Let’s Learn Latin Dance

In the beginning…

Bodies pressed tightly together, hips moving in synchronization, music fueling their bodies. This describes my mental image of Latin dance. I have been a dancer for many years but never have I done anything close to this style. I started in a ballet/tap class when I was five years old and stuck with it for 13 years. Over this time I have had the opportunity to learn many different types of dance, from hip hop to ballet, but there are many types that were not covered in my years of training. I never had the pleasure of learning Latin rhythm dance but it fortunately has been offered here at the school. I wanted to extend my knowledge of different styles of dance and observing the Latin Rhythm Dance Group here at Georgia Southern initiated my doing so.

At the beginning of this immersion, I was already a student at Georgia Southern University, and that put me in the position to be a part of this group. My prior experience in dance allowed me to know how to count music, how to move my body, what kinds of responsibilities come with being a dancer, and how it feels to be part of a group. I had no prior knowledge of the Latin dance style, other than what I have seen on T.V. My thoughts were that this ignorance could turn out to be a benefit or a hindrance depending on how the lessons went. I was somewhat hesitant about this dance style because the little amount of it that I had seen appeared to be quite risqué and I was not used to this kind of dancing. The types of dances that a Latin dance group performs are often very sensual, and many originated from brothels and areas of the like. This posed a definite problem on my part, because it caused me to have a bias.

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Looping In and Out of the ACM

Computer Club Classroom

Shelves and monitors

Rows of computers and desks

Declaring and Initializing the ACM

Python, Java, C Sharp. Looking at these three words, many people would simply mistake them for a snake, a cup of coffee, and a music note, but they are so much more. These words, along with many others, make it simple to build a website, a program, or an app. Without them, the world would be an entirely different place. They have not only changed the way we think, but also the way we work.

Whether you specialize in Python, Java, C Sharp, etc., the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is where any programmer can come to gain professional knowledge. The ACM describes itself on its website as “the premier membership organization for computing professionals” that, “delivers resources that advance computing as a science and a profession; enables professional development; and promotes policies and research that benefit society.” (acm.org) The ACM stands for betterment of not only themselves, but for society as a whole. This is what I want to stand for in my daily life.

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A Feeling of Euphoria

By Chris Kerrigan

Fear of the unknown

Three nights a week, every week, studio two at the Recreation and Activity Center here at Georgia Southern University comes alive with loud beats, quick steps and the laughter of Euphoria dance club. This group of African-American students is GSU’s number one, and only real Hip-Hop dance club and crew, and I had the privilege to get to know them on a personal level. Although I thought I was a respectable dancer, this group of athletic, synchronized, furious, explosive dance machines was able to change my thoughts immediately.

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League of Extraordinary Geeks?

The Nest

The bed is unmade, simply a twisted mass of blankets and pillows. Packaging from processed foods litters the floor and mostly empty drinks dot every flat surface. Clutter is in every corner gathering dust by the day. Bits of this and that make up the kind of musty environment that is present today. The dingy, undecorated off-white walls are faintly lit from the glow of a 42-inch HD television streaming the image of the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game(MMORPG) League of Legends from a desktop computer.

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Rise of the Resistance: A Tale of Extreme Tag

“We’re never truly safe, and since we’re not safe, let’s have fun.”

• Chris Weed, creator of Humans versus Zombies

Adrenaline, fear, and that wonderful high a person gets from having dangerous fun, exhilaration or euphoria you suppose, courses through your veins, giving speed to your pounding feet. You are running for your life, or at least that is what it feels like, being chased by a member of the mobile deceased. Yes, a Zombie. A nerf blaster beats against your back to the rhythm of your tennis shoes smacking the ground and a cool breeze chills the tiny bead of sweat that had started running down your face. You are very nearly tunnel–visioned on the path before you, on escape, on the patter of feet behind you; are they speeding up? However, you still hear the toll of the bells from the library, really just a projection from a speaker system, but it’s nice to pretend there are real bells, right? The chimes indicate that it just turned seven- p.m. that is; only thirty minutes until cease–fire, then you’ll be safe. A smile crosses your face; you can make it, they will not catch you today.

History and Rules

This scene would be a typical occurrence for a member of the massively popular game, Humans versus Zombies. This intricate game of tag, often shortened to HvZ, was first invented at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland in 2005, but has spread to every continent (excluding Antarctica of course) thanks to their wonderful website, Humansversuszombies.com. According to this website, Humans versus Zombies is played at over 650 colleges/universities around the world, including our very own Georgia Southern University. Not only is this game played at colleges, but also high schools, military bases, and in very special cases, public libraries.

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Reading Between the Lines of the Teaching Profession

Me with Reidsville teacher Ms. Parker

Elementary class at Reidsville School

Reidsville Elementary

To Teach or Not To Teach?

Ever since I was a small child, I have wanted to follow in my mom’s footsteps and become a teacher. As a child, I loved going to her classroom after school and hearing her stories about her students. Through watching her enjoyment of teaching, I began to realize that teaching was something I might would like to pursue. During my senior year of high school, I worked as a teacher’s apprentice at Reidsville Elementary School. Seeing ABC’s and math facts covering the walls, hearing the little giggles of children, and watching the satisfied expressions on children’s faces when they completed tasks were some of the many things that I loved about working in an elementary school classroom. I thoroughly loved my job, and the experience helped me to look more towards becoming a teacher. Teaching is something that seems to come naturally to me. I have always enjoyed spending time with children, and when I am in the classroom I do not feel like I am working because I love being there. I especially like watching the children grow and become excited about learning new things. I am strongly considering becoming a teacher; I want to motivate my students as my mom has done.

I struggle with the decision as to whether or not to become a teacher because even though the pay is low, the enjoyment is worthwhile. Teachers receive love from their students, the satisfaction of seeing growth in their students’ academics, and making a positive impact in a child’s life. I think one of the most important things with any career is that you enjoy what you do.

My goal in researching a local elementary school is to make sure that I want to become a teacher. I want to view the teachers’ workload and their enjoyment of their job. They are the experts in the profession, and I want to take advice and knowledge from their many years in the field. I am curious to know if they had known the demanding pressures and requirements of becoming a teacher, if they would still choose teaching as their profession. I want to know their personal pros and cons of being teachers while I observe them in their classroom.

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