Letters To The Editor: CenterStage Review Omitted Performancs
CenterStage Review Omitted Performances
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Regarding the opening of CenterStage: Some have complained about this "elitist" project to benefit the performing arts. Indeed, classical music and ballet had aristocratic origins, but by the 19th century they had become popular art forms, which was reflected in large performing halls and a corresponding growth in the size of the orchestra.
With the demise of American radio orchestras, we have lost some of the awareness that classical music is for everyone, but the truth remains. Jazz, Broadway, pop and folk music, and dance have made wonderful contributions to our culture. But classical music and ballet, both old and new, can engage the mind and spirit in special ways. Even if one is not a current fan, be grateful that these traditions remain alive for children's sake.
Even if one never attends a performance at CenterStage, be glad that it will benefit Richmond's efforts to establish itself as a world-class city, will further tourism development, and will help attract businesses whose employees care about quality-of-life issues.
That being said, this newspaper's review of CenterStage's gala performances was noteworthy for its omissions. There was no mention of SPARC's magnificent performance of excerpts from "Les Mis" by alumni and current students. It failed to note that Stoner Winslett's uplifting choreography for the Richmond Ballet featured an outstanding commissioned orchestral score by Virginia composer Jonathan Romeo.
Also neglected was the fact that Willie Hinton's riveting choreography for the AART was performed by the award-winning City Dance Theatre, a group of extremely talented and professional teenage dancers from Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities' dance program at Pine Camp. The City Dance is utterly unique and should become a model for cities across the nation. Bill Eldridge, President, Friends of City Dance.
Richmond.
What Is the President Really Dancing Around?
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The President Barack Obama health care fall tour is in full swing. It is getting very disconcerting to find him jumping out of my television screen almost every time I turn the set on lately.
The purpose of the tour and the attendant endless media speeches and interviews appears to be an attempt by Obama to explain his administration's plans for the reformation of the nation's health care.
Except that there doesn't seem to be any actual plan. Some ideas, cobbled together by the House, seem to be dead in the water. The Senate plan is being debated and amended. Ergo -- there is no plan.
So it appears that what the president is touting morning, noon, and night is nothing more than a personal wish list. A wish list geared to soften up even the most hardened skeptics.
Depending on the venue, the options change like rabbits out of a hat. But at the moment, despite all the cajoling and chastising, there are no options and no rabbits and Obama is talking through that hat.
Why not wait until there is a plan? Why the electronic blitzkrieg? I can only speculate that either the president is in the running for an Emmy, or he's dancing as fast as he can so that the questions won't catch up with his answers.
Greta Shefers.
Chester.
Reader Never Knew He Was a Racist
Editor, Times-Dispatch Kudos to Blair Griggs, "Racism Is the Reason Obama's Not Liked," for pointing out to me why I disapprove of President Barack Obama's policies. I thought it had something to do with my disdain for irresponsible deficit spending and intrusive government.
Clearly, if Hillary Clinton had become president and tried to take over the health care industry I would be 100 percent in favor. If Joe Biden were in charge and wasted $787 billion that we don't have I would have exclaimed, "Spend even more!"
Now that I have been enlightened, I can chalk up my dislike in the 1990s for the policies and behavior of Bill Clinton as childish naIveté.
John Swierczewski.
Mechanicsville.
We Can Make Merit Pay Simple
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Why make the question of merit pay for teachers complicated? A system can be developed similar to that used on the college level. Use a title and scale that shows progress and success. Such titles as professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, assistant instructor, etc., can easily be developed and implemented without too much trouble if there is the will to do so.
Gene Barham.
Richmond.
Reader Reactions
Mr. Barham: Here’s the problem with the merit pay dilemma. I have been in the classroom teaching for 33 years. I have a B.A. I get no bonus or supplement for years of service or expertise in my field. I know a several ‘educators’ who have Doctorates - DOCTORATES - in education, but who have never been in the classroom. They call the shots. They get the enhanced salary, they get to set policy,and they give and receive ‘awards’ and ‘recognitions’ from each other for their ‘contributions’ to education. Sour grapes? No. I teach because it’s my calling, but the hypocrisy and corruption in public education gives me a very jaded view of achieving true ‘merit’ pay with circumstances as they are.
There’s a reason that the ‘smartest and most articulate president in the history of our nation’ has failed to fully explain his vision for healthcare reform.His constant exposure is a smokescreen designed to buy time until he can shove the public option down our throats even though a widening majority of Americans is AGAINST such a plan.
He originally wanted his non-plan passed by the end of August but the public outcry slowed him down.But with the majorities he has in both houses of Congress, this man will commit political suicide,if neccessary, to achieve government run healthcare and thereby hand control of 20% of our floundering economy over to the federal government.
And that,ladies and gentlemen, is his ONLY goal, one that he will consider a monument to his cocky self.
To be clear, I’m not a huge fan of a great deal of his policy decisions and positions, but to suggest he is the most incompetent president in history on the heels of GWB makes you sound like a moron.
And lest you forget, the best your side could come up with was “the economy is great” McCain and someone who was actually MORE dopey than Bush.
