Indian heritage group celebrates high-energy folk dance

Name: charu ganesh (she comes up on people search as charumati but this is how she spelled her name/introduced herself so i assume this is what she wants to go by) Grade: senior Major: world politics what exactly is garbhangra? so today is basically a dance event, we’re not really performing or anything. garba is just a traditional indian dance that has roots in goodjruh which is one of the states in india. and hangra is a style of dance that has roots in punjob. so we’re just going to be fusing those two styles and events like this are open to everybody, we’re willing to give workshops and teach everybody how to do all the dances and everything, but it’s a lot of fun. it doesnt have any religious ties or anything, it’s just a traditional indian style of dance that we all use to celebrate. how do you get involved in garbhangra? so CIUS is a southasian organization and we do tons of cultural events and everything like this so if anyone wants to participate they can definitely come out to everything, theres no cover or anything like that, its a style that a lot of indian students do already know just from previous garba events and things like that so most people already are kinda familiar with what goes on but for those that arent, at least for myself, i didnt know how to do it or anything before college so, but we do have tutorials so it is accessible to everyone whats the goal of the event tonight? our main goal really is to give back to our members and throw a fun to event to kind of reel in semester, its our last big one, i guess, for fall, but our goal today is basically to get our members to come out and also sign up for our cultural show satrang which is happening in late march of next year, so thats basically a show where we have 7 different styles of cultural dance that we all perform on stage in this huge charity event and its large end of the year so we try to get people to come out to garbhangra and sign up for that so that’s today’s main purpose, we’re just kind of making it a fun thing for everyone as well is this something you do every year? yes, every year, every spring, usually late march or early april how long has this been going on for? this is actually our 25th anniversary, so this year is actually pretty special to us, our theme actually kind of revolves around the 25th year celebration kind of anniversary theme, so its a big year for us, we’ve been (down?) for a while, this show has never been as big as it is now so we’re pretty proud of that do you know how this started? i dont know for sure just because we dont have very good records of all the people that founded the organization, things like that, so we’ve tried to kind of trace our roots, we do have southasian descent, one of the founders. cultural organizations like this exist on most every campus in north america so i can imagine it started out as people wanting to come together and celebrate their holidays and kind of connect with people that (?) so CIUS is an all inclusive organization so by no stretch of the imagination is it only for southasians or only for indians, we’re actually really open to anyone coming and joining, we really encourage that as well so thats why our event is completely free tonight, we’ve kinda been hoping tonight that we get more people from brody neighborhood and (?) to come out and celebrate with us, so yeah we really love it when there are people that may not have a sort of background in india that come out and participate in celebrations like that Name: fhibani sanghvi (comes up as fenil atul on people search but this is how she spelled her name/introduced herself so i assume this is what she wants to go by) Grade: sophomore Major: finance can you explain garbhangra a little bit? so every spring CIUS puts on a cultural show called satrang and garbhangra is kind of our way to bring everyone together, its also where they can sign up for their dances, its just a really fun event that has different styles of dance that they do to garba, which are two dances from india, but its just supposed to be a really fun event where people can sign up to be in (?) how did you get involved in this organization? well i was in other organizations in high school so from that i knew a lot of people in CIUS so i kinda just joined because they did it, to meet new people and stay in touch with indian culture what do you like most about this event? i love to dance so i think that has to be my favorite part about this event, also its really fun to meet all the new members that we get this year , yeah its just fun, you get to dance around people and see what dances theyre gonna do is cius doing anything special since it’s the 25th anniversary? we are but its a secret Name: rachna chhaya Grade: junior Major: general management can you explain this event? so this event is called “garbhangra” and what we do tonight is we’re gonna have a few hours of just dancing. the indian culture is built on a lot of music and dance and performance and arts like that so it’s a very big part of everyone’s culture and so we have a dj that also goes here and he’s gonna play music all night and everyone’s gonna come and dance and also throughout the process we have a show called (?) every spring that we perform at wharton center, its a cultural show, and so we practice for that all of second semester to put on the show and so tonight our event, one of the main purposes is so people can sign up for that show, whoevers interested, so we have a list of choreographers and those choreographers have decided to create certain dances and so whoever comes today will choose whatever dance they wanna be in and sign up and hopefully we’ll all place them in the ones they wanna be in and then starting in january through march we will be practicing for that and our show at wharton is on march 28th what brought you to this organization? personally ive been dancing all my life, it’s something i really like to do, it would just be weird if it weren’t in my life and actually my roommate introduced me to this organization so once i joined we liked what they did, we enjoyed dancing, i choreographed the last two years’ for the shows as well, so i was really involved, and also on board as funding coordinator so (?) why did you start dancing? actually, not that exciting of a story, but my mom enrolled me in classes when i was little and it was a hobby at first but once you get deeper and deeper into it, it became something i really liked to do and wanna keep doing on the side for the rest of my life so this is a really nice way to be able to do that favorite part of the event? dancing, its great, and you meet so many people and its great because the show allows people from every ethnicity, from any level of dance experience, to join, just to have fun, just to put something on that we do every spring and actually all of our money that we make in that show goes to charities and so it’s like we make a lot of money for a good cause and everyone can enjoy (?) what charities do you donate to? we donate to two charities- one here and one back in india, so the one we donate to (?) and the one we donate to back from india is called (?), it’s for children who are blind, so we help them (?) anything else you’d like to add? not really, our show is free for msu students, (?) Name: manasa gummalla Grade: junior Major: biology can you explain this event a little bit? this is garbhangra so this is an event that we post for our members and its sort of a fusion of garba and hangra, which are two different types of dance. and its kinda a way to let them come and sign up for the dances theyre gonna participate for this event (?) and its like our huge event of the year now can you explain how the dances differ? garba is more like a classic dance in the northern of india and hangra is also from the northern part of india but its more of like an energy-ish type of dance what brought you to this organization? all my friends were all doing it and so i heard about it and then i heard that we have a dance show and i used to dance when i was a kid so i was like “oh it sounds like its gonna be a blast” how did you start dancing as a kid? my mom signed me up for dance and she would force me to go and then i guess i started really liking it how long have you been in this organization for? ive been in this organization for a few years, since my freshman year has it impacted your life in any way? it totally impacted my life, i feel like i made a whole new friend group, and (?) im really interested in indian culture so whats your favorite part of this event? dancing can you describe your show next semester? its a show with different types of dances, like indian dance, classical indian dance, (?) and we have other (?)

