FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984
THE BENNETT BANNER
PAGE THREE
Annual performance
Dancers succeed
a review
by Leslie Barr
Bright lights, butterflies,
nervous smiles and sweaty
palms in addition to soulful
rhythm, strong leaps, grace
ful execution and acute pre
cision were a successful com
bination at the Dance Com
pany’s annual performance
April 6-7.
The nine-member company
consists of sophomores Donna
Athias, Allyson Berry, Nicole
Clayburn, Dee Evans, Char
lene Simmons and Khadija
Ward; freshmen T r a c y e
Faulkner and DeJaniera Lit
tle; and senior Cheryl Wil
liams. All of these performers
displayed a variety of talents.
The first part “Cultural
Suite” contained dances per
formed to Negro spirituals
and folk music. Clayburn and
Simmons did the choreogra
phy. The final act in the suite
“Samba” was very lively and
energetic.
The second part “Modern
Suite” contained music from
contemporary recording art
ists Angela Bofill, Kraftwork
and Lionel Richie. It was in
this suite that senior Cheryl
Williams exhibited her train
ing and participation with
the Dance Company for four
years. Williams’ original
choreography to Angela Bo-
fill’s “Daydreams” had a som-
bering effect on the audience.
It is also in this suite that
Miss Susan King, director of
the Dance Company and in
structor of physical educa
tion, performed a solo dance
to “Can’t Slow Down” by
Lionel Richie.
Sarah Brodie, freshman
from Rocky Mount, states
that “I was impressed to see
the instructor taking nart in
the production.” Brodie also
states that on the whole the
entire performance was
electrifying.
Karen Taylor, sophomore,
states, “I felt that the per
formance was beautiful and
I was proud of them, I also
commend Miss King for a job
well done.”
The third performance
“Jazz Suite” contained music
by Jeffrey Osborne, Luther
Vandross, Shandi and Orbit.
Yeshiva Colbert, Miss Fresh
man, felt that the solo per
formance by Allyson Berry to
Luther Vandross’ “Love
Poems” was very good. She
states that “you could really
get into the music and the
dance.”
The finale was done to “Let
the Music Play,” and it
brought the house down.
The audience was extreme-
Iv enthusiastic during the
entire performance. Dee
Evans, one of the perform
ers, felt that “the perform
ance went well because the
audience’s response made us
feel good so we wanted to
give them an excellent
performance.”
Charlese Klutz, a freshman
from Kannanolis, states that
“I thought it was good and
you could tell that there was
a lot of hard work put into
the performance, I thought
that it was the best ACS
program we ever had.”
Saturday night’s perform
ance was less than perfection ;
however, it still was a success.
Gaye’s impact
is remembered
an essay
by Chandra Austin
and Tricia Hairston
He was a troubled man. Trag
edy followed him and tragedy
killed him.
Marvin Gaye, one of Motown’s
superstars, was a legend who
could not shake fate or death.
I first became aware of this
satin-voiced singer at the age of
eight. I was at a family cookout
when I heard “What’s Going On”
on the stereo. Suddenly, I noticed
people young and old singing
along, snapping fingers and danc
ing to the beat. Immediately, I
fell in love with Marvin Gaye!
I was too young to understand
the message but I liked the rhy
thm, and he sent chills through
my body. My brother laughed and
said, “She’ll be over it as soon
as the Jackson Five cut another
record.” He was wrong, Marvin
stayed with me musically and I
guess he always will.
I found myself trying to get my
hands on all of his cuts with
Tammi Terrell or solo cuts. I
would discuss the messages he
sang with my mother and she
helped me see. Marvin was sing
ing of love and unity. His smooth
voice made the message much
better to grasp. A former gpspel
singer who played the organ in
his father’s church, Marvin made
me feel the spirit he put into his
songs.
He amazed America with
“What’s Going On,” in 1971. The
song made people stop and think,
and it still does today. That’s all
Marvin wanted to accomplish, to
reach a listener. In 1973, Marvin
seemed to change from unity to
sexual love. With the “Let’s Get
It On” hit, he sang of loving and
how beautiful it could be. Some
people could not relate to him,
but I loved his work even more.
As I grew older, I discovered
that Marvin Gaye was human, not
the star I was into, but a man
who had troubles just like anyone
else. The deaths of Tammi Terrell
and Florence Ballard (one of the
original Supremes), two divorces
and bankruptcy took him through
depression and attempted suicide.
When we think of Marvin Gaye,
we also think of the melodic har
monies of the Temptations, the
velvety-voiced love songs of
“Smokey” Robinson and the Mir-
(See page 4)
Vincent has motivation
The vibrant Mrs. Vincent: The new director of career services has brought
plenty of energy to the office. (photo by Theresa Roy)
by Jacqueline Williams
“I hate to leave here at night.
There’s never a dull moment,”
says Mrs. Doris D. Vincent, the
new director of career services. “I
really love Bennett. I love this
position here. I am familiar with
Bennett to the point that I have
been here all my life, and I have
always envied Bennett Belles.”
Vincent was born and reared in
Greensboro. She is a ’72 graduate
of A&T where she majored in
speech communications. She later
returned to A&T, and received
her master’s in guidance and
counseling education.
She worked in counseling for
four years at A&T and Rutledge
College, where she was nominated
for “Outstanding Young Woman”
in 1983.
Vincent has been busy with
plans since taking on her position
here. She has even acquired a
new secretary, Suryyah Muham
mad. Her plans include improving
the lines of communication be
tween the career services office
Strong freshman scholars explain secrets of success
by Vonda Long
Two freshmen from Colum
bia, S. C., were honored on
Recognition Day for attain
ing straight “A” averages.