You’re not living in the past - you’re living in a fantasy world.
hahaha: Yeah, I’ve seen the stock market. Have you seen that Ford (who didn’t take bail out money) is outperforming the other two auto makers who took bailout money? I dunno, to give credit to Obama for the stock market can, at best, be chalked up to the proverbial blind squirrel finding the acorn (no pun intended). I’d say the stock market had rebounded in spite of President BHO.
Have you seen the unemployment numbers? 9.7% - remember Obama told us that if the stimulus did not pass, unemployment would top 8%? Nice job BHO!
Do you remember we had to “act boldly and swiftly” to save the automakers from bankruptcy by bailing them out? Yep, two of them went into bankruptcy.
He sits in the white house, his party is the majority in Congress and, together, they can’t pass a health care bill - even though they don’t need one republican vote to do so. When I was in the military, we called that screwing up a one-car funeral.
He voted for TARP and then complains about inheriting the consequences - what a tool.
He was getting his behind handed to him in one of his press conferences so badly, he had to extract himself from the primary topic by getting involved in the Skip Gates arrest - he put his foot so far in his mouth, he got crap in his shoe on that one.
He’s had a report on Afghanistan from his military leaders on his desk since returning from vacation at the end of August, but, can’t seem to make a decision on what to do.
How many other world leaders stepped up to the microphone at the UN and bad mouthed their predecessors besides Barack Obama? I mean, Bush wasn’t all that and a bag of chips, but, what a third string, junior varsity move on Obama’s part. It seem like the only way he can deflect how bad he’s doing is by pointing to George W. Bush all the time. Fewer and fewer people are buying this tactic the longer he does it.
He talks about his healthcare plan as a separate entity from HR3200, but, there doesn’t seem to be a written copy of his plan available for critical review.
Look, you can think what you want about me being a legitimate member of the Libertarian party, I don’t care what you think. What? Bush is out of office, I’m not reaming him because he’s not president anymore, Obama is. Obama is the one who sits in the white house, who’s screwing up everything he puts his hands on, who fails to properly vet his czars, who has the U.K. angry with us, who has drawn the scorn of President Sarkozy of France, who has turned his back on our longtime ally Israel, who betrayed the Polish government, who is working hard to win the approval of the world’s worst actors in Chavez, Kaddafi, Putin, Castro and Ahmedinejad. You wanna fault me for not living in the past - I’m guilty of that for certain. If it makes you feel better about yourself and the man-child in the white house you voted for without thinking, continue blaming Bush, be my guest.
Even Bill Maher can’t defend the guy with a straight face anymore.
They may or may not be republicans. They may nor not be libertarians. They may or may not be racists. One thing is evident. They certainly are not progressives who seek a major change in our health care delivery system that would cover more Americans and far less than 17% of our current gross domestic product; to later exceed 25%+, financially strangling our nation….forever.
Since we have but two major political parties, they certainly do not say anything positive about one, the Democrat Party; thus, they have but one to cling as a source of decision-making for our nation’s future; the Republican Party. Thus, they support one route only. “NO” to any changes. “YES” to a for-profit-only system of greedy pirates. So, they put corporate greed well above humanity. They support the demise of our USA.
Are they not civilized? Answer lies in how they speaketh, and clearly they speaketh their minds and their hearts.
Most incompetent? Obama?
Have you seen the stock market since January? Did he invade two countries with no real objectives other than war profiteering? Did he order the torture of prisoners?
You cowards can claim that you’re “libertarians” all day long, but you’re just too ashamed to admit you are Republicans and that you (not Obama) caused the mess that we are in.
Obama might be giving wish list speeches that don’t reflect the bill, but that’s because the pharm and insurance companies have democrats in their pockets too. They are going to hose it up so much that it never gets off the ground—just so that they can say “we tried”.
I don’t know how anyone can blame racism as the reason for any kind of dissent, but these comments demonstrate your stupidity. There is no doubt about that.
I hear you Greta. A presidential speech to the students isn’t a bad thing, it’s these Obamatons in the school system who put stuff like this together that are unbelievable in their arrogance. Geez, where do you think people get the impression that indoctrination is going on in the public schools?
It’s amazing that the most incompetent president this nation has ever seen attracts this kind of mind numbed following. What a disappointment that people hang so much of their hope on a dead beat like President Obama.
I sent that video to everybody I know.
Even my most progressive friends were aghast.
What are these teachers thinking?
I am not sure I want to know.
You know folks, I didn’t mind the kids hearing a speech by the president, but, this kind of thing is disgusting. Heads should roll for this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrsl8o4ZPo
Who in the world is watching teachers who pull stupid political stunts like this?
“CenterStage Review Omitted Performances”
I too was sad to see some comments that refered to “CenterStage” as elitist. Classical music does seem to have an elitist air around it, and that is very unfortunate. The music is beautiful and also part of world culture.
What is even more unfortunate is that almost every kid taking school band will never be able to use his talents past high school. There is very little future for a clarinet player. It is unfortunate that so much effort is put into school bands and the only outcome is a march on the football field or competition with another school. Either school bands need to change or America’s musical taste has to change. Probably both would be a good idea.
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