All posts by Observer Staff

Sports

Beyond the Box Score: Robert Barry

 

Robert Barry will try to help the NECC Knights Baseball team make it to their fifth consecutive NJCAA World Series appearance this spring. Last year’s team finished with a record of 28-4, including a perfect 13-0 record against their conference.

The journey has already begun, as the team started practicing on Feb. 1. The first game of the season is March 13, when the Knights will take on Herkimer College at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, which will also be the kickoff to their beginning-of-the-season Florida trip.

Barry has been playing baseball all his life, starting when he was 4 years old playing T-ball. He credits his brothers and his dad for influencing him to start playing the sport. Barry, a second year Liberal Arts major, has just started his second year with the Knights ball club. A starting pitcher standing 6 feet tall, he wears number 13 on the diamond.

Barry is coming off a strong first season with the Knights, finishing with a personal record of 3-0 in six relief appearances, as well as starting one game. The right hander logged a total of 22.1 innings and had a respectable ERA of 4.43.

As far as personal goals for the season, Barry said, “I want to try and keep my ERA low, and limit the runs allowed so the team has a chance to win.” The team goal, according to Barry, is to make it to the World Series.

John Sirois is an outfielder for the Knights. Sirois and Barry have been teammates on the diamond since high school. Sirois had this to say about Barry, “I don’t know too many people that can throw the ball like he can. He throws the ball hard but I think his curveball is his money pitch.”

Sirois added that he trusts Barry on the mound, and that Barry trusts him in the field, which helps make the duo from Pentucket High School so successful.

Dave Brindamour, an infielder on this years team, had this to say about Barry: “He’s a great teammate. He’s always picking his teammates up through the good and the bad.” Brindamour and Barry have been teammates for five years.

Barry credits his parents for helping him become a collegiate athlete.

“I was thinking about quitting baseball once I got to high school,” he said. “My parents kept pushing me to keep playing, and I’ve never thought about quitting since.”

The proudest moment of Barry’s athletic career so far was beating the previously-undefeated North Reading High School Hockey team while playing hockey for Pentucket Regional High School.

When not on the diamond, Barry finds himself keeping busy. He is taking five courses this semester, and also works part time as a janitor. Barry estimates he spends around 12-15 hours a week on academics, another 12-15 dedicated to baseball and another 15 at his job.

Barry is looking to transfer to a four-year university and continue to play baseball. When the time comes to hang up his cleats, Barry says he would love to find a way to stay involved in baseball somehow.

Opinion, Uncategorized

Do-It-Yourself Spa Day!

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With today’s abundance of beauty treatment centers, it’s hard to believe that people used to polish their own fingernails and tweeze each other’s eyebrows in the kitchen. Although salons and spas are forced to compete for our business and even with coupons and package deals, sometimes the prices still seem outrageous. Many of these expensive treatments can be done at home with products from your local drugstore, supermarket or beauty supply store. Sure, it will take much longer to do it yourself, but if you collect your supplies before our next snowstorm, you could have a ball and one heck of a spa day. Not to mention you’ll be saving a ton of money. Let’s compare some prices.
Treatment Midscale salon Do-it yourself
Clarify and conditioning treatment for hair
$12-$40
$3 and up
Basic manicure
$15-$35
$5 and up
Spa pedicure
$20-$60
$5 and up
Basic Facial
$25-$70
$2 and up
Beach wave hairstyle
$15-$80
$3 and up

Some of the supplies you will need for your spa day may already be in your house or can be purchased at Dollar Tree or Sally Beauty Supply (for single application sizes). If you take the most frugal approach, you could pull this off for around $10-15. Here’s what you’ll need.

