals. The basic premise of the short would have to be fleshed out in order to meet the longer run time, but the problem is that Burton did not take it far enough.
“Frankenweenie” is a relatively short film, at only 80 minutes, and it left me wanting so much more. The first 15 minutes are an absolute train wreck in regards to pacing, quickly introducing characters and not allowing the audience to develop much of a connection to any of the supporting cast members. If Burton could have shown a little restraint, pulled back and developed the first act of the film into something more substantial, not only would the runtime not appear so paltry, but it would have made the film a lot more enjoyable.
None of that means this is a terrible film. What “Frankenweenie” does right, it does very right. Fans of the classic Universal and Hammer horror films will love the little references (especially a cameo appearance from Christopher Lee as Dracula, taken from Hammer Film’s “Horror of Dracula”). The visuals, inspired by Burton’s animated love letter to Vincent Price entitled “Vincent”, stand out against most animated films of today. The stop motion animation is smooth and creepy, but very fun and likeable.
With inspiration from horror films from the 1930s to the late 1950s, one has to wonder how much horror there actually is in the movie. Frankenweenie himself—despite his appearance— is very loveable. There is a fine line to walk when dealing with family horror movies, but Burton walks the line beautifully, providing a great mix of laughs, scares and even tears over the sadder moments, as one little girl in my theater can attest.
One question on many moviegoers’ minds is: how does the movie compare to the similarly themed “ParaNorman”? In all honesty, there is very little comparison, minus the fact that both are horror-inspired, family-friendly, stop motion animated films. While “Frankenweenie” was greatly inspired by Universal and Hammer, “ParaNorman” was more inspired by the works of George A. Romero, Wes Craven and the other directors who brought zombies and slasher villains to the mainstream. That notwithstanding, “ParaNorman” is the better film, if only due to better character establishment and pacing.
It should be reiterated: none of that is to say “Frankenweenie” is a bad film. Perhaps the hype, love of the movie’s inspiration and hope that Tim Burton could return to a form that has been lacking since 2001’s “Big Fish” made the movie seem like a bigger deal than it should have been. Regardless, anyone who is a fan of Tim Burton, horror movies or stop motion animation should see this movie.
(10/24/12 9:00pm)
As we approach Halloween, there is no better time than now to look at one of my favorite genres: horror. Instead of simply looking at what are the best horror films in general, we will look at the most spooktacular films in each sub-genre of horror.
Best Alien Movie:
To say any alien horror movie is better than Ridley Scott’s “Alien” would be an insult to not only the film, but the entire genre. While there are certainly many great horror movies in this category, none capture the true feeling of terror as well as “Alien” does.
The main reason why this movie works so well is in its simplicity. The main characters are stuck somewhere and a monster kills them off one by one.
Scott did a fantastic job of taking the “haunted house” concept and doing something new with it, namely putting it in space. There are few films that really get the feeling of a soulless area across, but Scott did it wonderfully here.
Special effects that are remembered fondly, including a creative alien design and the famous chest bursting scene, makes this the quintessential sci-fi horror movie.
Best Zombie Movie
Not only did George A. Romero invent zombies as we know them today, but he also created three of the greatest zombie movies ever made. It is hard to choose which is best, but “Dawn of the Dead” might just be the one.
As great as Romero’s other zombie movies are, “Dawn” has the advantage of taking place in the absolute best location for a zombie movie: a shopping mall. The movie speaks about consumerism while providing a location perfect for zombie killing.
Romero made the movie flat out fun with a group of four likable survivors and lots of innovative kills, courtesy of horror makeup master Tom Savini. Besides, what other movie has a biker gang throwing pies at zombies?
Best Silent Horror Movie:
The best horror movies are those that rely on atmosphere and suspense rather than jump scares. What better example of this then silent horror films?
While there are many from this era, none are as terrifying as “Nosferatu”, a dark and very creepy film.
The actor who played Count Orlock, Max Shreck, is one of the key reasons this film is so scary. His slender appearance with his long, pointed fingers and sunken in face is absolutely terrifying.
The only thing more terrifying is seeing his shadow cast on the wall as he makes his way up to his latest victim.
Just how terrifying is Shreck in this film? His performance in “Nosferatu” was the inspiration for Robert Englund’s as Freddy Krueger in “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. When your movie influences horror over sixty years after its release, you know it is terrifying.
