Sunshine showcase: GV dance program kicks off semester with outdoor performance
Grand Valley State University Department of Music, Theatre and Dance students kicked off the semester with an end-of-summer outdoor performance in Grand Rapids. The Summer Dance Festival was hosted by Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB), giving West Michigan dancers the opportunity to showcase their talents to their local community.
“It was so nice to be around people who wanted to celebrate dance because that is what we all love,” said Eliana Weinert, a GVSU dance major who choreographed a number for the GVSU dance program to perform at the festival. “There was such a wide variety of who (was) performing, like hip-hop groups and ballet groups.”
GRB is Michigan’s only classical ballet company, and frequently collaborates with the local dance community. The Summer Dance Festival took place Aug. 23-24.
Read more about Lacie Hoffman’s coverage of the summertime festival here.
Grand Rapids Woodstock Fest supports family in Gaza
Woodstock Fest, a benefit concert held in Grand Rapids on Oct. 5, supported the ElMassry-Sahmound family’s survival in Gaza, as well as local artists and musicians. The festival, which was held at Heritage Hill, was co-organized by Grand Valley State University Professor James Champion, and is held annually in an effort to garner exposure and donations to specific causes.
This year, Woodstock Fest partnered with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, a political organization that organizes in the Grand Rapids area for the liberation of Palestine. Partnering with Woodstock allowed the organization to help raise donations for the ElMassry-Sahmound family, which is trying to escape devastation in Gaza and relocate to Egypt. The money sent to the family in need will be used for supplies including food, water and sanitary items until they are able to evacuate from Gaza.
The festival featured 14 local artists, including GVSU student Anthony Erlandson. Performers played a variety of musical genres including folk, hyper pop, punk and more.
Read more of Lacie Hoffman’s story on Woodstock Fest here.
GV improv group promises laughter for just two dollars
“Improv Type Stuff” was a fitting name for the monthly performance of Subject to Change, Grand Valley State University’s improv club. The show, which had an only two dollar cover charge, was held Friday, Nov. 8, at the Kirkhof Center.
Like many improv shows, Subject to Change decides on a variety of “games” that they will play during a show. The scenes that play out have certain rules or gimmicks that the group’s participants, and the audience, are expected to interact with. Beyond the game rules, everything is completely improvised and set up to invoke audience suggestions, participation and laughter.
“What goes into it is not what the games will look like, it’s what games we’re going to play,” said Jacob Jahshan, Subject to Change’s Promotions Officer. “Because it is still improv, we don’t know what the (audience) suggestions are going to be. That’s the fun of it.”
Read more of Lee Marentette’s coverage on the GVSU improv group here.
GV students get thrifty by shopping second hand
Thrifting is a more sustainable and affordable option for obtaining clothing pieces, which is why so many college students acquire their wardrobe second hand. Many Grand Valley State University students have found thrift shopping to be a fun way to put together outfits that aren’t cheaply made or associated with fast fashion apparel and accessories.
GVSU student Lauren Elias explained that she doesn’t buy clothing from high-end stores anymore due to the cost. Elias shops at the Goodwill Outlets in Grandville and Muskegon. These outlets are often called “the bins” because they feature large, blue bins filled with stacks of clothes that customers can peruse and purchase by the pound. While further away from GVSU than some local Goodwill locations, many students make the trek to the bins for better deals.
“I just can’t pay 20 bucks for a shirt that I could get for three or four dollars at Goodwill,” Elias said.
Read more of Sofia Ellis’ coverage on the thrifting habits of GVSU students here.
GV alumna performs in Academy Award-winning “Anora”
On Sunday, March 2, the Academy Awards took place in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, and the feature film “Anora” swept the floor. The 2024 film, which showcased a forbidden romance between an escort from Brooklyn and a Russian oligarch, won five of the six awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture. Celebrating among the cast and crew as a supporting actress was Grand Valley State University alumna, Lindsey Normington.
Normington graduated from GVSU in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Theatre. She spent her time as a student involved in a number of campus theatre productions and projects. One of these programs was ReACT!, a peer education theatre group that provided support to sexual assault survivors and prevention programs at the University.
Read more of Jada Dobbins’ coverage on Normington’s Hollywood role here.
GV alumna’s film screening advocates for birth justice
On Thursday, March 20, Grand Valley State University’s Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies welcomed alumna Amanda Rostic back to campus for a showing of her documentary film “Delivering While Black.”
Through the screening, Rostic, who graduated from the University with a Master of Public Health degree, brought attention to racial disparities in maternal and infant birthing outcomes. Specifically, the film focuses on the inequalities Black women have faced within the healthcare system in Grand Rapids. The event ended with a group Q&A and panel discussion, where community members were able to engage in conversation with the film’s cast. The panel also included healthcare specialists, who shared their personal experiences within the healthcare and delivery system.
“I hope my film creates spaces where people from different backgrounds can come together and learn,” Rostic said. “I hope students and faculty feel encouraged and inspired to use their voices and influence to change the world around them in positive and meaningful ways.”
Read more about Jada Dobbins’ coverage of the film documentary here.