For clarifying and conditioning Treatment
Clarifying shampoo or sugar scrub and a basic shampoo
Deep conditioner or hair cholesterol
Shower cap or plastic bag

For beach wave style
7-10 hair clamps
Styling foam or a spray bottle with warm water and sea salt
Hair spray

For basic facial
Gentle cleanser
Scrub or mask
Wash cloth
Moisturizer

Basic manicure
Plastic bowl (one that your hand fits in)
Hand soap or shampoo
Nail clippers
File or emery boards
Oil or specified cuticle oil
Polish
Top coat
Polish remover
White, cotton gloves or a clean pair of socks

Spa pedicure
A plastic dish pan
Hand soap or specified foot soak
Toenail clippers or large file
Callous file
Nail buffer
Toe separators or strip of cotton
Polish
Top coat
Polish remover
Scrub
Towels
Socks

Now that you have your supplies, set up your playlist and get your spa day going. Best beauty tip: To make a versatile scrub (exfoliating product) that is safe for hair and skin you can create a mixture of granulated sugar or sea salt with any type of oil. Scrub recipes can be found at www.beauty.about.com or a number of other web sites. Just remember, skin that has been treated with a scrub should be moisturized immediately.

Clarify and deep conditioning treatment
Step one: Wet hair thoroughly without shampooing.
Step two: Avoiding the scalp, apply your scrub to sections of hair in a downward stroking motion only (about ten times per section). Try not to scrape the product horizontally or back and forth as this could damage the outer (cuticle) layer of the hair strand. Think of the shingles on your roof; if you put too much pressure in an upward motion, they will break or come off. Once you have worked the product through all the sections, it’s time to rinse and shampoo.
Step three: On towel dried hair, apply a liberal amount of your deep conditioner from scalp to ends. If you tend to have a dry, itchy scalp massaging it with the product will help to ease those symptoms. Remember to use the pads of your fingers and not your fingernails.
Step four: Once your hair is covered with the conditioner, cover it with your shower cap or plastic bag and secure it closed with one of your hair clamps. The cap or bag will keep in the natural heat in from your scalp and will allow for better absorption of the product. Feel free to leave it on as long you want. As far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as over-conditioning. Especially in the winter. However when you’re ready, go ahead and rinse. On second thought, now that your hair is all wrapped up and out of the way, let’s get going on your facial.

Basic Facial
Step one: Wash your face gently and dry thoroughly.
Step two: If you using a mask, apply to your face avoiding the eyelids and mouth. For an authentic spa experience, you could apply cucumber slices to your eyelids.
Step three: According to manufacturer’s directions, leave on for recommended time.
If you are using your homemade scrub, gently massage your face with the product (avoid your eyelids and mouth) and leave it on for desired length of time.
Step four: Soak a washcloth in warm water and ring out excess water.
Step five: Place wash cloth loosely on face. This will help loosen the product.
Step six: Gently wipe the product away and apply your moisturizer
Now you’re ready to rinse your hair or jump in the shower.
Beach wave hairstyle.
Step one: Apply styling foam or homemade sea salt spray to towel dried hair.
Step two: Take sections of hair with a 2”X 2” base and twist it around loosely until it eventually forms a bun shape and secure it with a clamp.
Step three: Once you have set all your hair in your clamps, allow to dry. ( this would be a good time for your mani/pedi).
Step four: After your hair is dry, simply remove the clamps and loosen up the buns with your fingers. Hair spray can be applied if desired.
Pedicure
Step one: Fill a dish pan about halfway with warm soapy water and soak both feet at the same time. (Usually 15-20 minutes).
Step two: Take out the foot you’re working on but let the other one stay in the water. It’s fun to keep switching. Trim toenails to desired length and smooth edges with a file.
Step three: If your bottoms of your feet are not extremely calloused, you can smooth the rough spots with a small, block buffer. However, some of us will require a large file with a handle. Be careful not to file too hard as you can cause a friction burn.
Step four: Massage each food with your scrub and rinse off.
Step five: Apply a liberal amount of moisturizer to your feet and cover with socks while you do your manicure. Don’t worry about the polish, we’ll get to that later.