Lansing area social club for 20-somethings organizes team sports and bar nights

After leaving behind a college community and adjusting to a new lifestyle out on the job market, many recent college graduates find it overwhelming to reestablish the social lives of their undergraduate glory days.  For recent MSU alumnus Cody Wilson, however, this notorious transition has become an outlet for making new connections and finding balance in his life.  After recognizing that many of his close friends would be moving away from East Lansing to pursue their new careers, Wilson joined the Greater Lansing Sport and Social Club a few months prior to his graduation, where he was able to make new friends with students in his area, rather than from his college.  With the intent of creating a social atmosphere for young professionals in the Lansing area, the GLSSC organizes co-ed teams that meet once per week to compete against each other in tons of different sports, before heading to the bars.  "It's a fantastic opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of work and just blow off some steam," Wilson said. “Even though you're on different teams, everyone is so connected and it just turns into one giant GLSSC team once we get to the bar and everyone starts mingling."  The club offers two leagues each season, where members can choose between dodgeball, flag football, kickball, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, and bowling, depending on the time of year. While most individuals focus on the social aspect of the club, Wilson said this does not take away from the competition.  According to GLSSC Director Josh Sherry, the club uses this competitive nature to encourage participants to socialize with members from other teams.

Biophysics professor continues husband's legacy

It’s been a little over 10 years since former biophysics professor Angelica Liu’s husband, professor Hsin Ti Tien passed away.

Good Eats: Italian offerings either fancy or fast, with budget in mind

Olive Garden “I like Olive Garden because they give you salad and breadsticks, and everyone knows that the breadsticks are the best.” — Meagan Cortez, supply-chain sophomore Taking a more American approach to Italian food, Olive Garden continues to be popular with students around campus.

International students receive guidance on what to expect from a Michigan winter

With the rapid drop in temperatures over the last two days giving the student population a glimpse of how the winter will look like this year, first-year international students might get concerned about how the weather will be like during the cold months.

