So you know that you'll soon be going to a school whose campus falls under the category "rural" in all those college guides. Perhaps you're already wondering if that means that lumberjack competitions, square dancing, and cow tipping will constitute your cultural exposure at Dartmouth. While you probably can enjoy all of those activities somewhere in the Upper Valley, you also don't have to be worried about the side effects of ballet withdrawal.
Dominating one end of the campus like a miniature Lincoln Center stands the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts, otherwise known as the Hop. The often bizarre installations which usually occupy the front display window (this term there are a bunch of rather grotesque limbless torsos sitting about) are an indication of the creativity to be found within the building. In addition to housing the student mailboxes, the Hop is home to theaters, art galleries, auditoriums, rehearsal studios and wood shops.
Visting Performers
A combination of internationally reknowned artists and lesser known, up-and-coming stars visit the Hop each year to showcase their talents. Jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman performed songs from his latest album and Cassandra Wilson, considered one of the nation's top jazz singers, commanded the stage this spring. Filmmaker Spike Lee's keynote address for the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration drew a maximum capacity crowd to the Hop's Spaulding Auditorium this past January. In the past, celebrities such as Oliver Stone, Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp and Mikhail Baryshnikov have stopped by as well.
For those of you concerned about the fact that Hanover might not make it on any band's tour itinerary, let these big names ease your fears: Live, the Violent Femmes, Rusted Root, Busta Rhymes, the Dave Matthews Band and the Indigo Girls. These well-known musicians have all performed here at Dartmouth along with the college or local bands who give smaller concerts.
Arts at Dartmouth
Sure, lots of big talent rolls in and out of Dartmouth every term, but the most exciting aspect of the arts at Dartmouth would have to be the permanent abundance of student talent in all fields. During orientation week's Night at the Hop, you'll receive a whirlwind glimpse of the various student performance groups. Here's a quick run-down of the Hop-sponsored groups to help you find your own niche, either to join or to just sit back and enjoy the show:
The Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble, founded in 1924, performs once each term with a featured artist. These visiting jazz greats have included Oliver Lake, Max Roach, Joseph Buoy, Dexter Gordon and the Heath Brothers.
If jazz is not your thing, try the Chamber Singers. They focus on classical, madrigal and even contemporary music. The performance which attracts the biggest crowd is their annual "Feast of Song," which blends a play, music and scrumptious food into one spectacular evening.
The Glee Club, which provides the music at the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree on the Green, is showcased in a huge concert once a term. Peforming a spectrum of music from Dvorak opera to Gilbert and Sullivan tunes, the Glee Club has been around for over 125 years.
The Handel Society is the oldest of the groups with its founding date of 1807. Their music consists of Bach, Handel and Brahms, among others.
The Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra showcases the talents of students along with those of the members of surrounding communities. The large group of more than one hundred members prepares for one big concert each term.
The Marching Band is a prominent sight during the fall football season. Heard long before they come into view, this raucous group prides itself on its quirky sense of humor which is apparent in their half-time skits and chants (also check out the messages on the tubas).
The Wind Symphony, which plays an assortment of classical music, the World Music Percussion Ensemble, which features Caribbean, African and hip-hop music, and the Gospel Choir each give a large concert once a term.
For lovers of Shakespeare and O'Neill, the Hop offers plays every term whether they are performed by professional acting troupes or by Dartmouth students. Students aren't just limited to the role of actor in the drama department's main stage productions, either. In this past spring's production of "Medea," students not only acted but also helped with the sets, costumes, music and even the translation of the play.
If nothing about the Hopkins Center-sponsored groups has struck your fancy, you just might find what you're looking for outside of it.
A cappella groups continue to enjoy immense popularity at Dartmouth with new groups and new CDs springing up constantly. Far from being stuffy barbershop quartets, these groups sing everything from Green Day to Peter Gabriel to George Michael and mix in choreography and skits with their songs. The three all-male a cappella groups, The Aires, The Cords and Final Cut, are evenly balanced by three all-female a cappella groups: The Decibelles, The Rockapellas and The Subtleties. There is also a co-ed group, The Dodecaphonics, a Christian a cappella group, X.ado, and a Jewish group, Kol Koreh Bamidbar.
For the dancers out there, Sheba's energetic hip-hop dance troupe could be for you or perhaps Fusion's eclectic blend of jazz, tap and ballet is more your style. If you're tone deaf and have two left feet, but will do anything for a laugh, consider the Dog Day Players, Dartmouth's own improvisational comedy troupe.
If you still feel that your niche is lacking, then create it yourself. Use your four years at Dartmouth to explore your interests and talents because you may never have a better opportunity to discover the performer within you again.