Manicure
Step one: Fill your small (hand sized) container with warm, soapy water. Soak one hand while you channel surf or take selfies with the other.
Step two: Trim fingernails to desired length and smooth edges with a file.
Repeat steps one and two on the other hand.
Step three: Wet your hands and gently massage both at the same time with your scrub. Rinse hands thoroughly and dry.
Step four: If desired, a small amount of oil can be massaged into the cuticles.
Step five: Apply a liberal amount of hand cream or moisturizer to your hands and cover them with a clean pair of socks or white cotton gloves for any length of time.
Step six: When you’re ready, separate your toes with cotton or foam separators and apply your polish to toes and fingers. The base (clear) coat will prevent the nails from being stained, two coats of the colored polish and then one top (clear) coat. I prefer Sally Hansen’s “Dries Instantly” top coat.
Step seven: If you have trouble staying inside the lines, you can put some polish remover on a cotton swab and erase the unwanted polish from your skin.
Wow, you look amazing! Don’t you feel great?

News, Uncategorized

The Anime Club is now in session

 

The Anime Club has been approved by Student Senate and is now in session Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. in E 369. The Observer sat in on the club’s Feb. 17 meeting to see what it is all about.
Ray Florent, parliamentarian of the NECC Student Senate, said, “This is one of the most energetic, friendly clubs on campus.” He and a few other senators have been stopping by the past few weeks to check out how things are going.
As part of the Senate, Florent has seen this club go from an idea on paper to a functional group. At the last Senate meeting of the Fall semester, the Anime Club brought their declaration before the senate. The Senate approved funding for the club on Jan. 27 at their first meeting.
The club has met three times since getting their charter. Originally, they were meeting in room E155, but due to a scheduling conflict, they were moved to a smaller space in E369.
Jennifer Lebron, club president, explained that there were three separate initiatives to start an anime club of sorts. Jason Almanzar, vice president, Cassie Stell, treasurer, and Lebron all had their own attempts in the works to form anime clubs.
“There were three groups of people trying to make anime clubs,” said Lebron, “and then we all found each other, came together and made this one.”
The club draws crowds of upwards of 20 students and alumni.
Troy Lamontagne graduated NECC last spring, but comes back to visit friends and take part in the club and its activities.
“I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about,” said Kira Yarid. “I’m a huge fan of digital art.” She said she likes her anime “out there for out there’s sake,” leaning towards the “toonier” stuff, she said.
The club is hoping to make and sell T-shirts to raise money for trips to Anime Boston or ComicCon. Different members of the club are trying their hands at different designs they think would represent the club well. At the beginning of the meeting, members showed off their artwork as their peers gave supportive critiques and made excitable noises.
Stell handed out different manga to members of the club to go through. Club members spoke about their favorite characters and plot lines among themselves while the officers of the club got the main activity set up.
The main activity was called “What’s That Weapon?,” a slideshow game that Stell had created.
The club was broken up into different teams and asked to identify different weapons that belong to different characters in iconic anime storylines.
“What’s That Weapon?” filled the room with the competitive, fun energy that Florent had been raving about.
Lebron said that they are trying to have a line of succession to keep the club going. If one of the officers graduates, they want to ensure they’re club will be passed on with the same direction.

Arts and Entertainment, Uncategorized

“Edges”

 

The production of “Edges,” student-directed by Geehae Moon, took the stage from Feb. 19 to 21 in the Hawrylciw Theater. The whimsical play is nonlinear, breaking the traditional archetype of the three-act structure that most productions follow. It also breaks the fourth wall, inviting the audience to be their Facebook friend in the song “Friend 505” which features a catchy tune about how today’s society views social media friendships and the quirky humor of being friends online with someone who you maybe aren’t particularly fond of in real life.

“Edges” is all about self-discovery; both young and old can relate to its themes. A more interesting aspect of it, is the lack of plot in the script. Instead of having well developed character outlines with names, the success of the performance relies heavily on the actors’ portraying these real life anecdotes to the audience in moments where anyone has been in. The cast ended up changing the script to fit the life of the actual actors.

Hunter Gouldthorpe, one of the actors, works at CVS, which prompted the cast to fit the song more to him. The song in question, is about how CVS is ‘where dreams go to die’ because the character is dreaming of a life far beyond being a cashier and imagining a world of new invention.

“For me, this show really kind of showed me who I was in a way because working at CVS, and yes I actually work at CVS, I felt stuck. The schedule changes every week and I don’t know when I’m working, when I’m not, so finally being in the show, I felt home and I felt wanted and I need to start taking steps to make a more solid schedule so I can do more of this and not be stuck behind the counter,” said Gouldthorpe.

