BWW Blog: Return to Campus Reduces Screen Time (A Bit) - Frosty's World #8

Headed back to campus after winter break has meant spending a little less time staring at a screen. As a veteran member of the campus Baldwin Wallace University Hep Cats Society of Swing -- on hiatus since the pandemic -- I can say that swing dancing lessons are not in the cards for a while. I'm lucky to be enrolled in a Dance History class this semester, and the class is small enough to meet entirely in person with social distancing. Baldwin Wallace Assistant Professor Annika Sheaff trained at Julliard and has opened my eyes to the science of dance. Ethnochoreology is now a part of my vocabulary! I'm learning a whole new language about dance. Modern Dance is really a challenge to study, lacking the formulas that I'm used to as a swing dancer.

It's great to be back on campus and seeing my classmates. I can recognize people by their masks now. I didn't know how important lip reading was, even for people with normal hearing. Listening, and communication is a challenge both ways.

Face to face activities also have included my new obsession with the board game, Be a Broadway Star. The game was developed by long-time Broadway entrepreneur Ken Davenport. It's a little bit like Monopoly, a little bit like the Game of Life, and a lot of fun to play with family or your pandemic bubble friends. Players don't necessarily need to be Broadway fanatics -- you can get by pretty well if you know popular music and a few of the most famous movie musicals. Participants are required to sing (often very badly) and complete some simple performance moves -- cued by prompts. We bend the rules a bit to make it easier for the musically challenged, so the game is enjoyed by all!

Davenport isn't the only entrepreneur that keeps the Broadway flame alive. My Santa's list this year included multiple inexpensive items from ParodyBill.com. I keep myself organized with their Broadway parody calendar, and proudly don my parody t-shirts on campus.

I'd be lying if I told you that I have totally escaped electronic screen time. There are too many interesting and fun things to watch. My new favorite television show is NBC's Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. Broadway fans will not be disappointed. This season has brought an awesome modern dance rendition of Annie's "It's a Hard Knock Life", and the signature tune of Hello Dolly!

If you are like me -- a huge David Bowie fan --I hope that you were able to catch Lazarus: the Musical on January 8. The Robert Fox RZO Entertainment video production of the original London production was streamed on dice.fm, commemorating the death of Bowie five years ago. A portion of the revenues from ticket sales went to theater-related charitable organizations. Bowie and Edna Walsh wrote the musical, based upon the Walter Tevis book, The Man who Fell to Earth. Of course, the musical was infused with 18 of Ziggy Stardust's greatest musical hits. Issues of loneliness, life, death and isolation were at the forefront on an incredible minimalist stage. The London production used a large video display center stage with incredible effects. The performance was dark, malicious, heart wrenching and powerful. It was a great way to remember Bowie's rich and complex life.

Finding a few laughs during the tough times of this pandemic has been easier since I became a fan of Stuart Goldsmith's Infinite Sofa. Goldsmith, a renowned British actor and comedian, took the pandemic by the horns and sat down on his sofa. He produced a hilarious comedy show every Monday on the Twitch platform. This left my family questioning my sanity. All they could see was a college student plugged into headphones, laughing way too loud while staring at a small computer screen at odd hours of the night (the show originated in Britain). The show is now on hiatus, but shows like SoFam SoFunny now carry the torch, including regulars from the Infinite Sofa. The comedy nerds are in charge of Zoom! You can access this mirth free of charge through Leslie Gold on Instagram / Twitter: @reallesliegold.

Back to Ethnochoreology!!