There seems to be no passion like the one found on stage. And among the numerous posters of student-run clubs, there were two posted up by clubs who shared this passion along with two other virtues: their love for performance and showmanship, and their contribution to creating a quality cultural life for others.
◆"view Hallooo!" Sound familiar? It is what foxhunters shout when they finally spot some game. It is also the name of Ewha's only jazz dance club, "viEWHAlloo." As the capital letters imply, viEWHAlloo (VH) has two meanings: the obvious EWHA in the center, and the same as the original meaning of the word, which reflect their wish for everyone to seek and find what they are looking for in life, and shout those words when they do.
Founded two years ago by a former graduate, VH has recruited around ten members per year, as of now totaling thirty-one members. This year, they presented their annual subscription performance on March 16. If you have missed it, then there is always a chance to see them around campus, as VH often perform for SGA or school organized events. In addition to on campus performances, they also stage as guest performers to other schools or enroll as contestants in competitions. Their most recent victory was during the COEX Mall Dance Competition in December 2005, where they were crowned as "king-of-kings" finalists, bringing home the grand prize.
VH is aware that people might be hesitant about joining, because it requires first a dance audition followed by an interview. "There is no need to worry about how good you are at dancing," said Chun Mi-kyung (Mathematics, 4), president of VH, "We look at attitude and enthusiasm above other things." Vice president, Kim Sun-hyung (Economics, 3) adds, "Our motto is "Until Ewha becomes one," and we will continue to aspire for better performances until that comes true." And they will continue to contribute to Ewha with their lively performances.
◆When Hong Hyo-sun (Mathematics Education, 2) found out there was no musical club at Ewha, she decided to go ahead and make one herself. She put up a notice on the school homepage promoting the idea. ?urprisingly enough, I got some phone-calls and that was the beginning of "Ensemble," said Hong, who established the official musical club, "Ensemble" in September 2005.
Two things happened after that month. The group was interviewed and thus publicized in the Ewha Weekly, which grabbed immediate attention around campus. They also applied for the Ewha Frontier Scholarship and received funding to put on their first gala performance, "The Secret Garden," from April 6 to 9.
"The Secret Garden" was a gala show consisting of songs from nine famous Broadway musicals such as, Grease, Rent, and I Love You. Each song was re-choreographed and slightly revised with added humor to best suit contemporary tastes. The result was a hit sensation, with sold out tickets from the first show.
Besides the overall excellence, one highlight of the performance was the appearance of four male actors who naturally stood out. These performers were also students who either auditioned after seeing posters around the Sinchon area, or who were strongly "encouraged" to join, by a friend.
Another catchy feature was that intervals between the songs had its own little theme where the performers would put on two-minute spoofs. In the end, both the staff, who worked behind-the-scenes and in front, gave their all to make initially one person's dream come true.
These two clubs leave us with two thoughts. The next time you wonder where to go for some cultural experience, you know you don’t have too look far. And if that's not convincing enough, then perhaps you should try creating your own!