As the members of the Dema African Dance and Drumming Ensemble filed into one of their final practices before their year-end performance on Friday and Saturday, the pressure of their upcoming shows didn’t seem to phase them. The second floor of the Gerlinger Annex was buzzing with conversation while participants happily unloaded their instruments and accessories into their practice space.

Dema is a class at the University of Oregon focusing on dance, music and storytelling traditions of Ghana and West Africa. Director Habib Iddrisu describes it as “the total performance experience. That means combining your own making of costumes, music, dance, storytelling and theatre all in one. What is special for me, and also for us, is that it is a community. The best performances come out of community.”

UO students and community members alike can register for the class, although availability for community members is limited. Junior Taylor King has taken Dema every term since Fall 2015 and said she appreciates the diversity in the group.

“We have Ph.Ds in physics, political science and undergraduates in various studies,” she said. “People probably stay for two terms at least because everyone falls in love with what Dema is.”

A large portion of the class is devoted to building relationships with other members and forming a community. Dema participants divide into three committees focusing on outreach, fundraising and social events. The social events portion is highly valued by the group.

“We like to do stuff outside of class that helps us come together as a dance troupe, but also just as a community,” King said. “We want everyone to feel comfortable.”

Taylor King and other dancers practice during a Dema Ensemble rehearsal in Gerlinger Annex in Eugene, Ore., on Tuesday April 17, 2017. (Aaron Nelson/Emerald)

Dema has taken trips to Portland together and gathered many times to eat pizza and enjoy one another’s company. Most members have no background in African dance or drumming, which Iddrisu says he appreciates. He has taught dancers of all levels but said the relaxed environment creates a pressure-free learning space.

“Our performance is not about competition. It is more about people expressing their individuality, and if I make it a group with only people who can dance well then I miss the basic principle,” Iddrisu said.

Fifth year student Nelson Trujillo joined Dema this term, and is enjoying the experience so far. “It’s a totally new thing on many levels,” Trujillo said. “I had no experience drumming and they brought me in for sure.”

Iddrisu was born in Northern Ghana into a family of five musicians, and from an early age has used music to keep the history and culture of his ancestors alive. After dancing and choreographing throughout Ghana, Iddrisu won Ghana’s Best Dancer award, given by the Entertainment/Art Critics and Reviewers Association in 1993. He then came to the United States and earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in African History and Africana studies from Bowling Green State University before getting his Ph.D in performance studies from Northwestern University. Iddrisu continued to teach and choreograph dance for a number of groups and universities before coming to UO.

The members of Dema greatly appreciate his attitude and approach to the class: “Our professor is amazing,” King said. “There is so much we can say about him. He is fun but he is also very serious about what he does. Not in a way that is intimidating but in a way that you know that he has good intentions for the program.”

Dancers perform a segment of their upcoming performance during a Dema Ensemble rehearsal in Gerlinger Annex in Eugene, Ore., on Tuesday April 17, 2017. (Aaron Nelson/Emerald)

Iddrisu acknowledges that the final performance of the year for Dema is a lot of work. Members are a part of every portion of the planning and preparing: “We all make the costumes together, I design them; we buy the fabric and make them together,” Iddrisu said. “For some people this is the first time they’ve ever had to sew.” 

King said she has been preparing for the show by getting a healthy amount of sleep and staying in shape because the dances are fast and physically exhaustive. “Some people’s nature is just to be anxious when big things like this come up but [Iddrisu] is really trying to alleviate that stress and just push people to focus on the fun that we are going to have,” she said.

There is heavy emphasis on expressing individuality in Dema, and King said Iddrisu encourages this idea.

“[Iddrisu] creates such a fun environment that allows us to be ourselves and to make mistakes in the best possible way,” King said. “One of my favorite quotes that he says that I’ll continue to hold through the rest of my life is: ‘Every time you make a mistake it’s an opportunity for a solo.’ ”

Dema’s performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 in the Dougherty Dance Theatre. General admission tickets can be bought at the door or at the UO ticket office for $12. Students can attend for free if they arrive one hour early with a school ID.

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The Eugene climate has been doing its best to fight through the rain and offer some cloudless days lately. Thankfully, those rare afternoons of clear weather are becoming more common. Eugenians are expected to see a spike in sunshine beginning on Friday and carrying on through next week. You know what that means — perfect weather to break out and break in your barbecue with a good old-fashioned cookout. But before you get too ambitious, let’s cover a few basic ground rules to save your guests from charred meat and a visit from the fire department. 

