Rangeela Set for February 24-26

February 16, 2005 == MEDIA ADVISORY

Now in its 10th year of existence, Rangeela - Calvin's annual international
student variety show - just seems to come together naturally says Asher Mains,
this year's student director.

"It's very close to our international students," says Mains, a native of
Grenada. "You don't have to beg anyone for an act. They're happy to do it, and
they're diligent to practice."

This year's show, called "Passion for Culture," will be held at 8 p.m.,
February 25 and 26 in Calvin's Fine Arts Center.

Calvin's international student populations is one of the largest of any
college or university in West Michigan, numbering almost 300 students from 45
countries. And while Rangeela has become an integral part of life at Calvin
College for international students, it also has become an annual highlight for
Calvin's North American students, as well as for Calvin faculty and staff, and
people across West Michigan.

Indeed, while the first few years saw free admission to Rangeela, recent years
have included a modest admission fee and an expansion to two nights with
standing-room only crowds becoming a regular Rangeela occurrence.

Tickets for the 2005 shows are $5 and both nights are almost already sold out
(about 250 tickets are left for both nights combined). However, the dress
rehearsal, on Thursday, February 24, will also be open to the public, and
tickets for that can be purchased at the door for $2.

A pageant of costume, music, rhythm and drama, Rangeela - Hindi for "colorful"
- is the international students' gift to both Calvin and the community beyond
the college.

"Passion for Culture" will feature songs, dances, skits and drum ensembles
from India, Korea, France, Germany, Nicaragua, Indonesia, Sudan and the
Philippines.

And then there's the Celtic number, Mains says, which exemplifies diversity.

"We have a Nigerian playing the bass and a girl from Taiwan playing the
flute," he says with a smile.

Mains is excited about some of the innovations in this year's show, including
a North American act for the first time - a presentation on African American
women from slavery to the present through poetry, drama and more.

The contribution of Calvin's Sudanese students - a Sudanese dialogue with God
- is especially relevant now that Sudan has peace accords says Mains.

Alongside the new acts will be plenty of Rangeela stalwarts - the Korean fan
dance, singing by African A Capella and the Sankofa drum ensemble.

Rangeela 2005 has also revived the gumboot dance, a staple in South Africa in
the mines where the people used to entertain themselves to pass the time by
playing rhythms on their bodies.

Mains says: "It looks good. It sounds good."

Linda Bosch, Calvin's international student advisor, is looking forward to the
gumboot dance because it will allow her to finally clean out her closet.

"The first three Rangeelas had gumboot dances," she says, "so I have gumboots
here in our storage closet and people have been telling me to throw them out.
And now they're going to use them again!"

Bosch is excited about Rangeela and the chance for Calvin's many international
students to take the stage.

"It takes them from sitting anonymously in a class here to showcasing their
talents and their cultures," she says. "It makes them, and the beauty of their
cultures, visible to our whole community here."

Adds Mains: "While we're celebrating a passion for culture, I also want the
show to point towards the Creator as a Creator who loves diversity. We want to
be able to point towards God when all is said and done because by being exposed
to these different cultures, we see a diverse yet continuous image of who God
is."

Rangeela proceeds are used by Student Senate to fund the activities of the
International Student Association. This year 10 percent of the profits will be
given to the Nyela Turaki Memorial Fund, named for a former Calvin student from
Nigeria who died unexpectedly in June 2004 from a brain hemorrhage . That fund
is used by Calvin's international students for emergencies (returning home
unexpectedly, medical expenses not covered by insurance, etc).

Contact Asher Mains at arm2@calvin.edu

-end-
Received on Tue Feb 15 17:05:00 2005