Digital Commons Network^™

Chief Blackstar's "Indian Mystery Revue", Michael Claxton Ph.D.

Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Discovering Previously Overlooked Sets Of Piano Compositions In 24 Major And Minor Keys By Four Russian Composers At The Turn Of The 20th Century, Eri Nakagawa

Journal of Urban Culture Research

At the turn of the 20th century, Russian composers Felix Blumenfeld, Anton Arensky, César Cui, and Reinhold Glière crafted sets of piano character pieces, notably the 24 Preludes op. 17 (1892), 24 Morceaux caractéristiques op. 36 (1894), 25 Préludes op. 64 (1903), and 25 Preludes op. 30 (published in 1906 - 1908), respectively. Blumenfeld mirrors the tonal organization of Chopin’s 24 Preludes, op. 28, while Arensky and Glière draw inspiration from Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier. Cui innovatively differs from Chopin’s scheme by sequencing minor key works before relative major ones. Both Cui and Glière’s sets encompass 25 preludes, …

Digital Interactions And Audience Dynamics : Analyzing Youtube's Role In Indonesian Performance Arts, Gabriel Roosmargo Lono Lastoro Simatupang, Muchammad Bayu Tejo Sampurno

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study draws on the framework of mediatization to analyze how YouTube, as a digital entity, facilitates and transforms audience relations and participation in performances. It employs a literature review to explore the intricate dynamics of audience interaction and performative presence on YouTube within the Indonesian context. The findings from engagement metrics powerfully suggest interaction that exceeds traditional audience participation, signaling a shift towards more immersive and interactive consumption of performance arts. The results underline a shift in audience roles from passive receivers to active participants empowered by the mediatization process with YouTube. This transformation strongly impacts cultural production as …

Memory And Myth In The Creation Of Identity: The Establishment Of The Vernal Public Library, Suzanne Marie Stauffer

Faculty Publications

Local history and lore reports that the Vernal Public Library owed its inception to a performance of Queen Esther Opera in 1907. However, the Vernal Express makes no mention of such a performance (nor can any such opera be identified), while it does record multiple other community fundraising events held to benefit the public library. One such, a unique event in public library history, occurred in 1908 when the public library association held a benefit performance of a stage version of Owen Wister’s popular Western novel, The Virginian. This documented event, however, seems to have been lost to history, as …

The Development Of Sustainability For Tonkori Performance Of The Ainu People In Northern Japan, Kumkom Pornprasit

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The Ainu are the indigenous people of the northern region of Japan which is adjacent to the Russian border. An important Ainu musical instrument is the Tonkori, a wooden 5-string instrument played for entertainment purposes. The current Tonkori music is considered to be introduced by Sakhalin Ainu, one of the sub-ethnic groups of Ainu who migrated to Hokkaido prefecture after WWII. An effort to reduce inequality as well as to make their culture sustainable among the Ainu people is the followings: (1) Promoting the establishment of university research centers; (2) organizing workshops and musical performances in museums and recital halls; …

Historical Narratives Of The Eight Akan Clan Systems Using Museum Theater : The Case Of Prempeh Ii Jubilee Museum, Ghana, Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah, Dickson Adom, Steve Kquofi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

There have been several calls from diverse stakeholders in the museum sector in Ghana for creative programs that enliven the cultural objects in a museum’s holding. This study aimed at exploring the use of museum theatre as an intervention to enhance the museum experience of visitors at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, a popular museum in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. We produced The Linguist Staff, an interactive drama to present the historical narratives of the eight Akan clan systems. The study was carried out using arts-based research under the qualitative approach with observer-as-participant and semi-structured interviews as data collection …

Reformatting The Performing Arts : Wayang Climen As A Tradition-Based Entertainment Solution For Urban Audiences In Yogyakarta, Hanggar Budi Prasetya, Hariyanto Hariyanto, Bayu Aji Nugraha, Yuniar Galuh Larasati, Marti Fauziah Ariastuti

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The reformulation of Wayang performances into Wayang Climen has provided a fresh avenue for urban audiences to access tradition-based entertainment, which plays a crucial role in the transmission of cultural knowledge and values. After limited performance opportunities due to COVID-19 restrictions, puppeteers are now vying to put on elaborate performances. However, such performances are often expensive, space-intensive, and lengthy, making them inaccessible for urban communities with restricted resources. This study explores how puppeteers have reimagined performances by streamlining their duration, reducing venue requirements, and narrowing thematic focus to retain the essence of traditional Wayang while making it accessible to urban …

The Dramaturgy Of Nostalgia And New Media In Sandiwara, West Sumatran Folk Theater, Dede Pramayoza, Fresti Yuliza

