- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/yslan-hicks/ ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Wed, 08 May 2019 15:17:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock theater program named best in state /news-archive/2019/05/08/theatre/ Wed, 08 May 2019 15:17:04 +0000 /news/?p=74241 ...]]> The popular OnStage Blog website has included University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s theater program in the 2019 edition of . The ranking, released May 6, lists ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as the top choice in Arkansas and commended the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance for its multiple community partnerships that include , University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Simulated Medicine, , , , and the . “Every year, deep dives into college theatre programs to find what we feel are some of the best in the nation,” according to the website. “While the perfect program is the one that fits best with the student, schools can become that fit with fantastic facilities, strong faculty, multiple performance opportunities, among other things. In truth, there are some schools that do that better than others and should be recognized for it.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s theatre and dance faculty are accomplished artists and provide one-to-one training and close student advising. Students have access to two performance spaces – a 640-seat theater and a 110-seat black box – and can participate in multiple productions each semester. “This is an unanticipated honor for which we are grateful,” said Yslan Hicks, associate professor and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. “Theater and dance are fields of study and practice that require discipline, time management, and exceptional creative and collaborative skill sets. Our faculty and staff nurture and challenge each student to achieve a high level of accomplishment. We deeply value the university and community partnerships that further our ability to explore meaningful topics related to the human condition.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock offers the only Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance degree in the state of Arkansas. Dance students have access to two dance studios in the Center for Performing Arts, and both theater and dance majors have access to professional internships and study abroad opportunities. OnStage Blog is dedicated to Broadway and community theater show reviews as well as news about stage directors, actors, and technicians. The website’s School Edition will publish its list of the top 25 theatre program rankings at the end of summer. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students perform a scene from Shakespeare’s “As you Like It.” Photo by Benjamin Krain]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty to discuss wedding dress culture, fashion history /news-archive/2019/04/18/wedding-dress/ Thu, 18 Apr 2019 16:48:33 +0000 /news/?p=74080 ...]]> Yslan Hicks, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will discuss the cultural and fashion history of the wedding dress as part of University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Weekend University on Saturday, April 20. Hicks’ presentation, “Memorable Wedding Dresses: From the Silly to the Sublime” will be from 1:30-3 p.m. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. The cost is $15. She’ll highlight bridal dresses that have come to be considered iconic – from Queen Victoria’s 1840 wedding dress, credited with establishing the well-known custom of wearing white, to Yves Saint Laurent’s 1999 ready-to-wear wedding bikini. Hicks is a member of the designers guild United Scenic Artists, Local 829 and was named one of three Designing Women of the Year in 2012 by Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. Her professional costume design credits include productions at the Lincoln Center Institute in New York City, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, the Old Globe Arena Stage in San Diego, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre. She has held faculty positions at The University of Tulsa and Tulane University. Registration is available online at . For more information, contact Christine Cotton, director of Extended Education, at cecotton@ualr.edu. ]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock offers Weekend University for lifelong learning /news-archive/2019/02/27/weekend-university/ Wed, 27 Feb 2019 19:41:46 +0000 /news/?p=73563 ...]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will begin a new on March 9 that will offer central Arkansans a series of 90-minute micro-classes on topics ranging from Shakespeare to stargazing. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is committed to offering lifelong learning opportunities in the community, and that’s what we are doing with this initiative,” Chancellor Andrew Rogerson said. “The Weekend University format allows people to come and spend part of their Saturday with some of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s star professors.” Weekend University, part of the university’s Extended Education program, will offer morning and afternoon sessions led by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and staff. The spring schedule includes two sessions on March 9, April 6, and April 20. The cost is $15 per session or $25 for two on the same day. Sessions will be held at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. Topics will reflect a diversity of faculty and staff expertise and interests. “Weekend University promises to be eclectic and enriching,” said Sarah Beth Estes, interim dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences and associate provost for Community, Careers, and Extended Education. “The inaugural schedule covers such wide-ranging topics as the earth and the stars, the Met and the Bard, wedding dresses and fake news messes. We hope the community will join us downtown to learn something new, to stimulate their curiosity, and to shift their perspective.” Weekend University Spring 2019 Calendar March 9 – “Why Shakespeare?” 