JCC students show off their artistic sides
'Celebration of the Arts' at 7:30 p.m. April 11
By Veronica Webber
Staff Writer
LeighAnn Dusseau, 26, thought her voice was limited.
"Working with Keith (Drayton, Jackson Community College vocal instructor), I feel like now any song someone hands me to sing, I can sing it," said the JCC student.
She'll tackle the song, "One Moment in Time," made famous by Whitney Houston at the Los Angeles Olympics, at JCC's annual "Celebration of the Arts" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at the Baughman Theatre in the Potter Center.
Dusseau takes the Broadway Revue class and met Drayton while performing with Center Stage Jackson theater troupe. She took lessons for six years with a private instructor. She has been working with Drayton for the last two to three years and she's excited about the "Celebration."
"It's neat to see what the other departments are doing," Dusseau said.
Nearly all of JCC's arts students will be involved in the 90-minute show. It's set up like a collage, with individuals and ensembles getting a few minutes to shine. Art students provide the backdrop, while the African Drum Ensemble, the Jackson Community Concert Band and Broadway Revue will be among the performers. Poets, actors and dancers also will perform. Martha Petry, jazz technique instructor, said 17 of her students will perform.
"I think these dance students have progressed amazingly. I'm very proud. They love it," she said. Benjamin Belloli, 19, plays percussion in the concert band and performs a piece with the jazz band.
"Rehearsal went rough, but we're all professionals so the final performance will be most excellent," Belloli said. "It's my favorite concert of all the ones we've played." Ron Douglass, instrumental music instructor, is coordinating the performance. He said it's frustrating to coordinate all the different acts.
"It's impossible to plan until the last minute," he said.
"Celebration of the Arts" also will feature two students from the forensics team at JCC. Travis Riggs and Roland Anderson will do pieces on controversial issues.
Anderson, 24, will focus on "Segregation and Denial," compiling three authors' works: Aaron Freeman, Jonathon Kozol and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.