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study describes the changes in the dramaturgy of sandiwara, a folk theater in West Sumatra. The research was carried out using a combined research method: literary studies and artistic methods, through a project of making play scripts and dramaturgical worksheets. Research data was collected through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and individual interviews. The results of the qualitative analysis show that writing a play script can build a play’s creative ethos in sandiwara, bring up the quality, and originality of the ideas and themes. One of the drivers of creativity in sandiwara is nostalgia, the longing for the events of …

The Creation Of Solo Piano Compositions From Khaen Melodies “Thamnong Khaen”, Amornmas Mookdamuang, Narongchai Pidokrajt

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This paper aims to present Khaen melodies (an Isan musical instrument) by analyzing the original notes and arranging them for piano, using Western music composition theory to adapt the notes to suit beginner-level piano players. Based on qualitative research and creative music research, the creative process emphasizes preserving the original accents and primary melodies of the Khaen. Additionally, it develops the musical structure and harmonies to align with contemporary Western classical music. The analysis of the original Khaen melodies reveals rapid note values and rhythms, as well as harmonies with more than one voice, accompanied by irregular interval jumps throughout …

Sayap Palace Memorial: Reconstruction Of The Lost Malay Culture, Asril Asril, Hasnah Faizah A.R, Elmustian Elmustian, Hermandra Hermandra

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The Sayap Palace is a relic of the Pelalawan Kingdom, located in Pelalawan Regency. This palace was built during the reign of Sultan Assyaidi Syarif Hasim. The purpose of this article is to describe the process of the establishment of the Sayap Palace, its role in people’s lives, and its use in the field of education. This article uses the historical method with descriptive analysis techniques and literature studies. After the end of the reign of the Pelalawan Kingdom, the Sayap Palace was no longer occupied and then collapsed. The Sayap Palace’s restoration took place twice, in 2003 and 2015. …

Perspectives On Changing Cultural Spaces In 19th Century Europe, Christophe Charle

Artl@s Bulletin

To define the limits of European cultural spaces requires a pragmatic and empirical approach, founded on a comparative overview of the circulations of symbolic goods, of the agents involved in the processes of diffusion and mediatization of these goods, and of their modes of transmission or valorization. In this essay, I illustrate the effects of changing conditions on the specific field of 19th-century opera, one of the first international forms of cultural practice in Europe. I then consider the origins and causes of unequal cultural circulations in other fields, notably the presence or absence of mediators in these processes of …

Mapping The Theaters Of Brooklyn's Past (1825-1925): A Gis Project, Elena Shefsky

Publications and Research

Despite its rich performance culture, Brooklyn remains underrepresented in theater history, eclipsed in fame by the well-known theaters of Manhattan. One of the most populous areas in America, Brooklyn has been an artistic home to actors, playwrights, directors, and impresarios for centuries. That said, there is a dearth of accessible information and scholarship on Brooklyn theaters. My objective was to update an ongoing mapping project, The City Performs, to include information and images of theater buildings from Brooklyn. The project is an interactive, open-source digital map that uses ArcGIS software to georeference data about NYC theaters. I collected data …

The Grizzly, October 12, 2023, Marie Sykes, Michael Nieves-Hoblin, Nico Yanzaguano, Andrew J. Perez, Adam Denn, Dominic Minicozzi

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Meet the New Professors on Campus • Center for Career and Post-Graduate Events • Professor Feature: Dr. Andy Davis • Let's Do the (Rocky Horror: A Breakaway Student Production) Again • The Captivating Collegeville Diner • Crossword Puzzle • Ursinus Field is Keeping the Program's Legacy Alive • Sports Shout-outs!

Reframing Space: Religion, History, And Memory In The Early Documentary Film Of The Yugoslav Space, Milja Radovic

Journal of Religion & Film

This paper examines cinematic representations of religion and religious communities in the early cinema of the Yugoslav space. This paper introduces the readers to the rich heritage of the cinema of the Yugoslav space by providing 1) the first study of the representations of religion and the concepts of faith in the early film, and 2) novel approaches in reading religion and history through film. Film is used as a primary rather than supplementary source in historical research on diverse religious and ethnic communities in this part of the Balkan Peninsula. This is the first study that investigates the importance, …

The Grizzly, September 28, 2023, Marie Sykes, Amelia Kunko, Theodora Zeibekis, Renie Christensen, Kate Horan, Andrew J. Perez, Kathy Logan

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Recovery Friendly Workplace • Fall-ing for Ursinus Crossword • Study Tips With Coffeestudi • Correction to "Student Responses to Changes in Good Samaritan Policy" • Two Gentlemen of Lenfest • Two Gentlemen of Verona Rehearsal Photos • Renie and Kate's Meme Corner • A Tasty Trip to the Trappe Tavern • Volleyball Veterans • A Healthy Lifestyle: The Importance of Food and Nutrition