Terri Abel, an architectur
al engineering major, and
Vera Walker, an account
ing major, were winners of
the President’s Excellence
Award.
“I was shocked. After I
got over the shock, I was
pleased,” stated Abel.
“I was amazed and proud
of myself. I felt very hon
ored, and I felt like I had ac
complished something,” said
Walker.
Abel recalled her mother’s
reaction when her grades
came home: “Upon getting
my first semester grades she
was glad. She realized I was
serious about going to school.
I mean she knew it, but I had
never been in college before.
I finally got a chance to dem
onstrate my capabilities. She
was as pleased as I was.”
Walker remembered her
father’s response: “I talked
to my father, and he was very
proud, but he wasn’t very
surprised because he has con
fidence in me. I think a lot
of other people could do as
well as I did or almost as well
if they just concentrated on
their studies.”
Both Terri and Vera feel
that a major part of their
inspiration was given to them
by their families. Terri said
her family was a major rea
son that she set high goals
and attempted to realize
them. The family taught her
“the need to be in position
to make a difference, and
I think education has the
ability to put you in that
position.”
Vera stressed that her par
ents, relatives and her in
structors insoired her. She
said that when thev praise
her. she feels inspired. “I just
think about what I want out
of my education and I know
if I get it, I have to do as
well as I can,” stated Vera.
Both students are eager for
knowledge. Both feel that
without it, their roads to the
future will be more difficult
to travel upon.
Abel said, “I don’t want to
be among the anonymous.
There are very few people
who make things happen.
There are a lot who watch
and wonder. If you aren’t
among those who make things
happen, then you aren’t serv
ing any real purpose.”
Vera added, “I don’t want
to disappoint people like mv
parents. I think of the reason
why I’m here. I think of all
the people who are watchin?
me. People expect certain
thino's of me so I try to do
well.”
“There is a reward in the
end,” state"! Terri. “The re
ward is going to be success
in what you intended to do
and what you planned to do,
realizing your goals.”
Vera concluded, “My ac
complishments don’t come
easv. I have to work for
them. I’m not some kind of a
brain like some people think.”
and the student body, about the
job opportunities that are availa
ble. She would like to enlighten
incoming freshmen “to get them
aware of careers in their major.”
She also wants to do follow-ups
on graduates.
Plans are also being made for
another Career Awareness Day
similar to the one hosted in the
fall.
Vincent would like to have
weekly or monthly seminars on
career awareness: “Like maybe
resume month, or interview
month, different times where you
can always come to the center
and be influenced by how you
need to get ready for the world.”
Vincent has led a very interest
ing life. She attended A&T during
the riots, in the late 60s. During,
those times, the mayor of Greens
boro declared a seven o’clock
curfew. Her most memorable ex
perience came May 22, 1969, when
some students burned a truck.
“We were on our way from
classes, and they (the administra
tion) were getting ready to shut
down the campus. A white .guy
came through in a white panel
truck, looking around, and they
just jumped on it, rocked it and
set it on fire.”
In fear of the chaos, Vincent
fled: “All I could remember was
running, trying to get in my car,
to get off campus, get back out
to White Oak Grove where I
would be safe.”
Vincent was married during the
last two years of college. Later,
she and her husband purchased a
men’s clothing store, the Slack
Shop, where she worked for three
years. They have been in business
for 12 years.
Her husband who is in com
missioned sales with Montgomery
Ward, is also an A&T graduate.
The Vincents have a 10-year-old
daughter. “I love being married. I
believe in the family. I believe
in relationships, and I think that
if we could strengthen the initial
unit of family life, the world
would be much better,” Vincent,
who has taught a course in
marriage, says.
She feels that: “So many peo
ple have a problem loving other
people, I think everybody should
be aware of how great it is to be
loved,”
Vincent is a member of White
Oak B'aptist Church while her
husband belongs to Laughlin
United Methodist Church, “I at
tend both, I never move my mem
bership, because they are family
churches,” she says, “My husband
and I believe in God, We believe
in worshipping together. Most of
our activities go around our
church.” Both she and her hus
band sing in the Laughlin inspira
tional choir of which she is
president.
Vincent enjoys public speaking.
In April, she will be conducting
a workshop with the English
classes at A&T, and hopes one day
to conduct similar workshops here.
Vincent has also done work
shops with the Pre-release and
After Care Program with the
State Department of Corrections.
These workshops were for
prisoners at Sandy Ridge and
McLeansville.
“I would go out and speak with
the prisoners and inform them
of what they need to do in order
to get back into the world and
find a job,” she says. She would
prepare the prisoners for, “rejec
tion and/or acceptance, due to
the fact that they have been
incarcerated.”
Vincent is active with the
Hayes-Taylor YMCA, where she
has been honorary emcee for their
Kiddie College graduation, and
Spring May Day, for the past 10
years.
Away from her busy life, Vin
cent has many dreams. If she was
given the choice to live any place
else, she would choose the South
west: “I love the Southwest. I
love the heat, but I think if I had
a state to choose being that I love
North Carolina so much, I would
take North Carolina.”
Vincent would also love to live
in Washington, D. C. “I’d love to
live in the capitol, the White
House, in fact. I would love to
be adviser to the President,” says
Vincent, “because I feel I could
help him out as much as the other
people. I just want to live in the
White House.”
Vincent strongly advocates
helping others. She believes in,
“students first, and whatever
their desires are, they are my
desires to lift them higher, to be
number one with themselves.”