There are many different themes and experiences in the script: for example, the song about poor Jorge the gerbil and growing from small mistakes is, of course, a theme anyone can relate to, whether it be that you accidentally kill your class pet to accidentally crashing your dad’s car. Another prevalent theme in the play is the sting of both rejection and heartbreak. In one song, the theme of running away from a seemingly perfect guy and then finally falling for one, only to have him run off is both ironic and relatable for many people in the college age.

“I realized that I had so much in common with these songs I was singing. I finally feel like I’m back on track to who I wanted to grow to be as a person,” said Kendra Jones, an actress and student at NECC. “I was really struggling with what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to be, so go figure, the first time she (Moon) gave us all of these songs I was like ‘she’s killing me!’ because I realized I had so much in common with these songs that I was singing about, and it feels good to let that go,” said Jones.

The play jumps around from comical to somber, with songs that can be universally applied to any aspect of life for the audience.

Perhaps the most impressive part about “Edges” is that it is entirely student-directed by Geehae Moon and Assistant Director Christian Doyle. Moon has been very busy in the theatre at NECC; from performances since 2009 to designing lights and creating costumes, she has been very involved.

“I’ve directed some one-acts, last year I directed “The Vagina Monologues.” I’ve tried to get my hands on as much as I can. I’d wanted to direct a musical for a long time, we ended up choosing this one because it was a small cast, and it also is geared for the college aged audience in that it deals with a lot of themes of ‘who am I?’ and ‘who do I wanna be?,’ ‘what am I afraid of?’ and ‘what is stopping me from achieving my goals?’ It’s something that’s been on my radar for awhile,” said Moon.

From her own personal experiences and sometimes doubts, “Edges” really spoke to her on a personal level as well as the rest of the cast.

“Working in theatre, you kind of always have that fear of ‘am I good enough to do this, do I have what it takes to make it, do I have a voice, does what I have to say worth anything?’ You find a lot of those themes in the show. They’re general enough that you can apply them to anything. I definitely connect to the material,” said Moon.

One of the most rewarding parts for Moon was being able to sit back and watch all the rehearsals and plans come to life before her eyes on stage. She had intended to take a lot of notes in the final dress rehearsals before the actual performance and give more feedback, and found herself caught up in moment which is exactly what she wanted, she said.

“I think ‘Edges’ is the kind of show where you have to see it in order to really understand what it’s about. It’s not something that has a through line; it doesn’t have a story that goes beginning, middle to end, it’s just little bits and clips that are thematically linked,” said Moon.

Features, Uncategorized

Professor Padova is in the news

 

When NECC’s Director of Public Relations, Ernie Greenslade, was approached by international
news agency, Reuters, about speaking with a professor who’s knowledgeable about the New
Hampshire primary, she put them in contact with Richard Padova.
Padova has been an adjunct professor in NECC’s global studies department since January of
2005. He is a graduate of NECC, Salem State College, Northeastern University, and is currently working towards a second master’s degree at Salem State University. In addition to teaching history, government, geography and politics at NECC, Padova is on the Board of Directors of the Lawrence History Center and the Service Center of Greater Lawrence, Inc. He is also a member of the Andover Historical Society, the Friends of Memorial Hall Library in Andover, the Friends of Lawrence Heritage State Park, the American Political Items Collectors, the St. Alfio Society of Lawrence and the NECC Alumni Advisory Board.
During the summer, Padova provides historical walking tours at Lawrence Heritage State Park. His latest tour explored Robert Frost’s life in Lawrence.
Reuters reporter, Gavino Garay, visited Padova’s home on Feb. 6 to talk about the New Hampshire primary, and to view his collection of historical campaign memorabilia. His collection includes buttons, bumper stickers, brochures, posters and more. The items in his collection range from Franklin Pierce’s campaign in 1853 up through and including the 2016 campaigns. Padova explained that memorabilia from before 1852 is difficult to acquire as it’s not very abundant. Padova started collecting while attending Lawrence High School during the 1976 election between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.
Reflecting on the start of his collection, Padova said, “I started out with one campaign button for
George Wallace.” He currently has a spare bedroom at his home with a lot of items on display.
Padova explained that the American Political Items Collectors (APIC) sponsors collectible
shows around the country. New Hampshire’s chapter of APIC held a show in NECC’s
technology center on Feb. 14. Padova stated that these shows are a great way to pick up
memorabilia as there are multiple dealers that attend. Online political auction houses such as
USAmericana, Old Politicals Auctions and Hake’s are also helpful in collecting political
memorabilia.
“I guess I just liked the idea that you can go to a rally or walk into a campaign headquarters and
just see all this information out there available on the candidates.” he stated
In addition to showcasing his collection, Padova provided analysis about the history of the
nation’s first primary, and how it got started. He also provided insight on current candidates and
how they’re campaigning.
“It’s as if the NH voters are doing the preliminary work for the rest of the country.” Padova told
Reuters, “They begin the weeding out process and they see themselves as doing a good job at
that.”
He also touched on styles of campaigning like retail politics, and working at the grassroots level.
Padova’s political analysis is no stranger to the media, as he has been quoted several times in
the Eagle Tribune as well as the Lowell Sun on various political issues and events.
The abbreviated version of the Reuters article, published Feb. 7, is titled “New Hampshire marks 100 years of primaries”. Accompanied by a video of Padova’s collection, the article features quotes from Padova as well as NH Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan.