Black students continue to let their spirituality thrive in college

Despite college pressures and a lack of familiar churches in the area, many black students continue to foster their church culture.

What to look for when shopping for a car

Links: http://www.autonews.com/article/20140331/OEM11/140... http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/8-things-you... http://jalopnik.com/5968246/thank-a-swede-for-your...

MSU sophomore breeds and raises pet snakes

They’re not needy. They don’t give a shit if I pick them up or not They’re great wingmen and wing ladies. I get attention and phone numbers. I walked into American Apparel with this girl around me to pull a prank on the cashier I was hoping to catch a clerk that’s not paying attention, writing some papers, and then she’d look up and see a snake and maybe shit herself First of all, you normally isolate the snakes.They’re non-communal, they don’t like to live together You put the male and female in the same enclosure briefly and wait for them to link up

Church services now being held weekly at The Loft in Lansing

MSU professor balances law and passion for poetry

Brian Gilmore; Author of We Didn’t Know Any Gangsters (Third Collection of his poetry); MSU Professor of Law since 2010 When I got to college that’s when I wanted to write poetry. "I have always been interested in words, but really it was this teacher who said nice things about my writing and said it might be something I want to try. That's why I do what I do." “When I got done with this advocacy work, I realized I didn’t want to just write, but I wanted to be a citizen. I wanted to help out and actually try to make change and involve myself in this process.” “Music is really important for what I do,” he said. “Poets always say poetry is like music itself. We say the words are on the page and on the stage.” "I really have a great love for words," he said. "It’s hard to say what’s the best about writing other than knowing that people saw your work and appreciate your dedication to art; there’s a lot to say about that." “The message is the whole notion of loss of community. To a certain degree, I feel like a lot of cities have lost that sense of community where you had a family, but your larger family was within the neighborhood.” New book is more of a personal collection than my first two...my first book was more political and cultural related and the second book was about Jazz, Duke Ellington band This is more personal about growing up, my parents lives, neighborhood etc. “There’s something about growing up in D.C. It was a lot of fun, but it was also very mischievous kind of living. I think all writing is personal, there’s just degrees to it. I started this book many years ago and then got interrupted and started writing some other stuff (fiction, nonfiction, did some freelance journalism) Always said I would come back to it and finish it Went to Frostburg State College In the first book....I became a student activist; a big issue in my time was Nelson Mandela and South Africa; really big issues when I was in college, and a lot of us were involved in that It was an experience that I think shaped me in a lot of ways...being from DC from the urban setting I’ve been influenced by a lot of different things like music (jazz and African American music forms) It’s interesting because poetry is different...publishing houses don’t publish that much poetry (go through the small presses) Publishers might extend you an invitation...sent manuscript to this place in Maryland (knew someone there) Manuscript had been rejected a few times...this was the last shot! “I did say that”....Wayne State had strong interest in it but then at the last second they passed on it It must have been rejected about a dozen times by different contests and presses...mostly small presses I was just going to move on and do different writing projects Progressive Media Project...write on any topic you want and they take it if they want...election, abortion, anything Doing that for about 11 years...out of Wisconsin, affiliated with the Progressive magazine (more drawn to the historical/cultural pieces, things like that...did a piece on Maya Angelou, poverty, etc.) Used to do a lot of freelance journalism, wrote for the progressive, wrote for the Washington Post a few times, used to review new books for the Post, write for small weeklies in D.C. My law comes out of my student activism. I went towards law because of my desire to be an advocate on issues and it took off from there. Got to MSU in 2010...Howard University studying law and got recruited out here His first book is more cultural and politics of music and society Always been influenced by music...his brother has the most influence (musician), parents listened to a lot of jazz (Duke Ellington and Miles Davis), my brother listened to a lot of funk, R&B soul music, in the city.... it was a big deal Still doing some poetry every now and then...get invited to talk at law schools to talk about issues Go back to DC he goes to talk to class...American University talking to students interested in writing Social and political policy work right now, as well as short stories.... there’s always the “next” project and you are always a little bit ahead of yourself The big thing was divestment movement...trying to get universities to divest their assets from South African government and stop dealing with SA...students organized around that...long tradition of student activism This is what really drove me to law school, I wanted to be able to write, but also be involved

MSU student and war veteran uses yoga to cope with PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t a problem too many students here at MSU face. But for professional writing senior Logan Stark, he knows it all too well.