Best Horror Comedy:
Choosing a favorite horror comedy is like choosing your favorite child. There are many great movies that flip the genre on its head, but none as revered as “Evil Dead II” and “Ghostbusters”.
It is difficult to choose between these two because of how they handle the balance of screams and laughs.
“Evil Dead II” is a horror movie full of violence with hilarious slapstick and one-liners thrown in. “Ghostbusters” is a comedy with great dialogue and characters, featuring creative ghosts and monsters.
If you want more horror than comedy, “Evil Dead II” featuring Bruce Campbell is the way to go. If you want something more light-hearted, watch “Ghostbusters”. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson are great on-screen chemistry. Either way, you cannot go wrong.
Best Horror Remake:
Not only is it difficult to find a good remake in general, but horror remakes are nearly impossible to find. Despite that, there is one that stands as the shining pinnacle.
John Carpenter is a huge fan of “The Thing from Another World,” a sci-fi horror classic. Because of this, he took great care in creating his own version of the film, “The Thing.”
Instead of recreating the original, Carpenter added a dose of 1980s special effects that are astounding even today. The film is a mess of vomit-inducing gore and it is incredible. Charismatic, macho stars like Kurt Russell and Keith David wrap this up into the perfect horror package.
(10/10/12 4:01pm)
On Sept. 28, Mercer University students, faculty and members of the press from around the nation gathered together as the people who made the Center for Collaborative Journalism possible ceremoniously dedicated the new center.
The dedication of the center was led by Mercer President William D. Underwood and featured representatives from the University, as well as the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Peyton Anderson Foundation, Georgia Public Broadcasting, The Telegraph, and the National Journalism Advisory Board.
“We formally dedicate this Center, and those who work, teach, and study in it, to advance the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment,” said President Underwood.
The Knight Foundation has been heavily involved in supporting the Center for Collaborative Journalism, awarding a $4.6 million grant to the cause. In addition the Peyton Anderson Foundation awarded an addition $1 million grant to fund the newsroom located in the Center.
The Center for Collaborative Journalism, which combines Mercer University’s Journalism and Media Studies department, The Macon Telegraph, and Georgia Public Broadcasting radio, will open up new opportunities for media in the Macon community.
“Who will benefit from this Center?” asked David Hudson of the Georgia Press Association. “We, the citizens. We, who will be able to read and listen with confidence that the highest standards of journalism have been followed.”
The ceremony concluded with the ribbon cutting, performed in three stages. Mercer University’s Journalism and Media Studies professors, Dr. Cynthia Gottshall, Dr. John Chalfa, and Dr. Jay Black were awarded the opportunity.
Three students in the department were also given the honor. Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) President and Cluster Copy Editor Erica O’Neal, Cluster writer and Mercer Radio personality Joshua Glasscock, and SCJ Secretary, Cluster writer, Mercer Radio host and Mercer 99 officer Richard Hawkins stood side by side as the cut the final ribbon, officially concluding the dedication.
The audience was made up of journalists, students, and community members, some having traveled a great distance for the event.
One person who has caught wind of the experiment is Johnathan Gordon from Brookstone College Preparatory School in Columbus, GA.
“(The Center for Collaborative Journalism) is a really big incentive (to enroll at Mercer University) because I’ve always been interested in journalism and been interested in the media,” said the sixteen-year-old. “And it being such a big market right now, because everything is media and technology.”
Many prospective students like Gordon believe that the Center will provide greater opportunities for journalism and media students.
“It would be a great opportunity to come to a school that has one of the biggest centers for collaborative journalism in the state, maybe the nation,” explained Gordon.
What interests this young student the most?
“Television and radio broadcasting. Either one I’m interested in,” said Gordon.
After the dedication, the high school students were invited to attend a free lunch anywhere in the Mercer Village. As students dined on Margarita’s, Ingleside Village Pizza, Jittery Joe’s or Francar’s, they had the opportunity to not only talk to one another, but also many members of the press and Mercer University.
The final event of the day was a panel located in Fickling Hall inside the McCorkle Music Building, entitled “Enhancing Local Journalism in the Digital Age: How You Do It and Why It’s Important”. The panel members included Joaquin Alvarado, chief strategy officer for the Center for Investigative Journalism, Dr. Jennifer Greer, head of the journalism department at the University of Alabama, Sherrie Marshall, executive editor of The Telegraph, Tim Regan-Porter, director of the Center for Collaborative Journalism and co-founder of Paste Magazine, and Teya Ryan, president and executive director of Georgia Public Broadcasting. The panel was moderated by Eric Newton of the Knight Foundation.