Get a grill

Are you missing the most important part of this event — an actual grill? Grills are available for cheap at stores like Walmart. You can find a functional charcoal or gas grill for less than $100, and you are set to start cooking.

Preheat the grill

I know the anticipation of showing off your dad-like grill skills might leave you impatient, but before you strap on your white New Balance shoes and retire your sunglasses to the top of your hat, make sure your barbecue has time to preheat. The flames might feel hot, but the grates take extra time to heat up. Meat placed on the grill too soon sticks and shreds when you try to pick it up and causes problems for temperature control.

As spring weather becomes the norm, be prepared for any barbecue. (David McSpadden/Flickr)

Beware the flames

Similar to a child’s enchantment with fire, college students have another level of excitement when large flames start leaping out of the grill. But beware: it might look badass but big flames are almost guaranteed to make bad meat. You won’t appreciate the gross residue left on your food quite as much as you appreciate an enthusiastic fist bump from your fire-fascinated friends. Keep the flames to a minimum and move your meal to a cooler side of the barbecue to let the flare-up diminish.

Direct vs. indirect heat

If you use too much direct heat while grilling you will quite literally encounter a hot mess. The key to perfectly grilled food is temperature control. Failing to regulate the heat will leave your meat with a burnt outer layer and bleeding center. Create a two-tone fire by designating one side of the grill to be for direct heat, leaving the other side for the cooler temperature of indirect heat. With a gas barbecue this is as easy as lighting the burner on one side and leaving the other side with little to no heat. When using a charcoal grill, make sure to evenly distribute the coals on one side of the grill leaving the other half empty. Indirect heat can create an oven-like atmosphere and is perfect for large cuts of meat.

Let the food sit for a bit

Let the meat sit for approximately ten minutes before serving. I know your guests might be antsy to eat, but urge them to play another round of Cornhole and have some snacks while the meat rests. Cutting into your food too quickly will cause all the liquid to bleed out, which makes it dry and lack flavor. The delicious juices make for a much more tender and rich meal; resting allows time for those juices to be absorbed and distributed throughout the meat.

Provide other entertainment and snacks

Now that we have those tips and tricks out of the way, you are ready to take on the art of grilling. Invite your best buds and tell them to bring their lawn chairs; break out the snacks, drinks and music — it’s time for a classic backyard barbecue.

Need ideas on what to make? Here are some delicious recipes:

Guacamole Burger
Sausage and Peppers Foil Pack
Grilled Chicken Tacos with Avocado Crema
Blue Cheese Burger with Caramelized Onions and Crispy Rosemary
Grilled Teriyaki Steak
Bacon Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Chips
Shortcut BBQ Ribs

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One of the most exciting things about welcoming Spring term is being able to wave goodbye to the seemingly never-ending winter quarter. Gone are the days of dwelling in the constant grey-ness of the skies and the feeling of being stuck. For most University of Oregon students, winter term is the worst of the school year. As the clouds begin to clear, campus morale is quickly climbing and students are looking up and opening their windows for the first time since the fall.

Come April or May, people begin to swap out their hoodies for tank tops and fold the rest of their winter gear. Overstuffed dressers and crowded closets aren’t the only things that need spring cleaning; a fresh perspective and renewed motivation are crucial. Here are some helpful tips on how to shake the gloominess of the winter term funk and fully embrace the sunny springtime. 

Reflect

Think back to January, February and March, and identify habits and tendencies that you’d like to kick. It’s important to be self-aware and break cycles that you’ve noticed aren’t healthy. Whether you spent too much time in isolation, procrastinated past the acceptable college level or neglected to clean your living space, determine what routines you’d like to repeat and which need to be purged. 

Set goals

Once you’ve identified what needs changing, write down a set list of goals. It might seem elementary or redundant, but having a written list can be a great reminder and motivator. Your goals can range from thinking patterns to steps toward a successful career, as long as they are within reach. Whatever it may be, get it on paper and get it posted somewhere you’ll see it. Spring term is the perfect time to maximize productivity. A list of goals will prompt you to take yourself from where you are to where you want to be.