East Lansing events in the week ahead

This week, there are several different events in East Lansing for both students and the general public to enjoy. Spartans Break Down the Walls Monday, Nov.

Theatre freshmen get the chance to prove themselves

Mike Merluzzi; Freshman; Theatre Major "The overarching goal is for most of the faculty to step back and wee what we can do on our own at this point in our careers, so they know what we are building off of, and what we can build onto." "I really want to show how well I can work and have people say, 'If he can bring this to a freshman showcase, what can he bring to a fully-mounted season production?'" "I think one of the coolest things about the show is that we all come from different schools and teachings, so it's a very unique blend. We are bringing a collaboration of different styles and techniques that we have learned previously before adopting the MSU style and approach." There are songs and poems read between the scenes, all of which were selected by us...so it shows our ability to devise scripts in a way and almost design the music that would go along with a show On another level, we have all taken on design positions...designing the show on our own with a technical director, but all of the designs, sets, lights, and other things are done completely by the freshmen Play was written by Dionne O’Dell, our director. It was written a few years back. The premiere of her show! We added in the music and the poems. “She came to us with a script that we really brought to life and enhanced it in a sense for what we needed.” This performance helps us show what we are capable of in a performance setting You always want to impress, that’s what your ultimate goal is! This is our first, technical departmental show of the season Our director wrote the script, short of that we get limited amount of assistance in technical areas as far as meeting with the technical director of MSU and the head of light. It is interesting in the fact that we have it double casted. Each character is casted twice and there will be two different nights, I think that makes each show unique in a sense. Sidney Anderson; Freshman; Theatre Major "It was a very interesting opportunity because I feel like every element of theatre was involved and whatever you wanted to display as your talent, you were able to." "I think it really opened our eyes to who we will be working with for the next couple years of our lives," she said. "It not only gets us excited for the future, but it gets everyone in the department excited for what they have to work with." Basically we have a show, and then on the outskirts of the show, we have small little acts of talent such as singing and a few poems, rapper, ukulele and guitar It’s just to show off the real talent of everyone that’s coming in She is the sound crew head I think the people in the show have really brought it to life and made it our own. I think our personalities really show through and that’s what really brought it to life! On the surface it seems like it’s a joke, but on the inside it displays a really serious message...so it’s like a comedic way of saying that fame and your desire for fame and power kills you Whether it’s your first year in the program or your first year at the university, it’s very easy to get involved with the showcase We have some girls that are juniors that just changed their major and they wanted to be part of the showcase because they couldn’t audition for the shows (FRESHMAN TO THE PROGRAM) This is all of our first theatre department show This performance means the beginning of an awesome four years and it opens so many doors and opportunities for all of us I think that being in this you make lifelong connections and friends and you really set yourself at a high bar with your performance and your ability to work with other people here, so now my peers and my director know me, know how to work with me. It just establishes you in the program...it’s your first rendezvous and establishing yourself in the program.

Alpha Phi, fraternities play football to raise funds for heart health

On Sunday, Alpha Phi sorority hosted their second annual “Capture A-Phi” philanthropy flag football game to raise money for the Alpha Phi Foundation, which supports women’s heart health.

Spartans show off skills in talent competition

Most contestants in Spartans Got Talent sing or dance. Marketing sophomore Chris Ryan  wanted to make the audience laugh.

Spartans to show off their talents Friday night

Looking for something to do tonight?

Health officials urge regular Pap smears

Women between the ages of 21 and 29 should have a pap smear every two to three years, yet  most women don’t know that.

International population offers multitude of perspectives on sex and gender

In some cultures, kissing in public is taboo. In others, a third gender is recognized alongside male and female.

Pain. Pleasure. Control. For some students, it's all part of the relationship

As college students continue to explore their sexuality, some are starting to discover a darker side to sex and relationships. What is it? "Typically, there's one person who's dominant and one who is submissive, but it's really a spectrum," said arts and humanities freshman Tess Johnson.

Sexile: how to give your roommate the hint

By Anthony Herta aherta@statenews.com Your girlfriend comes into town and you haven’t seen each other for a while.