Those on the panel discussed how the Internet, including social networking and digital media, is affecting local news and how local outlets, the Center for Collaborative Journalism specifically, is trying to use it in their favor.
“It’s important. The pace of change is not slowing down,” said Tim Regan-Porter. “Through all innovations, the fundamentals of journalism remain the same.”
“The innovation is the tool, not the art,” added Teya Ryan. The panel also took the opportunity to answer questions from the audience. Johnathan Gordon, a student, spoke about the issue with a perceived lack of focus on elementary and middle school students.
“Why hasn’t there been a newspaper about kids where they can get their names in the paper?” asked Gordon.
“You should get a Knight Grant to start that,” replied Joaquin Alvarado to the loudest cheers of the day.
Alvarado’s remark was not in jest, as the panel made it clear that future journalism students like Gordon will be the ones to revolutionize the industry.
“This is the best time to be a journalism student,” said Dr. Jennifer Greer. “You are going to change the field.”
The impact of local media on the community was the topic of the day and was constantly mentioned by those participating on the panel as a way to improve both the media and the people who rely on it.
“There are times when you can show the individual process,” explained Ryan. “The community is a participant in the story.”
“You have to be close enough to catch their cold for it to count as community engagement,” laughed Alvarado.
As the panel drew to an end, Eric Newton thanked everyone for coming and left them with one final piece of advice.
“If you don’t like the news,” said Mr. Newton, “go out and make it for yourself.”
(10/10/12 4:01pm)
Mercer University’s Office of Career Services held its annual Fall Career Expo in the University Center’s Heritage Hall Sept. 26.
Undergraduate students and alumni had the opportunity to speak with representatives from several local and national organizations and submit resumes for possible employment and further education.
Some students were on the other side of the expo, assisting Career Services. One such student was sophomore Shannon Mills, a Management and Finance double major.
“I would say the turnout has been pretty decent,” said Mills when asked how many students attended the Expo. “Somewhere around… 200 plus.”
Every student who attended had several options from many different career fields to choose from.
“We have about forty (businesses in attendance),” explained Mills. “We have businesses from all sectors of the college. We have engineering, teaching abroad, insurance companies. We have ranges everywhere from CNN to Waffle House.”
Groups represented at the Expo included everyone from Aflac and GEICO to local groups such as College Hill Alliance and the Georgia Department of Labor. Not only were these organizations seeking students to employ full time, but also for temporary, seasonal, and part-time employment.
Some groups also provided co-ops and internships. Students seeking more educational opportunities could discuss their futures with representatives from Becker Professional Education, Walden University, and the Mercer University Stetson School of Business & Economics.
In addition to offering this opportunity, Career Services also provided a list of helpful tips for those in attendance at the event. The booklet covered not only how to approach a potential employer, but also what questions to ask and how to follow-up on the interview in the proceeding days.
Don Holcombe, an engineering manager at CNN, had plenty of advice to give students and anyone else seeking employment in the country’s current economic situation.
“It’s no different than anything else,” explains Holcombe. “Double check your resume, make sure there’s no typos, and cover all your bases.”
For this potential employer, however, it comes down to one thing: passion.
“You’ve got to be passionate about your degree,” said Holcombe. “You have to have the understanding that if you can’t backup what a piece of paper says, it’s only a piece of paper.”
(09/26/12 9:43pm)
Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity hosted their annual Watermelon Bust philanthropy event on Sept. 21 with proceeds directly benefiting the Middle Georgia Food Bank.
The North American Food Drive is the fraternity’s national philanthropy that was established by Lambda Chi Alpha. The fraternity does various events throughout the year to benefit food drives.
Watermelon Bust is an event that occurs across the country hosted by various chapters of the fraternity. The event is a type of “Olympic Games” involving activities with watermelons that teams compete in. Events include watermelon painting, eating, seed-spitting, watermelon tossing and an obstacle course involving the fruit. Following the event was a barbecue held in porter patch.
The event has been held at Mercer since the 1970s.
Students who wish to participate in the event sign-up their teams of five people and pay an entry fee of $50, which is given to the Middle Georgia Food Bank.
Teams are also encouraged to bring canned goods to donate and in doing so, earn additional points toward their competition.