Sleep

Stacy Yurishcheva/Daily Emerald

Don’t underestimate a solid night of sleep. College students either disregard the importance of sleep or see it as a luxury they’ll never be lucky enough to attain. Both are wrong. Sleep, like plenty of other things, just needs to be prioritized. It is not about having time, it is about making time. Your health will quickly decline if your body doesn’t get the rest it so desperately needs.

Eat healthy and be active

The food you put into your body makes a big difference in your physical and emotional well-being. If you eat poorly, you’ll probably start to feel and look worse. Put down the Hot Pockets and pick up the protein and produce. Spring could not be a better season for breaking out the barbecue and grilling some chicken and veggies. Developing an active lifestyle will also boost your energy and attitude. Check out this article on how exercising can help you de-stress and be a happier person all around. 

Surround yourself with a good group

You become who you hang out with. Cliche, but true. Not only will you begin to adopt the habits of your peers, but their standards will become your own. Take inventory of who is in your circle, and make some adjustments if they’re not positive influences. If you invest in a healthy and constructive group, you will better yourself. Besides, good friends make life more enjoyable. They will encourage you and speak truth into your life where you need to hear it. Here are some ways to enjoy spring with your friends.

Make a list and make a plan

With your friends or without, make a list of fun things you’d like to experience and explore and go for it. Ask around to find some of the many breathtaking spots Oregon has to offer and go on an adventure. There is no better way to get excited about these next few months than getting some trips on the calendar. Now that the weather is becoming less of an issue, there is no excuse. 

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New York Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult does not mess around. Preceding election day by nearly a month, the author published a complex and insightful novel titled “Small Great Things” on Oct. 6, 2016. In a country where division is at an all-time high and hate is spewing in every direction, Picoult offers a book that tackles race head on and challenges even the most strong-willed readers.

Set in present day Connecticut, protagonist Ruth Jefferson earned a degree from Yale Nursing School and has been working at Mercy-West Haven Hospital for 20 years as the only Black nurse on the labor and delivery floor. She lives in a wealthy, predominantly white neighborhood and has a teenage son on the honor roll. Despite her stature, Ruth’s character and credibility are stripped from her when she is called to perform a routine check-up on a newborn.

Ruth is instantly dehumanized by Turk and Brittany Bauer, two white supremacists who are not the least bit ashamed when they aggressively assert that they don’t want Ruth, or anyone who looks like her, touching their baby boy.

The story twists even further when baby Davis Bauer goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone with him in the nursery. For a moment she freezes, unsure whether or not she should take action. After all, her boss placed a sticky note on Bauer’s file stating that no African American personnel are allowed to care for the child — she could lose her job if she helps.

Nonetheless, Ruth begins CPR as a flood of other staff members rush onto the scene, but it is too late. Baby Davis did not make it, and in a room swarming with medical professionals, all Turk and Brittany Bauer see is Ruth — a Black woman — standing over their dead child.

Picoult’s desire to expose race and discrimination in the U.S. isn’t a far cry from the subjects of her other novels. She has written about school shootings, suicide, autism, child abuse and cancer, among other things. She comes to the plate armed with thorough research and rich details, giving readers an up-close and personal view into the gripping lives of her characters by telling stories from each of their perspectives.

“Small Great Things” is uncomfortably introspective, bringing racism to light where it was previously unrecognized, forcing readers to take inventory of their own prejudices.

The chapters told from Turk Bauer’s perspective introduce readers to a whole new level of hate and bigotry, revealing the disgusting thoughts, secrets and tactics of white supremacy. Up until the day she met the Bauers, Ruth tried to live her life ignoring the fact that her skin color made a difference in the way she was treated.

Similar to Ruth, people of color in today’s society are being discriminated against and stereotyped. So much of this issue is based upon a lack of empathy and communication. People today can be so righteous in their opinions that they fail to have compassion and lack the ability to listen to someone else’s experiences and feelings. Picoult has created a story where those barriers are beginning to be broken down. Although there is a long way to go, the characters in “Small Great Things” challenge their prejudices by admitting they experience situations differently and asking each other questions.

Jodi Picoult covers all her bases and presents a well-rounded approach to American racism. “Small Great Things” is a platform for understanding and an avenue for people of all different backgrounds and cultures to find common ground. Throughout the novel, readers will walk a road of self-discovery and develop into a more informed version of themselves.

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