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Kris McAbee, associate professor of English March 9 – “What’s Behind the Magic at the Metropolitan Opera?” 1:30-3 p.m., Diane Kesling, instructor of music April 6 – “All the News that’s Fit to Fake,” 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Jan Thomas, professor of philosophy April 6 – “Stargazing Basics for the Beginner,” 1:30-3 p.m., Darrell Heath, past president of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society April 20 – “Natural State Geology You Need to Know,” 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Michael T. DeAngelis, associate professor of geology April 20 – “Memorable Wedding Dresses: From the Silly to the Sublime,” 1:30-3 p.m., Yslan Hicks, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance Fall topics will include the validity of forensic evidence, Middle Eastern archaeology, and how to curate collections. For topic descriptions and costs of Weekend University, visit For more information, contact Christine Cotton, director of Extended Education, at cecotton@ualr.edu.]]> Lelia Rosenkrans named 2018 Whitbeck Award winner /news-archive/2018/05/02/lelia-rosenbrans-whitbeck-award/ Wed, 02 May 2018 17:45:39 +0000 /news/?p=70376 ...]]> Lelia Rosenkrans’ academic interests pull in seemingly opposite directions. She is passionate about dance and the artistry and self-expression that comes from the creative process. And she is equally in love with science and the possibilities of discovery through disciplined research. Both, she discovered, have the capacity to transform lives. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Rosenkrans didn’t have to choose between the two. On May 12, she will graduate with a BFA in Dance Performance with a minor in chemistry. She is this year’s recipient of the Alpha Kappa Psi Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award, a prestigious award given to one student chosen by the Faculty Senate Honors and Awards Committee who has demonstrated exceptional scholarship, leadership, character, and citizenship. The award comes with a $2,000 prize. “Lelia is that rare student whose talents truly transcend their major,” said Jessica Scott, assistant director of the Donaghey Scholars Program. “Even though she is a gifted dancer, she has the mind of a scientist.” Growing up in Springdale, Rosenkrans started dancing at age 4 at Rhythm and Shoes Dance Studio in Tontitown. “I fell in love with jazz,” she said. “I was a shy kid and jazz gave me the opportunity to be someone else, outgoing and spunky.” She started ballet at age 7 but didn’t become a serious ballet student until age 15. She comes from a family of educators: her father is a professor of animal physiology at the University of Arkansas, and her mother is the associate vice president of Learning and High School Relations at Northwest Arkansas Community College. When it came time to choose a college, she looked near and far. She auditioned for a few conservatory programs and was accepted to Wellesley College in Massachusetts as well as the University of Arkansas, which is close to her home in Northwest Arkansas. However, she was drawn to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which offers the state’s only Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. “I knew I wanted to have the option to take both dance and pre-med classes,” Rosenkrans said. “I came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a chemistry major and then decided to have a dance/chemistry double major. Eventually, I realized that I could major in dance and minor in chemistry, and still achieve my goal of being prepared for medical school.” What sealed the deal was a Donaghey Scholars Program scholarship, and with it the ability to study abroad and to graduate with no debt. During her first two summers, she worked as a medical intern in Sri Lanka and as an English teacher in Peru, both of which gave her invaluable perspectives on global policies. “In Sri Lanka, I saw a country striving to aid its people through free health care, yet patients were turned away simply due to a lack of time and space to treat everyone,” Rosenkrans said. “In Peru, I was inspired by the community’s connection to their Incan farming traditions. However, I saw a community whose grains were being purchased for pennies in comparison to the price they are sold for in grocery stores within the United States.” As part of the Whitbeck Award competition, Rosenkrans wrote an essay on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. “I find myself returning to the idea of acknowledging the humanity and needs of others,” she wrote. “This involves creating and fostering an environment with meaningful cross-cultural dialogue, striving for and supporting breakthroughs in science and technology that help humanity, and advocating for and preserving communal works of beauty.” With her eye on medical school, Rosenkrans completed the pre-medicine courses, taking as many as 23 credit hours per semester and finishing with a 4.0 grade-point average. Her friends joke that she never sleeps, and she admits that between dance rehearsals and lab work, she stays busy. As a junior, she received one of the state’s Student Undergraduate Research Fellowships to study the biological, psychological and social impacts of a modern dance class. Her research examined salivary biomarkers indicative of fitness training and stress in modern dancers and compared the biomarker levels to dancers’ self-reflection surveys. The results provided evidence in support of modern dance as a source of stress relief, and also served as a step toward developing more specialized nutritional and cross-training guidelines for modern dancers. “She took her two passions and combined them into a very novel research project,” said Dr. Brian Berry, chair and associate professor of chemistry. “I was impressed with the way she approached the idea and executed the work.” Rosenkrans also works as a research assistant for , where she completed an eight-week internship last summer. The scientists there liked her work so much that