Dong Qing Fang’S Musical Depiction Of Lin Chong: An Analysis Of Chinese Traditional Music Elements In His Cello Composition Of 2009, Congcong Bi

Doctoral Projects

Dong Qing Fang (b. 1981) is a prolific composer of cello music. His contribution includes twenty compositions, many of which have been performed around the world.[1] While Fang is the most famous composer in China as well as a leading figure of recent music, his compositions have not been recognized world-wide. This project focuses on his representative cello composition Lin Chong (2009). Lin Chong is a significant character in Chinese literature, known for his role in the classic novel, Water Margin (1524). Fang's musical portrayal of Lin Chong's life incorporates elements of Chinese traditional music.

The methodology for this …

King Charles' Character Education: His Australian School, Now And Then, Elizabeth Summerfield

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

As a 17 year old in 1966, the then Prince Charles, spent two terms at Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. He described the experience as the best part of his secondary schooling, and formative of his character. The School was founded in the 1850s as an educational institution of the Anglican Church. By the twenty-first century it became a leading exponent globally of the Positive Education (PE) movement, which has its foundation in Positive Psychology (PP). Critics of PE have argued that it diminishes, even supersedes, the tenets of the School’s Anglican tradition. This paper tests the School’s assertion …

Dancers Of The Book: Yemenite, Persian, And Kurdish Jewish Dance, Quinn Bicer

Anthós

Despite the cultural significance of dance in Jewish communities around the world, research into Middle Eastern Jewish dance outside of the modern nation-state of Israel is sorely under-researched. This article aims to help rectify this by focusing on Yemenite, Persian/Iranian, and Kurdish Jewish dance and explores how these dancers have functioned and been received within the societies they have been a part of. The methods that have gone into this article are a combination of analyzing primary source recorded dances and existing secondary source research into the dance of these communities. Through these methods, this article reveals how Yemenite, Iranian, …

Dance/Movement Therapy Used As An Intervention To Heal Racial Trauma Within The Black Community: A Literature Review, Jennifer Noboise

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The history of dance within the black community has served an important role while living through a racist and discriminatory society. Dance has been used to express anger, grief, and joy during hardships and moments of rejoicing from the black experience. African American people have endured years of trauma and abuse from oppressive systems. Research has been conducted to demonstrate that dance/movement therapy has been effective in treating those who have experienced a form of trauma since the trauma is stored in the body. Examining trauma symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and substance use, the research found these symptoms diminished …

"They Were Men In Those Days": Gender, Class, And Ethnicity In The Paul Bunyan Tales, Dean Schmit

Honors Capstone Projects

This paper examines the development of the Paul Bunyan stories from the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century through a gendered lens.

Negotiating National Identity: A Study Of Nationalist Rhetoric During The British Voluntary Recruiting Movement, 1914-1916, Emily Cloys

Master's Theses

Within weeks of the outbreak of World War I, the British Army faced a critical demand for more soldiers to replenish its casualties and to compete with the mass conscript armies of the Central Powers. Hesitant to break from its tradition of non-conscription, the British government relied on a period of voluntary recruitment from 1914 to 1916, resulting in the enlistment of nearly 2.5 million soldiers.

This thesis examines the period of British voluntary recruitment during World War I by exploring how conceptions of British national identity served as a technique of persuasion and as a catalyst for individual enlistment. …

The Sound Of The Civil War: Examining The Intersection Between Music And Emotion In America, 1861-1865, Christina Cannon

Campus Research Month

The topics of the history of music and the history of music intersect in the Civil War in fascinating ways. Both religious music and “secular” music were seen to have great power over their listeners, potentially with the power to alter the directions of lives or their salvation status. Music was used both as a mode of rebellion against the antagonizing army and ideal and a rebellion against unnecessarily violent acts. Each side used it against the other, but a select few also used it against the war itself. Soldiers marched to music, set camp to music, and fought to …

"'Joo Wa Dare?' Who Is The Queen?" Queen Contests During The Wartime Incarceration Of Japanese Americans, Bailey Irene Midori Hoy

Madison Historical Review

This paper examines beauty pageants held at incarceration centers during the Japanese-American internment. Although there has been literature created on beauty pageants before and after WWII, there is very little information on these war-era pageants, despite their prolific nature. Using mostly primary sources and material culture, the paper examines the coverage of the contestants, clothing, and presentation within the Center’s newspapers and in coverage by the Wartime Relocation Authority, whilst also problematizing uncritical readings of these documents. This paper highlights the difficulty in determining agency within spaces of incarceration, and calls for further research on the subject.

