March 2018

6 features
March 2, 2018
W
BY MASOOMA SULTAN
reporter
Dozens of Orchesis members practice
for their shows next week.
hit the lights
GRETA SORENSON
Featuring tap inspired by the According
movie “Up,” a dramatic adagio piece to senior Sandra
to a song from “The Great Showman,”
George, the
and audience-participation majority of the
trivia between dances, this year’s dances are created by the
Orchesis show, called “Light, Camera,
students themselves. “This year, the
Orchesis!” features the talents of dances are mostly all choreographed
dozens of West’s best female and male by the girls from Orchesis, and you
dancers.
can really see the creativity and ideas
Orchesis troupe members will being brought to life by the dancers.
showcase their talents this Thursday There are also a lot of dances choreographed
at 4 p.m. with additional performances
by just fourth-year members
on March 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. — Jackie Chiakas, Ella Kurutz and I,”
This production is inspired by George said.
movies and television shows. In fact, Orchesis members have worked
“all of the songs in the show are either diligently, with Monday rehearsals
from a movie or relate in some way from 3:30-9:30 p.m. each week since
to a movie or TV show,” senior Greta October, and they have devoted their
Sorensen said.
time to create a wonderful show. “I’m
Striking the right chords
PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT AMPLIFIES BRAIN REGIONS THAT ENHANCE NON-MUSICAL ABILITIES TOO
so excited for Maine West to see
all our hard work and dedication
pay off, because I think this is going
to be one of our best shows yet,”
Sorensen said.
Unique to this year, the entire
Orchesis troupe competed in the
state qualifiers with a salsa-jazz hybird
to “Danza Kuduro” from “Fast
and Furious” on Feb. 10, which will
be featured in next week’s shows in
the Maine West auditorium. Also,
a contemporary dance titled “If I
Stay” choreographed by sophomore
Kimberly Fairhead was featured in
the state qualifiers as well as Danza
Kuduro, but this specific dance was
granted the opportunity to perform
at state.
Charles Dickens, Albert Einstein,
Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong -- all
are all known for their contributions
and achievements in English,
science, entrepreneurship,
and space travel, but these prominent figures
also had another thing in common: they
all played musical instruments.
The skills of a musician are credited
with improving cognitive performance
and helping in a variety of non-musical
contexts, too. Sophomore Alexis
Huerta explained how, with practice,
he has improved his hand-eye coordination
when playing his instrument.
“Playing trombone helps me with my hand-eye
coordination, there’s no buttons on [my trombone],
so being able to control my hand is difficult,” Huerta
said. “I used to have terrible hand-eye coordination;
it’s difficult to get a perfect note that’s centered, but
I’ve gotten better at it with practice.”
When playing an instrument, the parts of the
brain that control hearing and memory become
more active. “According to fMRI scans of the brain,
those who play instruments are superior at integrating
sensory information from touch, sight, and hearing,”
AP Psychology teacher Patricia Montgomery
said. “This translates to the likelihood of one applying
the same ability in learning a variety of nonmusic-related
material, using various parts of the
brain. Using different
structures of the
brain and increasing
66%
of students who play an instrument
say that doing so
gives them an advantage in
subjects besides music*
neural connections
makes it more likely
for a person to learn
and retain any information,
especially
if they enjoy what
they’re learning.”
As a 2014 study from the University of Liverpool
shows, musical training increases the blood flow in
the left hemisphere of the brain; since language skills
align with the left hemisphere of the brain, being a
musician can help with language skills.
Playing an instrument, though, is not an easy
feat. “Learning how to play piano was frustrating
at first, because you have to able to coordinate one
hand with the other hand,” junior Danica Roque
said. “Having self-discipline is demanding, but you
learn from it and get better.”
As sophomore Olivia Bitcon explained, however,
BY IVONNE SANCHEZ
reporter
Sorensen, who is among the seniors
who are performing in their final
shows, said, “I’m really excited to
perform with this team one last time,
even though it will be bittersweet.
I’m definitely going to miss Orchesis
and all the fun memories I’ve made
from it. Through endless hours of
rehearsing, we’ve become like a big
family.”
“I definitely wouldn’t trade the
four years I have spent on Orchesis
because I have made so many friendships
and memories and I feel like I’ve
gained 22 sisters. I’m bittersweet that
it’s my last year but I feel like I have
made it count,” George, a 4th year
member, said.
the stress from playing an instrument is sometimes
helpful. “[Playing an instrument] is good stress that
relieves bad stressors,” she said.
Playing an instrument also helps people learn
how to problem-solve. “Usually when I come across
a problem I take a step back, look at it as a whole,
and figure out what parts of it to fix first. It resembles
how I would practice music,” Bitcon said.
In addition to problem solving, woodwind and
brass players are able to apply the breathing techniques
they learn with their instruments to sports. “I
don’t get as tired while I play soccer because I’m used
to controlling my breathing and not hyperventilating,”
Huerta said.
Performing music requires a consistent meter,
and being able to keep a consistent pace is something
that has benefits beyond reading a musical
score. “Learning how to play my instrument steers
me away from procrastination, and propels me to
work harder,” Roque said.
Playing an instrument “has many benefits I had
never thought of before,” junior Davis Parks said.
For example, “it teaches you that the only way to be
better at something is to enjoy doing it, and to enjoy
overcoming the challenge.”