The fraternity was expecting this year’s event to be one of their largest participated with 10-14 teams competing.
The teams with the most points at the end of the competition were awarded various prizes that were donated from local businesses in Macon.
“I absolutely love this event,” said Branden Ryan, Lambda Chi Alpha brother and High Epsilon. Ryan was responsible for organizing the barbeque held on Porter Patch after the Watermelon Bust competition.
“It brings a sense of Panhellenic competitiveness to the sororities here and it is a fun way to compete against each other but also raise money, food, and awareness for a great cause,” said Ryan.
Kyle Wright, another Lambda Chi Alpha brother and High Beta, is responsible for the fraternity’s philanthropic endeavors and handled the organization and logistics of this year’s Watermelon Bust. The chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha worked as a whole to recruit sponsors and execute the event.
“Hunger is an issue that we often associate with other countries, but here in America, we have hundreds of thousands of individuals who suffer from the effects of malnutrition and hunger every day. This is a constant reminder that Greek life is not just about social events, but also about benefiting a philanthropy and cause which often gets overlooked when people typically think about fraternities and sororities."
(09/26/12 9:28pm)
Fads are nothing new. Pop culture seems to be almost entirely based on some sort of fad, especially when one takes a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Anyone remember the neon colors of the ‘90s?
Fads are not limited to only fashion, however, as any Beanie Baby collector can tell you (perhaps with a touch of anger or sadness, depending on how large his or her virtually worthless collection is now). While partaking in a fad can be a fun (if time and money consuming) experience, can the same be said for actually starting a fad? Here are a few tips that can help make your idea the next parachute pants, perhaps with a little less MC Hammer.
Get Creative
All the best fads are things that have never been done before, at least in the mainstream. Tie-dye was huge in the ‘60s because it was so different. The reason fads are so memorable long after they are popular is because of how much they stand out against the prior and proceeding status quo. If you do the same old thing, no one is going to notice.
But Not too Creative
You know the old saying about “too much of a good thing?” Creativity works the same way. The biggest fads of the past decades, while creative, still are based on something that already exists. There were plenty of stuffed animals before there were Beanie Babies, and plenty of bracelets before the Livestrong ones came around. Running around with your underwear on your head might be creative, but it is too far out there to catch on with anyone.
Don’t Be Shy About It
If you have a new style, piece of clothing, game or anything that could become popular with time, you must be prepared to not only tell people about it, but be ready for others to approach you. New fads are eye catching and draw people’s curiosity. They are going to want to know everything about it: what is it, where did it come from, etc. If you are trying to start a fad, you have to be ready to answer any and all questions about it, even from complete strangers. It is the only way to make it spread.
Be Ready to Abandon Ship
All good things must come to an end. As popular as bellbottoms and tie-dye were in the ‘60s, it is not exactly the “hip” style today. The last thing you want to do is get stuck with an old fad that is no longer popular. This is a basic business principle of staying with the times, but it applies to fashion and culture as well. You do not want to be the person playing with a yo-yo when everyone else has a Tamagotchi, do you?
Be Ready for the Fad’s Comeback
For whatever reason, mainstream loves nostalgia. Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Furby and who knows how many other fads have died, been resurrected and died, just to be brought back again to be super popular. Just because something is no longer popular does not mean it will not be again. Be prepared for when it happens, because it will make you look like a cultural genius who is on top of all the latest trends. Unless it is Beanie Babies. Those are never coming back into style.
These are just a few simple tips for starting, maintaining and bringing back a fad. Can you create one? Wear something that has not been seen before, create a new game, or just do something fun, crazy, wild and interesting. Who knows? Maybe one day when we are discussing fads we will mention something you started here at Mercer.
(09/26/12 9:14pm)
Students lined up down the block on Sept. 14 for the first Midnight Movie of the year.
This special Mercer-exclusive event is sponsored by QuadWorks and held at the AmStar 16 Theater. Mercer students can see any number of current releases on the big screen at a discounted rate of just two dollars.
Although Midnight Movie has been popular in the past, the latest experienced the biggest turnout yet, with over 736 students purchasing tickets, well past the 600 students the event usually attracts.
“We’ve had the most pre-sold tickets ever,” explained Tyler Isom, a Weekends at Mercer Chair for QuadWorks. “We sold about 400, where we usually sell about 250.”
