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6 I Monday, March 10, 2003 | The Red & Black
VARIETY & SPORTS
Cirque du Soleil gives radiant performance in ‘Varekai’
By DENA LEVITZ
editor@randb.com
I never thought I’d get the
chance to see someone juggle
ping pong balls using only his
mouth or contort his body
into a “C” while balancing on
top of a cane.
But Thursday night, my
dreams came true.
The Atlanta premiere of
Cirque du Soleil’s “Varekai”
served up a magical feast of
acrobatic and athletic talent
weaved into a peculiar story.
In short, I loved it.
The word “varekai” means
“wherever” in the Romany
language of the gypsies. And
of the many adjectives I could
use to describe the show, this
word best captures the dream
world audiences step into.
Under the blue and yellow-
striped big top, the rustic set
was reminiscent of the aquatic
locale for Universal Studio’s
“Waterworld” stunt show —
minus the water but complete
with giant bamboo.
The splendor began as the
wacky cast of characters
danced onto the stage wear-
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
When & Where: Cumberland
Galleria (off 1-75) until April 13;
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 9 p.m.,
Fridays at 5 and 9 p.m., Saturdays
at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays
at 1 and 5 p.m.
Tickets: $45-65 and are available
at (www.cirquedusoleil.com) or by
calling 1-800-678-5440
ing some of the most imagina
tive costumes I’ve ever seen:
ruffles, Teletubbie-like head-
pieces and fiery spandex.
Then, a man (Icarus) mys
teriously fell from the sky,
dropping into the action.
Also during the first half,
three Chinese pre-teens
tossed ropes with metal mete
ors attached to the ends while
leaping and flipping a la
rhythmic gymnastics. These
boys could not have been
more than 10 years old either.
Two of the performances
were traditional circus fea
tures but with a twist. In
“Triple Trapeze,” four women
balanced in every position
imaginable, all the while hold
ing each other up using little
more than their big toes.
The clowns were not of the
typical scary red-nosed, big
feet kind. Instead, Mooky and
Claudio were hilarious in a
spoof of a magic act. The
plump Mooky, in a babydoll
dress with granny panties,
cracked everyone up as she
spilled all over the stage.
Some of the other acts
included Georgian dancers,
body skating and a routine of
flips on Russian swings.
Watching “Varekai,” I can’t
remember the last time I was
so mesmerized and humbled
at the same time. The god-like
cast members literally made
me feel like an inferior human.
Cirque du Soleil, which has
been around since 1984, is a
circus like no other.
The performers, from 13
countries, accomplished feats
that 99 percent of the popula
tion would never even try.
When the chance comes,
step into this dream world,
and see things that will never
be seen again.
Women's studies anniversary highlighted by hooks
By VALERIE LAKE
For The Red & Black
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the
women’s studies program at the University
and Women’s History Month, feminist writer
bell hooks will speak at the Georgia Hall tonight.
Hooks is the author of several critically
acclaimed books dealing with concepts of
feminism — specifically with black feminism.
Bom Gloria Watkins, bell hooks chose to
use the lower-case pseudonym to honor her
grandmother (whose name she took) and to
make a statement about her identity.
In her book “Talking Back: Thinking
Feminist, Thinking Black,”
hooks said she chose to
write under a pseudonym
to “construct a writer-iden
tity that would challenge
and subdue all impulses
leading me away from
speech into silence.”
Publishers Weekly
named hooks’ first book,
“Ain’t I a Woman: Black
Women and Feminism” as
one of the twenty most
influential books of the last
twenty years.
HOOKS
Hooks’ work encourages people to look
closely at the ways in which class, race and
gender intersect in society and affect them.
“No women’s studies anniversary would be
complete without the voice of bell hooks. She
is a major intellectual force in the develop
ment of women’s studies as a discipline,” said
Patricia Miller, director of the women’s studies
program.
Hooks’ work is studied in sociology, jour
nalism, women’s studies and African-
American studies at the University.
Journalism professor Dwight Brooks has
used a video by hooks, “Cultural Criticism and
Transformation,” to aid in his Race, Gender
and Media class.
Joslyn DiRamio, advisor to the University
Union Ideas and Issues Division, said hooks
has not yet indicated what the topic of her
speech will be.
The theme for Women’s History Month at
the University is “Women of Vision and
Courage.”
“(Hooks is) really an inspiring person —
thought provoking, very passionate about
women’s issues,” DiRamio said.
Admission is free for students and $4 for
non-students. Tickets can be purchased at
the cashier’s window in the Tate Student
Center.
dan McLaughlin i the red & black
▲ Players on the University’s softball team wait to
greet Shannon McKeon after one of her two home
runs in Saturday's game against Auburn.
Auburn strikes out
against Lady Dogs
By ANDREW MOORE
amoore@randb.com
The Georgia softball team
continued its string of excel
lent play last weekend,
sweeping three games from
Auburn.
Play began Saturday, as
the No. 10 Dogs won both
ends of the day’s doublehead
er by scores of 7-1 and 10-0,
the second game being called
after only five innings due to
the mercy rule.
In the first game, sopho
more pitcher Michelle Green
threw a complete game two-
hitter and struck out twelve,
with the only Auburn run
coming off of a sacrifice fly in
the top of the fifth.
Georgia drew first blood in
the bottom of the fourth
when catcher Shannon
McKeon crushed a Kristen
Keyes pitch over the left field
scoreboard, scoring Green
and Kim Wendland.
After an RBI double by
Katie Lewis in the fifth,
Georgia iced the game when
Julie Milner drilled a three-
run shot to center, driving in
Ashley Godfrey and pinch-
runner Jessica Malcom.
In the second half of the
double-dip, Lacey Gardner
allowed only two Auburn hits
in five innings of work and
gave up no runs. The three
Auburn hits provided their
only base runners of the
game.
Milner and McKeon again
provided most of the offen
sive fireworks for the Dogs, as
both again homered. Milner’s
shot plated two and came in
the bottom of the second, giv
ing Georgia a 2-0 lead.
In the third, the Dogs
pushed across five runs on
five hits, highlighted by a
Jade Jarvis infield single
that scored Lewis and
Wendland.
The scoring finished in the
fourth, with McKeon’s three
run shot to left, putting
Georgia up by ten. The home
run was her sixth of the year,
leaving her one shy of the
school career record of 14,
held by Jessi Cerra.
“I’m extremely proud of
Julie Milner and Shannon
McKeon,” said coach Lu
Harris-Champer. “Milner had
five RBI and McKeon
six—what a way to take
advantage of the opportuni
ties in front of them.”
On Sunday, Green threw 6
2/3 innings in a 9-4 win, strik
ing out 13. Georgia ran out to
a 4-1 lead in the third, high
lighted by a two run Michelle
Tyree blast in the second, but
Auburn closed to within one
with two runs in the fourth.
From there it was all
Bulldogs, with three runs in
the fourth and one each in the
next two innings, highlighted
by two RBIs from Wendland
and a Godfrey solo home run.
For the weekend, Nicole
Barber’s three steals gave her
sole possession of the SEC
career steals record with 157.
Georgia returns to action
next weekend when they
travel to Mississippi State.
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