they asked her to continue working remotely. Her current work involves annotating behavior traits indicative of Parkinson’s disease. Outside of the lab, Rosenkrans spends much of her time in dance studios. As part of her BFA major, she created four original dance works. She has performed in the spring Bodyworks, the fall Dance Harvest, and with the Department of Theater Arts and Dance’s annual dance tour to high school and middle schools across the state. Yslan Hicks, senior faculty and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, has watched Rosenkrans progress as a dancer, choreographer, scientist and scholar for four years. As a first-semester freshman, Rosenkrans replaced a senior dancer in a highly athletic piece. “I have known many first-semester freshman; I have seldom witnessed a comet on stage,” Hicks said. “Lelia was all light and speed and fire. Her broader academic and personal goals are often fixed on making things better for others. Even before her university experience she has given of herself with a global awareness.” Off campus, Rosenkrans has performed with the Arkansas Festival Ballet’s productions of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Nutcracker.” She is a member of UnTapped, the state’s only professional dance company, and she teaches dance workshops for members of the UnTapped Youth Ensemble. “I love leading workshops in schools,” she said. “I have experienced the unity and joy created through free community dance workshops as children and adults alike find themselves possessing untapped capabilities within a body they have known for years. The discovery is truly empowering.” Despite a hectic academic schedule, Rosenkrans has mentored younger Donaghey Scholars and served as an ambassador for the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences and as a student leader in Chi Alpha Campus Ministry. She has volunteered more than 200 hours at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, the VA Hospital and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock theatre box office. “Her work has benefitted the university and contributed to the central Arkansas community, and through it all, she has grown as a person, a dancer, a scholar, and friend,” Scott said. After commencement, Rosenkrans plans to take a year off – to travel, study, reflect, and focus on her future – before starting medical school in fall 2019. This summer, she heads to eastern Germany to study dance improvisation and then to India to become certified to teach yoga. “I find myself both forever grateful and inspired by the experience I have been afforded during my time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and I hope to continue my traditions of scholarship, leadership and character throughout the rest of my life,” she said.]]> Alumni Spotlight: Michael Bartholmey /news-archive/2017/12/04/michael-bartholmey/ Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:25:21 +0000 /news/?p=68722 ...]]> He directs “Oliver!,” based on Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.” The show runs through Dec. 10 at the Royal Theater in Benton. Bartholmey, who has been part of the central Arkansas theater scene for many years, graduated in 2012 from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts, which he credits with giving him a solid foundation. “I loved my time in the Theatre and Dance Department at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” he said. “The faculty opened my eyes to another dimension and gave me a whole new perspective on the art of theatre. Stacy Pendergraft (associate professor of actor training) helped me hone my acting skills. Without her directing class, I doubt I would have been ready to take on this project. And I definitely wouldn’t have made it through without the help of my adviser and professor Yslan Hicks. All of the classes were hands-on and engaging.” Bartholmey, a North Little Rock resident, got an early start in theater. As a teen, he performed at the . After college, he was cast in “Henry V” at . He has performed with in Benton in numerous shows, including “Our Town,” “Oklahoma,” “Legally Blonde,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Earlier this year, he performed in “Titanic: The Musical” at in Little Rock. For the past five years, Bartholmey has worked with the Saline County Shakes, a company he co-founded as a way to bring classical productions to the public for free. He also directed summer productions of “Macbeth,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Hamlet,” and “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” (abridged). In addition to acting and directing, Bartholmey is experienced in stage management, lights/sounds, set design and construction, and other facets of theater. “I’ve done just about everything. One of the things I loved about being in the theatre program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was that they provide you with training in almost every aspect of the craft,” he said. “Acting is my true passion, but I love being behind the scenes almost just as much.” Last year, Bartholmey was named to the ACANSA Arts Avant Garde class of 2016. “Oliver!” is a new challenge for Bartholmey. It’s not only his first musical to direct but also the largest cast and crew he has worked with on any production. “I’ve always loved the casting process. You start out with a certain vision of what you want each character to look like but then you have the audition and sometimes that completely changes,” he said. “That can be a good thing or a bad thing. It’s like a big puzzle that can really go anyway you want it. You start putting the pieces together and try to figure out the best solution to fit your vision.” “Oliver!” opened Nov. 30 to a full house, much to Bartholmey’s delight. “Just being able to see your ideas and vision come to life on stage is an incredible experience,” he said. “Being able to finally sit back and just enjoy it after all the hard work and late nights really makes it all worthwhile.” “Oliver!” will be performed again Dec. 7-9 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. For more information, visit ]]>