Opinion, Uncategorized

Everyone is talking about Kesha

 

Pop star Kesha and her music producer Dr. Luke, who allegedly raped her, have been filling up the tabloids these past couple of weeks, as a judge denied her an injunction that would have released her from her contract with Sony. Reportedly, Dr. Luke abused Kesha for years, beginning shortly after she signed a record deal with him in 2006, and then not only threatened to destroy her career, but also her and her family’s physical safety, if she spoke to anyone about it.
Fans and artists including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson have displayed their support for Kesha, claiming that no one deserves the abuse that she suffered. The case brings attention to rape culture and is stirring up mixed and emotional thoughts of people across the country. Many students at Northern Essex also show their undeniable support for Kesha, while others are skeptical of the singer’s intentions.
“Sony is not only being unjust with Kesha, but is teaching our men that it’s acceptable to rape,” says Zobia Tariq, who has been avidly keeping up with the legal battle. “We live in a world where women are taught to avoid getting raped, when, instead, men should be being taught to keep their hands to themselves.”
According to the Department of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an astounding one in six women have experienced some form of sexual assault, while only one in 33 men have experienced it. 35% of rapes are committed by a work partner.
“It’s completely unfair,” says Adore Calixto. “Dr. Luke has been called out by several artists about how difficult he is to work with. He is definitely guilty and Sony is disgusting for allowing this to continue.”
Other students believe that this is Kesha’s attempt to get herself back out there and gain attention, as the pop singer does have a questionable past.
“If you follow the case, you’ll know that early on in the investigation, she denied the rape claims,” says Jacob Diaz. “And now she’s saying that it really happened, several years later after she hasn’t been making any music. To me, it just sounds like an effort to make a name for herself again.”
In 2011, Kesha and Luke were both sued by a manager, and under oath at the deposition, Kesha denied the allegations that her mother made about Dr. Luke sexually harassing her, testifying that they never had any sexual relations.
“Maybe she wants to get out of her contract and is going to the extreme to get there, or maybe her and Dr. Luke had a disagreement so now she is blackmailing him. Kesha seems emotionally unstable, so neither would surprise me,” explains Kevin Made Brito.
“I don’t have doubts at all,” Tariq claims. “She would have produced her music if she wanted attention. Why would she want negative attention when she could have money and attention for producing her music?”
“All she wants is to create music without being under the hands of her abuser,” Calixto adds. “She’s clearly suffering.”
Now, Kesha has the option to continue recording with Sony and make a third album, without the interference of Dr. Luke, or she could choose not to record with the label but pay damages to them, estimating around $15 billion. Sony could also release Kesha after she makes her third album, as multi-album deals have a contractual option, which allows producers to decide if they want to pick up the next album after one is finished.
The next steps in the case include each side turning in their demands for discovery evidence in the suit by March 21. Any objections to those requests are due the following month. According to the court’s schedule, this is simply an initial step towards Kesha getting her day in court, as the judge is not set to pick her trial date until the beginning of 2017.

