Fine Tuned Midd Talent, Good To The Last Act Annual Talent Show Embraces Cornucopia of Student Performers

Author: Laura Rockefeller

The Middlebury College Co-ed Cheerleading Team assembled a diverse and entertaining group of performers for their "Night of Talent" in McCullough Social Space on Saturday night. The acts, ranging from the impressive stunts of the Cheerleaders themselves, to On Tap and imaginative modern dancer Michael Jou '06, brought out enthusiastic reactions from the audience.

The night also included such unique acts as contortionism and a set of human bagpipes. McCullough favorite Brian Pletcher '04 was also on board to showcase his never tiring contact juggling act, complemented by some of the most engaging music in the show. Furthermore, the show saw good audience turn out, and despite getting off to a late start, it picked up the pace fairly quickly once it got its feet off the ground.

The show opened with a film by Angus Sutherland '05, Perry Blackshear '05 and Andy Arazoza '05. In it, Adam Sewall '03 and Toby Lawless SP elicited great laughter from the audience using their dramatic antics and performing a range of asinine stunts in Starr Library that every Middlebury student has always wanted to do yet has never had the nerve to try. Well, maybe some have.

This was followed by a singer-songwriter, Jenny Schneider '07, and then contortionist Julia Kaminsky '07, who astounded the audience with her incredible flexibility.

Perhaps the most unique performer in the first act was Zach Hacht-Leavitt '07, "the Human Bagpipes." He appeared on stage in a kilt and "played" a medley of traditional songs including "Scotland the Brave" and "Amazing Grace" by tapping his hand against his throat in some way that made the noises coming from his mouth sound startlingly like the bagpipes.

Right before the intermission, the Co-ed Competitive Cheerleaders performed one of their routines, which included impressive lifts and jumps, especially on the stage in McCullough where there was no comforting mat underneath them. They did a remarkable job staying in sync with each other, and perhaps most importantly, they all seemed to be having a great time.

Five members of On Tap started the second act off with a bang in a dance to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" choreographed by Nichole Nawfel '06. They were followed by the most cheered act of the evening, Crystal Belle '04, performing two of her poems.

Michael Jou '06, who has become familiar to audiences in McCullough thanks to his graceful modern dances, was the next to take the stage. This dance was different from his previous performances in talent shows in that he enlisted the aid of a large scarf rather than using a chair.

The final two performers were Greg Petrics '05 singing Elvis Presley's "Stuck on You" and contact juggler, Brian Pletcher. Juggling his mesmerizing crystal balls so effortlessly that they seemed to simply be bubbles floating in the air above the stage, Pletcher's act was as astounding as always.

Altogether, this eclectic assortment of performers proved an extremely entertaining evening of student talent.