Tuesday, December 10, 1974
N.C. ESSAY
Intensive Arts: Give It a Chance
By DUNCAN NOBLE
Editor’s Note: The Essay asked Duncan
Noble, Intensive Arts co-ordinator, to
outline his views and plans of Intensive
Arts ’74.
Intensive Arts is now in its third year.
To quote a famous president, “Let me
make one think perfectly clear.” I have
been asked only to co-ordinate Intensive
Arts, not to design it. In simple terms,
that means I have been delegated to find
out what each department is doing and
when, and then to make this information
available to the school community. With
the help of Gary Burke, of the academic
faculty, I hope this can be accomplished.
Except in a very limited way, I am not
initiating lectures, master classes,
seijunars or other events which the
individual schools are conducting during
this period.
With the aid of Brad White and Dr.
Baskin, I have done some research into
student attitudes toward the Intensive
Arts period. This was done by reading
your critiques of the 1973 Intensive Arts
and the very limited returns on the
questionnaires that Brad and I sent out
last month. From this reading, I gather
there is a general misconception
regarding the genesis of this period in the
school calendar.
While it is true the initial impetus was
given by Nutcracker, that was not the
sole element involved. In the line of this
research, I spoke to former chancellor
Robert Ward. The original concept for
these weeks was a time in which all
students and all teachers could involve
themselves more fully in their individual
arts, and hopefully, broaden their
learning scope by commensurate
involvement in other related fields of
their interest. This ideal has not been
reached, but in some areas it has been
approached.
Comments Helpful
Let me tell you some of the things I
have found in reading your comments.
Naturally, there were some loners- those
who wish to do their own thing and
nothing else. Four things were touched
on by majorities. (I took five or more as a
majority since many papers made no
concrete suggestions.) The need for a
general study and an early pre-planning
by the school administration for the
Intensive Arts period was the most
prominent comment. There was a desire
for the continuance of the language
programs during this interval and, to a
lesser degree, a wish on the part of
certain collegians for some continuance
of aspects of the academic program. The
interest in visiting lecturers and master
teachers was touched upon by more than
a few students in all schools. Lastly, both
in the 1973 critiques and the October
questionnaire was the request for some
kind of performance or performances
involving students across the board on a
voluntary basis.
\
Kssuy Pholo
Nutcracker’s Waltz of the Flowers
Some of these concerns are being
implemented in this upcoming arts
interval. Not all the solutions will satisfy
all of you. Nirvana is still beyond total
grasp. One example of positive approach
is the offer of most of the academic
faculty to meet with students
individually or in groups to do continuing
and-or remedial work in all areas. This is
a terrific chance to consolidate some
learning or to catch up. There is a truism
used to great advantage by those of us in
the arts-oriented fields: Man does not
live by bread alone. Conversely, he does
not live without it either. To my
knowledge there has never been a
superstar or just plain top soloist in the
arts or education whose vision and
knowledge was tunnelled only into his or
her own inunediate field.
Dr. Suderburg has expressed his
awareness of the need for an early
planning session for next year. This is to
be approached before the end of March if
possible. If his busy schedule will allow,
perhaps Mr. Ward with his rather finite
knowledge of the workings of the total
school, can be persuaded to lend a hand
to this project. The needs and desires of
the individual students and the individual
schools vary. This makes any overall
plan very difficult to formulate. If
Intensive Arts is to remain and become
an integral part of the school year,
something will be arrived at. You, the
student body, know what you would like
to glean from this kind of program. Make
your thoughts known to your faculties,
deans and chancellor.
Schedule Posted
For this year, Gary Burke and I plan to
do a master graph and to place it in a spot
where its viewing will be convenient for
all. Would you believe the Commons
Bmlding! Rather than to delve into the
minutae of lesson times and plans, we
have decided to list only those events in
each of the schools open to the school
community in general. Following are a
few of the things you might want to look
for. The School of Drama has left open
Wednesday mornings and Friday
afternoons for lectures, some of which
will be of interest across the disciplines.
For example, on the second Wednesday
morning, Mme. von Nikolai will do a
lecture-seminar on German theatre:
from the Theatre of the Princes to the
Theatre of Brecht. (From the Theatre of
the Princes, or Patrons, come giants like
Goethe, Schiller and Wagner.) At
another time, Mr. Richard Kuch will
discuss “The Importance of Movement to
the Actor on Stage.” Maureen Trotto has
agreed to a series of three Wednesday
morning lectures on visual arts
composition for the choreographic
composition majors in modem, dance.
Design and Product I on will have to
lectures on scenic design and costume
design. While their more detailed lyork in
the scene shop may not be available to
everyone due to space, the lectures will
be. There will be open sessions both for
participation and for viewing in the
School of Music. Ernest Stuart for
instance has a very exciting series on
rhythm which you might want to sit in on.
Sam Stone would like to invite William
Phillips and his group from Durham to do
a lecture-demonstration on the folk and
ethnic music of Appalachia. (Mr. Phillips
received a National Endowment for the
Arts grant last year to further his work
and take it into the public school
systems.)
To Wind up, I would like to comment
from my own reaction to a feeling
engendered by the attitudes of some of
you as you presented your comments in
both the critiques of the 1973 Intensive
Arts period and the questionnaire Brad
and I sent out. No matter who is present
on this campus, no matter their
brilliance or their stature in their field,
whether they be a visiting luminary or a
regular instructor in the school, if you
approach them with the attitude that
they have nothing to offer you, indeed
you will receive nothing from them. Open
yourselves up. Examine the offering.
Study it before you reject it.
Duncan Noble, a member of the dance
faculty, is Intensive Arts co-ordinator.
Hungry, Horny Flies Create Impression
By BRYANT ARRINGTON
I shared a meal at the snack bar today
with about 20 flies. Or rather, we fought
over a grilled cheese sandwich that was
only about one quarter inch thick and not
really worth the effort for any of us. But I
don’t want to talk about the food. I want
to talk about the flies.
Flies are a scientific wonder. They
grow from anegigto laying eggs in 10-12
days. Female flies deposit about 120 eggs
in organic debris at one laying. The eggs
hatch in about eight hours to become
maggots. They molt their skins twice in
the next 48 hours while eating
voraciously-like a techie after an all day
crew. After the second molt, the maggot
feeds two more days in preparation for
pupation. Pupation means the outer
layer of skin turns hard and the insides
start changing into a fly. G-r-o-s-s!
It takes four to five days in the pupal
case for a maggot to become a fly. The
fly forces open its pupal skin and
emerges hungry and homy from the
decomposing refuse.
The number of flies around the snack
bar should be embarassing to both the
school administration and student body.
The flies breed, give birth, and live (not
to mention multiplying) all year in the
Commons building. I have seen, before
every concert, people in formal dress
fight flies for a cup of coffee. The
impression our school makes on parents
and visitors is important to the future of
the school. Flies, no matter how hard
they might try, do not create favorable
impressions.
“"Hie house fly carries the bacteria of
bacillary dysentery.” -Encyclopedia
Collins. That is awfully close to what
student call the NCSA plague. Flies are
ugly, dirty, obnoxious and they try to put
maggots in my food. I’m sick of them.
They must be destroyed!
Bryant Arrington is a first year Design
and Production major.