Arts and Entertainment

Movie Review: Zootopia

 

★★★★ (out of four stars)

I can’t remember the last time an animated film made me uncomfortable in the way “Zootopia” did during a handful of scenes. That might be because it’s been a really long time, but honestly, I’m more inclined to believe it’s because no animated film has made me feel this way before.

Now, that might sound like a strange way to start off a four-star review — after all, feelings of discomfort are rarely associated with great times at the movies — but this film challenges its audience in ways I never thought possible under the corporate influence of Disney. Better yet, it does so while being one of the funniest and most gorgeous films in their entire catalog.

Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) has dreamed of being a police officer ever since she was a little rabbit growing up on her parents’ farm in rural Bunnyburrow. Said parents, keenly aware of the fact that there has never before been a “bunny cop,” advise her to set her sights lower.

“You know why your mom and I ended up so happy?” her father asks. “Because we settled!”

Undeterred by this exchange — and by all the other resistance she meets along the way — Judy goes on to become the first of her kind, and moves out of home to the big city of Zootopia. Despite an urgent and developing case involving missing animals, surly buffalo boss Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) sticks her on parking duty without a second thought.

Judy’s no quitter, in case you haven’t figured it out by this point. Hoping her enthusiasm for parking duty will land her in a better position next time, she leaves to hand out a record-breaking number of tickets, in the process running into con-artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Fortuitously, Nick seems to have a lead on the important case, but he’s also an insufferable cynic and wise guy that wants nothing to do with the investigation.

What follows is the development of a truly adorable relationship: first, one of the snarky back-and-forth variety, as Judy attempts to force Nick into cooperating with the investigation and the latter tries to weasel his way out. As you might expect, though, the two eventually discover they have more in common than they originally thought — a development which could be the recipe for groans and eye-rolls in a different movie, but is perfectly sweet and enjoyable to witness here. These are two whip-smart and loveable personalities, and the script takes its time bringing them together.

But while “Zootopia” may seem to merely filch the cop-buddy formula, it’s got a lot more to offer than just two mismatched characters solving a mystery together. An undercurrent of uncomfortable prejudice runs through earlier scenes, including one where Judy’s parents attempt to give her a number of devices to ward off predators, and remains bubbling beneath the surface throughout the rest of the mystery.

Just as the film seems to be wrapping up its third act, this theme comes roaring back to life, hitting a note of jarring reality that made me both uncomfortable and emotional — and the aftermath reveals both a hidden layer to Judy’s case and a new, even more devastating problem for the plucky heroine to deal with.

Without revealing too much, let me just say that the themes of prejudice and stereotyping really hit home here, in ways I’d never expect an animated film to affect me. This, combined with the humor and fully-realized characters, is especially timely in an era when division as a way to solve problems seems to be coming back into style.

Arts and Entertainment, Features

Let Armando Belliard-Harmon entertain you

 

