Semester 4

Arts TRYathlon #1: Choose Your Own Adventure

Event Logistics (2/16/2024, UMD’s Theatre in Video streaming service, Magic of Thai Classical Dance)

(#theater, #dance)

For my first TRY-athlon of semester four, I decided to watch a play online via UMD’s streaming service. I chose to watch a film called the Magic of Thai Classical Dance, made by Malcom Hossick. The film started out by providing background information on Thai dance. Then, the narrator explained different clips of a performance for the audience. He explained what traits are most valuable for the dancers and filmed a dance practice where they did stretches to emphasise this desirable posture. There are different standards for the performers. Hand movements are important for the girls, whereas the boys have distinct poses for their respective parts in the dance. Both are expected to carry themselves with confidence and grace. These performances also include music. They sing and use lots of percussion instruments, which reminded me of our drum circle experience last semester. My favorite part is the costumes, they are absolutely beautiful and extremely intricate. They showed one dancer getting ready. His part was the “demon king” and the costume must be put together piece by piece before the performance. There are many different layers and folds in each costume and it is tedious to put on. Some performers also wear headpieces or carry different props depending on their roles. It was interesting to learn about this artform and I am excited that I was able to watch it using UMD resources!

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Event Logistics (3/16/2025, UMD’s Theatre in Video streaming service, John Brown's Body at San Quentin Prison - The Documentary)

(#theater)

For my Second TRY-athlon of semester four, I decided to watch another play online via UMD’s streaming service. I chose to watch John Brown's Body at San Quentin Prison - The Documentary, directed by Joseph De Francesco. The documentary followed a rendition of John Brown’s Body being performed by inmates at San Quentin Prison. The director explained that he chose John Brown’s Body, an American epic poem written by Stephen Vincent Benét, as he read it in school and was disappointed that they had stopped including it in curriculums. When he was asked why he chose San Quentin Prison to host workshops in order to put on the play, he joked that he was broke and wanted free actors. Later and more seriously, he expressed that he chose San Quention because he had a feeling that the inmates would deeply understand the main themes of John Brown’s Body: freedom and racism. To this, one of the prisoners that was involved in the play responded that they unfortunately know these themes all too well, “too much racism and not enough freedom”, his reply stuck with me. It is clear that the director was also able to learn about the inmates, and the viewer is also queued in on some of their stories. It made for a very interesting and humbling watch. Seeing the inmates lose themselves in the performance and the audience forget where they were was very special. It reminded me that art adds to my extremely busy life, but for others who have lost all their freedom, art is an escape and a reason to keep living. It is also a good reminder of the things we discuss in CPSA, that extremely heavy topics can be broken down and shared most effectively via art forms.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

Event Logistics (3/26/2025, Bel Air Lounge, Paperclip Jewelry)

(#visualart)

For my last TRY-athlon ever, I wanted to go to a craft-and-chat. I decided to attend the one that Sophia was hosting where we would be making paper clip jewelry. I used to make lots of jewelry but I have never made anything with paper clips. It was a fun challenge to use a different kind of material than I normally would. There were lots of beads and even different colored paper clips. After some experimentation, I decided to make a dangly keychain with pink beads and lots of hanging details. It was very fun and I enjoyed being able to talk to my peers while working on a craft. Lots of people made earrings, but they were all very different. It was cool to see the difference in style of what people created from the same array of simple materials. In Arts Scholars, we talk about art as a method of expression, and that's exactly what people did with this craft. We made things that can be worn and express our personalities. I made a keychain which is an accessory, but not typically seen as a piece of jewelry. Because it was mostly made of pink shiny beads, after I showed people, they all said it was perfectly on brand for me.

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