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Looking behind Ryerson’s curtains

Laugh, cry, jump 
Ryerson theatre veterans will soon have some competition. First-year students arriving with dreams and ideals “keep the seniors on their toes,” says Theatre Chair Perry Schneiderman.

But new acting students will have to wait before performing in front of an audience. “We keep them fairly protected in (their) first year because they’re just learning the fundamentals,” Schneiderman says.

Dance students, on the other hand, create their own project. The pieces are shown to the director and some are chosen for the choreographic workshop in March.

What to expect this year:
Caucasian Chalk Circle – A play written by Bertolt Brecht, author of The Threepenny Opera. Oct. 3 to 14 in Abrams Studio.

Fuenteovejuna – Written by Félix Lope de Vega, is a story about the uprising of a 15th century town against their feudal lord. Nov. 14 to 25 in Abrams Studio.

Ryerson Dances 2006 – Expect a lot of fancy footwork from the dance program’s well-trained and well-choreographed students. Nov. 21 to 25 in the Ryerson Theatre.

Measure for Measure – A dark Shakespearean comedy. Feb. 6 to 15 in the Ryerson Theatre.

Choreographic Works – Workshop featuring student work. Mar. 6 to 17 in the Ryerson Theatre.

New Voices – Fourth-year theatre and dance students present their original work. Mar. 27 to Apr. 1 in the Ryerson Theatre.

Go to www.ryerson.ca/~rytheatr/ for more performance dates.

Snip, zip, swish
A new program has been developed this year for fashion students with more courses dealing with the culture of fashion. This year, fewer students were admitted into the program so there will be more space and individual attention given to new and older students alike.

“In Canada, it’s the premium program — the oldest, largest and most successful. It has a pretty high profile even worldwide now,” says Fashion Chair Linda Lewis.

This academic year, Ryerson will be holding the 9th International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes conference. It will be attended by people from fashion institutes all over the world and will feature fashion-expert presentations and design competitions.

What to expect this year:
Fashion students awards night – Nov. 2006 at Holt Renfew on Bay and Bloor streets.

Second-year and third-year fashion shows – Apr. 2007.

Mass Exodus – The famous annual fourth-year fashion show. Apr. 2007 in the Ryerson Theatre.

International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes conference – Apr. 2007.

Shoot, click, snap
Some images are impossible to forget, be they in the form of photographs, movies or Web sites. They leave an immovable imprint.

Photography students learn more than the traditions of photography.

“Students are taught to move beyond a situation where the best pictures are lucky accidents, they are taught to plan, and how to select the best pictures,” says Don Snyder, Chair of the Image Arts Department.

What to expect this year:

12th annual Maximum Exposure – An open house with galleries and film screenings, hosted by the graduating Image Arts class, and put together by all years and disciplines. Apr. 2007 in the Image Arts Building.

Kodak Lecture series – In its 31st year, photo-based artists, photographers, filmmakers, writers, and theorists speak on select Fridays at 7:30 p.m in the Engineering Building. Go to www.imagearts. ryerson.ca/imagesandideas/.

Ryerson Gallery – Exhibits by students and professional artists are featured throughout the year. Admission is free at 80 Spadina Av. – about a 40 minute walk from Ryerson campus.

FUNCTION Magazine – A Web site and print magazine by Image Art students. Go to www.functionmag.com/.

Lights, camera, action 

The School of Radio and Television Arts is hailed as one of Canada’s most advanced media production schools and makes its own mark on campus in a number of ways.

“RTA is about storytelling,” says program chair David Tucker.

Students are trained to tell stories in a number of ways especially digital media which Tucker says is quickly becoming a larger part of the program.

What to expect this year:

SPIRITlive – RTA’s online radio station. Go to www.spiritlive.net.

RIOT – The Ryerson Institute of Technology is an annual sketch comedy show written and performed by students. The curtains will rise sometime in February or March.

TARAs – The Television and Radio Achievement Awards has been recognizing students for more than 25 years. Awards are presented by industry professionals in April.


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