Armando Belliard-Harmon, 3rd semester theatre major at NECC, got involved with theatre at a
very young age, bonding with his grandmother watching golden age movie adaptations of musicals.
“Singing in the Rain,” “White Christmas,” and works by Ben Crosby is what sparked the fire for him to become a multi-dimensional singer, actor and dancer. Inspired by these icons, Harmon began participating in middle school theatre. “I’ve gotten comfortable with both singing and dancing. In high school, I did show choir as well as all 3 [singing, dancing, and acting] but primarily it was singing and dancing. I can say that helped me a lot, skill-wise and also just overall being comfortable with myself,” said Harmon.
At NECC, Harmon has been a part of the production of King Lear, playing the role of Edmund, the scheming and malicious illegitimate son of Gloucester. “I’ve participated in the [Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival] KCACTF, which is more oriented around the individual, where they have a lot of workshops for the entire week at a select campus. This time it was at Western Connecticut State University and I was blown away by all the energy and the talent. Each day was crazy because you wake up, workshop-workshop-workshop-show. You auditioned for several different professional companies that were there, and also there were some shows that were being judged,” said Harmon.
Two students from NECC succeeded past the preliminary auditions, Hunter Gouldthorpe and Abigail Seabrook.
Harmon became involved in dance at NECC while getting his general education requirements satisfied. “I really didn’t know where I wanted to put my time in outside of the general education requirements and I thought to myself, what do they [NECC] have to offer… dance, theatre… I couldn’t get into any dance classes with my schedule,” said Harmon.
Serendipitously, he met Nina Cabral in a theatre class. Cabral is a dance major at NECC who started helping Harmon hone his ballet skills one-on-one. “As time went on, we thought, well why don’t we start adding people to this small kind of class,” said Harmon. The class is a beginner ballet class that started at NECC’s dance studio and has traveled to Cabral’s studio where she recreationally dances and teaches other classes. “It’s really grown into something and I can definitely say I’ve learned a lot from her. I just feel more confident now if I were to go to an audition that required dancing,” Harmon.
Harmon said that he doesn’t often feel any stigma attached to being a male dancer, partly because it is not as uncommon in his social circle, but that he simply doesn’t supply information to people about his dancing if they don’t ask. Hip-hop is a more popular style of dance for the guys, and more modern styles of dancing, which all relate back to the foundational aspects of ballet. “I realized that ballet was one of the harder things, it’s kind of like the grammar of dance. Once you get a good basis you understand the whole thing which is the vocabulary, and you go to all these auditions and they say ‘oh you need to do a pirouette. It could be a jazz or modern audition and I’ll get it. I wish there was a stronger support all around for other guys to feel comfortable. I always tell my friends who are also in the theatre department to come to the ballet class because it is challenging.” said Harmon.

Arts and Entertainment, Uncategorized

Dance club is shaking things up

 

NECC’s dance club is shaking things up during their rehearsal for the spring recital in the Sport and Fitness Center. Every Monday, a handful of students from all different majors and skill levels gather to learn funky new dance moves, or sometimes keep it classical with the integration of classical ballet influences.
Michelle Dean, a dance teacher at NECC, leads the club, putting the members through the warm up, and rehearsing over and over again in preparation for the big show. A passersby may hear “…and 5, 6, 7 8!” walking by as the dancers move in staggered synchronization across the studio.
The Dance Club is really welcoming to beginners, especially those who want to take on the challenge of learning new styles of dance. Grant Bellino, philosophy major, got started with the dance club simply because he has always wanted to dance. On a spur-of-the-moment decision, he signed up for the club. “It’s been extremely difficult because I’ve never been extremely coordinated. I’ve played several sports but dance is just so much… all the choreography. I love it!” said Bellino, “when it all comes together and you’re feeling it, at first it’s kind of fragmented when you’re learning new moves and everything but once it comes together and you’re doing It automatically it’s an awesome feeling.”
One of the veteran dancers, Nina Cabral, dance major, commands stage presence even when behind the other dances. Lithely moving across the floor, she makes the spectators want to follow her movements. Because Dance club is open for all skill levels, Cabral gets just as much out of it as a beginner. She began dancing at age 13, when her mother didn’t know what to do with all of her frenetic energy, dancing all over the house, so she enrolled her in a summer ballet intensive, and Cabral was in love. “I wanted to do all the dancing that is physically possible here [at NECC] because I’m not dancing enough. My favorite part about the dance club is that you get a warm up before you start dancing, but also I really just enjoy Michelle’s teaching style. She really makes sure it’s good for all levels. I’m a higher level than, like, everyone else in the class, but I really like that Michelle alters it for everyone. I really appreciate that, because it’s a hard thing to do. It’s hard to have a class for all levels,” said Cabral.