The Grizzly, April 13, 2023, Layla Halterman, Georgia Gardner, Marie Sykes, Erin Corcoran, Kate Horan, Samantha Kiessling, Laura Rothschild, Brian Tague, Katie Cressman

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Photo Essay: Spring Has Sprung! • Escape Velocity: "Avenge"[ance] in the Air • Ursinus Installs New Sustainable Rain Garden • GSA: Creating a Safe Space on Campus • Senior Honors Projects • Opinions: What Renovations Do You Want to See in Lower Wismer? • Playing Ball Like a Girl • "Raising the Bar": Ursinus College Women's Lacrosse Team

The Grizzly, March 16, 2023, Layla Halterman, Marie Sykes, Tatiana Kent, Chase Portaro, Ava Compagnoni, Brian Tague, Katie Cressman

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Dean Schneider to Leave Ursinus: Announcement Raises Questions for Many Faculty Members • Maker's Club Promises Creative Fun for All Majors • Anarchy at Ursinus? • Meet the New President, Alisa Zenchenko '25 • Softball Season Back in Session • What Will Seniors Be Doing After Graduation? • Ursinus Spring Break Wrap-Up • Mayhem Defends the Intramural Basketball Den • Serving...in Florida

The Grizzly, March 2, 2023, Layla Halterman, Gianna Mccarthy, Chase Portaro, Kate Horan, Marie Sykes, Renie Christensen, Quadai Brown, Ava Compagnoni

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Rachel Arthur '23 Earns Prestigious Fellowship • Reim Time: To Extend, or Not to Extend? • New Recovery Specialist Joins Prevention and Advocacy Team • A March Note From Our Editor • The Man Behind the Microscope (Donation) • Working to Work the Stage Soon! • Campus Safety: How Safe are Students? • Student Plans for St. Patrick's Day • Student Sports Photography: A Renaissance

Indigenous Performances In Contemporary Indian Urban Public Theatres: Coloniality, Globalization, And The State, Mayurakshi Sen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Indigenous Performances in Contemporary Indian Urban Public Theatres: Coloniality, Globalization, and the State examines the aesthetic and political dimensions of contemporary public theatres in the major Indian cities of Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi, with a special focus on the utilization of India’s indigenous precolonial (or extra-colonial) classical, regional, and folk performance forms, elements, and repertoires in such urban practice. Through dramaturgical, ethnographic, and archival analyses, this dissertation studies significant contemporary productions from representative urban Indian theatre groups, including Nandikar, Rangakarmee, and Padatik in Kolkata; the Indian People’s Theatre Association, Mumbai, Ekjute, and Rangshila in Mumbai; and Circle Theatre Company and …

Guide To The Benjamin Spence Research Collection, 1877-1925, Noah Smith

Archives & Special Collections Finding Aids

Nearly all content in this collection comes from microfilm of the Bridgewater Independent, covering the years from approximately 1880 to 1925. Dr. Spence spent ten years printing out pages from the microfilm, cutting the content into individual articles, and putting them onto index cards filed by subject. He included hand-written notes and dates on the cards. His research focusing on the years represented by the collection resulted in a collection of ten written works on this time period, referenced together as, Bridgewater, Massachusetts: A Town in Transition. Links to the digital files of these works can be found …

Culture Sustainability Through Storytelling : A Study Of Patricia Riley’S “Wisteria” And “Damping Down The Road”, Ankita Das, Priyanka Chhaparia

Journal of Urban Culture Research

In the late 1980s, the United Nations introduced a comprehensive vision of sustainable development, encompassing economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental balance. However, the crucial role of culture within development has very often been overlooked. Contemporary insights emphasize that culture is integral to sustainable development. This paper, through an analysis of two short stories by Native American author Patricia Riley, sheds light on the significance of storytelling as a fundamental element of culture. It explores how these narratives emphasize the need to cultivate a culturally aware society and how ‘storytelling’ contributes to cultural preservation and identity. Focusing specifically on the …

Wading In The Covid-19 Pandemic : Fate And Ways Forward For Malaysian Creative Cities, Suet Leng Khoo, Nicole Shu Fun Chang

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Since the 2019 Wuhan outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic badly hit all sectors of the global economy. The creative and cultural sectors (CCS) are among the hardest hit. The value chain of CCS (i.e. creation, production, distribution, accessibility to contents) was severely immobilized. In cities, mitigation measures implemented to contain Covid-19 significantly downsized the CCS. Jobs, incomes and livelihoods of creative and cultural employees were threatened. These scenarios question the readiness, resilience and sustainability of CCS, particularly in cities. The fate and way forward of creative cities are now a grave concern. This paper aims to investigate the impacts, developments, reactions …