There was little doubt there would be many Mercer students at the event when they began to stand in line outside the theater a full half hour before the line was officially supposed to start. One possible reason why is the largest class of incoming freshmen who had yet to experience a Midnight Movie event.
“I would think there are a lot of freshmen here, and it decreases with each year,” said Isom.
All students, freshmen or not, had a large selection of movies to choose from, ranging anywhere from family films such as the re-release of “Finding Nemo” to horror movies like Sam Raimi’s “The Possession”. Despite all of the options, there was one film that seemed to be most popular.
“Everyone is going to see the new ‘Resident Evil’ movie. It’s ‘Resident Evil!’” laughed Isom.
“Resident Evil: Retribution” is the fifth film in Paul W.S. Anderson’s video game-inspired action horror franchise and the winner of the weekend’s box office, edging out “Finding Nemo”, another 3D movie.
Brand new releases were not the only movies students were seeing, as many used Midnight Movie and its discounted price to catch up on films they had yet to see or just wanted to watch again. The most popular of these hold overs was “The Dark Knight Rises”, despite bringing in over $1 billion worldwide.
Darker, heavier films were not the only films students saw, however, as many chose more light-hearted films, such as “The Campaign” and “ParaNorman”.
“[‘The Campaign’] was really funny, but really crude,” said Carrie Stewart.
“’ParaNorman’ was one of the better animated movies I’ve seen in a while,” said Joshua Glasscock. “One of the better movies I’ve seen this year, I’ll say that!”
The movies were not the only things to receive praise from students, thanks to QuadWorks and AmStar 16’s ability to quickly move all 736 moviegoers through the lines and to their seats.
“Even though it was one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen in a while, they managed to get everyone inside faster than I have ever seen before, and I’ve been to just about every Midnight Movie since my freshman year,” explained Glasscock.
The next Midnight Movie will take place on November 16th, at the AmStar 16, located at 5996 Zebulon Road. Tickets are two dollars for Mercer Students, $6.50 for guests.
(09/12/12 4:01pm)
The Mac-Town Breakers, Mercer University’s very own breakdancing club, prides itself on its freestyle form, not just in the way the members dance, but also in how they conduct their meetings. Rather than teaching people how to break dance through a regimented system of instruction, the officers and veteran dancers teach anyone willing to learn at his or her own individual pace.
The Mac-Town Breakers, or MTB as they refer to themselves as, was founded by Mercer Alum John Smith. Although Smith graduated two years ago, former President and current Vice President of MTB, Kenny Tang, has helped keep the group’s legacy going over his five years as a student at Mercer. Tang is hoping to encourage a much looser, free-form style of learning this year and all years to come.
“We teach the basics or what anyone wants to learn. We try not to be organized. We want to get a crew together and have fun,” said Tang.
Because dancing is an expression of oneself, MTB feels the way breakdancing is taught within the group should allow similar expression.
“We’re teaching them the basics and then tell them to just go at it. Maybe make their own style,” explained Mac-Town Breakers President, Carl Arquino. “We cover the three basic foundations: standing top rocking, floor work, and freezes and power moves.”
With no set schedule for learning certain moves or routines, not only can anyone join at any time and not be left behind, but the organization encourages the entire student body to attend their meetings, even if they have no intention of taking part in later choreographed performances.
“If you miss the first half of the semester, that’s okay. We will get you up to speed. We take everybody and anybody,” said Arquino.
MTB has a high level of commitment to this laid back approach, as it seems the group exists solely to have fun and express feelings through a stylish form of dancing. Even Freshmen like Avery Lavuz, who has only been on campus for a few weeks now, fits right in with the rest of the crew thanks to the club’s attitude towards their fellow classmates.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are. Just have fun,” said Lavuz, explaining the enjoyable nature of MTB’s meetings. “It also helps build cardio and strength.”
Perhaps more importantly than the Mac-Town Breaker’s fun, open, and expressive meetings is the group’s willingness and desire to spread goodwill through dance with other organizations not only on campus, but off as well.
“D3 [Dating, Desserts, & Dancing]; We do it every year now. We try to target all the dancing groups around Macon to raise money for charity,” explains Tang.
“We even had a group come all the way from Tennessee,” Arquino boasted with an admirable sense of pride.
The Mac-Town Breakers meet every Wednesday and Friday from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Aerobics Room of the University Center. Anyone interested in attending these meetings are more than welcome to show up, learn a few moves and as Arquino puts it, “just dance.”
Braeden Orr