Editorial, Uncategorized

Letter to the Editor: Observer staff incompetent

 

The follow is a Letter to the Editor that I’m submitting to the Observer. If I can be of assistance in anyway please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you. -Daniel Potocki

Editor,

The Observer, the award winning student newspaper of Northern Essex Community College, has failed the students, faculty, and greater community it is supposed to serve. In the February 24, 2016 issue of the paper there were a number of errors so fundamental to publishing a newspaper, that it exposes some combination of gross apathy, willful disregard of duty, and stunning ignorance on the part of the Editorial staff.
The Opinions section is one half, the other being News, of the foundation upon which a newspaper is built. In a college newspaper the Opinions section is a place for exploring important beliefs and values as well as sharing new ideas with the community. It is the voice of the community, and a place to reflect. While the News section is supposed to be pure objective reporting, the Opinions section is where that news gets interpreted, broken down, and placed into the community conversation. The Opinions section is where critical thinking lives.
The whole of this issues Opinion section, outside of the Editorial which I will address shortly, was dedicated to the article, “Tutorial: Do-it-yourself Spa Day.” This is a complete and utter failure of journalistic integrity, and a failure of duty to the community. There was a time when the Opinions section was vibrant with the voices of students and faculty. A time when important ideas were discussed and explored in it’s pages. In it’s place now is the essence of vapidity, and the Staff should be ashamed that this was allowed to happen. This is made even more galling by the fact that we are in the middle of a landmark election year, that is shaking the very core of the American political establishment, on both sides of the isle. Given all that, and all the contentious and powerful issues we face in modern American society, the best the Opinions section is capable of delivering in a how-to guide for an in home spa day? The is ridiculous and insulting to the readership.
On top of that to then have the papers Editorial be written in the first person, as part of a Letter to the Editor? Does the staff of The Observer not understand that an Editorial is the unsigned opinion of the newspaper itself? Do they not understand that Letters to the Editor should be kept apart from other articles? Do they not understand that something written in the first person should at least be signed by someone? I honestly don’t know how individuals put in charge of an award winning newspaper could not be aware of the fundamental rules for putting one together. Further, if they are aware, then how did this happen? Did no one in the process from conception to publishing stop and think, “maybe this is a bad idea?”
For the Opinion piece on home spa days to be published, an almost comical series of repeated failures of basic competence had to have occurred. The Opinions Editor, Rachael Sarcione, had to fail to realize the piece shouldn’t be in her section. Then the Copy Editor, Jowi Meli, needed to fail to recognize that the piece shouldn’t be in that section. Finally, the Editor in Chief, Kim Whiting, who is ultimately at fault for this debacle, had to completely fail in her job to see that not only did this piece not belong in the Opinions section, but that both her Opinions Editor, and her Copy Editor seemed to not have a firm grasp on what exactly their job is. I can only hope that some member of the staff raised this concern, but was overruled. Did this happen because of ignorance or apathy? Either way, The Observer owes the NECC community an apology for a total failure of quality control and journalistic ethics.
The Observer is one of the first things people who come to the school will see. For many who don’t attend clubs or activities on campus it is the only way they will ever engage with the rich, diverse, and vibrant community at NECC. For some, the columns in the Opinion section represent the best chance for engagement with new ideas that will challenge their own beliefs, the very purpose of higher education. In all respects The Observer didn’t just fail its own national award winning heritage, it failed the NECC students and faculty, and it failed the other Observer staff Editors who are competently running their sections. The paper is only as strong as it’s weakest links, and this edition exposed some very weak links indeed.
My name is Daniel Potocki, I’ve been a student at NECC since the fall of 2006. In my time at the college, I have been in Student Senate, the President of Contemporary Affairs, the Opinions Editor of The Observer, and the Editor in Chief of The Observer. I am in the unique position of knowing exactly what is required of the Editorial Staff, and how difficult the job is, because it was a job I did for several years.
I’m writing today, as a former Editor in Chief, to express my sadness and frustration at what has become of the newspaper I used to run. As the voice of direct experience, I implore Sarcione, Meli, and Whiting to consider if they are really qualified and suited for the positions they hold on staff. For instance if Sarcione wants to write these kinds of articles then maybe she would be better suited in a different position on the paper. I ask The Observer staff to look back and try and figure out what series of events lead to such a complete failure of the basics. Then they need to go back and relearn the fundamentals of running an Opinions section so they can actually serve their community, and stop tarnishing the reputation of the paper that means so much to so many.

With respect and disappointment,
Daniel Potocki, former Editor in Chief of The NECC Observer