Lifestyle

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LIFESTYLE 4/21/24 9:26pm

Elon Watches: The Fall Guy

By Harrison Saini

Stunt performers are some of the most overlooked and underrated people in Hollywood. Despite a lack of recognition, they are often the reason why so many films are as exciting or adrenaline inducing as they are. Their skill, precision and dedication bring the most daring action sequences to life, and it is their passion and dedication that are at the heart of David Leitch’s new action film, “The Fall Guy.” The film follows stuntman Colt Seavers, played by Ryan Gosling, as he returns to the world of filmmaking only to find that the actor he doubles has mysteriously disappeared.  

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LIFESTYLE 4/21/24 3:56pm

Élan Vocal Jazz Ensemble performs classics of the jazz and swing eras at Elon University

By Ruth Cruz

Open the curtains and set the stage for Élan students to prepare a beautiful ensemble of unique melodies. Élan’s powerful performance reflected student talent and spirit.  Élan Vocal Jazz Ensemble presented “Songs of Love” a mix of jazz and swing classics of the 40’s and 50’s eras. The group performed a fusion of musical elements from the past to present. Musicians collaborated with students on April 18 at McCrary Theatre to explore swing-style music. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/21/24 11:25am

Elon student vendor honors late grandmother with business

By Monika Jurevicius

Sadie Guffey was tending her booth with her newest product on the table, a super-sized version of her crocheted acorns. When Elon President Connie Book ordered two of the acorns after seeing them, Guffey knew she had achieved so much more than she thought she could, especially for her late grandmother who taught her the craft she practices now. Guffey only learned to crochet in summer of 2023 after she came back from her study abroad. Guffey’s grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer on Feb. 22, 2022, and had tasked herself with teaching all the grandchildren the craft while she was recovering at home.

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LIFESTYLE 4/20/24 12:17pm

Burlington coffee shop, The Daily Grind, emphasizes intentionality

By Audrey Geib

Morning light spills through the windows, casting an orange hue over the pink walls and green plants scattered throughout the small cafe. It’s 7 a.m., and The Daily Grind is open for another busy day of walk-ins and drive-through customers. Following its soft opening in June 2023, the Daily Grind has grown in popularity. Owner Emily Baker said that the team wants to emphasize intentionality with each customer served within the coffee shop. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/19/24 11:46am

Elon’s new bakery, Cakes etc. by Cindy, embraces community amid advertising roadblocks

By Cailey Cetani

A wall of sweet smelling baked goods greets customers as they walk into Cakes, etc. by Cindy. To enter the bakery, just look for the neon open sign on the ground floor of the Acorn Inn. People can find the owner Cindy Pettiford behind the counter along with her husband, Cory Pettiford and her three sons.  The bakery opened last year on July 15, 2023 and has continued to produce goods ranging from pound cakes to cobblers to banana pudding. Before baking, Cindy worked as a part time customer service worker and notary on top of baking at home. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/18/24 2:30pm

Student production of ‘Pippin’ has ‘Magic to Do’ for three sold-out audiences at Elon University

By Sarah T. Moore

After learning about Renegade Productions through a friend, Elon University freshman Jackson Bennett signed up for the student organization’s newsletter last fall. Now, on April 19 and 20, the Cinema and Television Arts major will be performing as the title role in Renegade’s spring musical, “Pippin.” While the show’s three performances are sold-out, Renegade Productions is doing a free ticket lottery that anyone can enter. The lottery winner will be drawn at 5 p.m. on April 18 and information about how to enter is on the club’s Instagram page, @elonrenegade. Performances are at 8:30 p.m. April 19 and 20 and there is a 3 p.m. performance on April 20. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/16/24 7:54pm

Under the stars: Elon University’s Black Student Union hosts first annual met gala

By Erin Martin

Themed “A night under the stars,” the first annual Black Student Union met gala event was held April 13 and brought together students from diverse backgrounds across corners of campus to revel in a night of celebration and camaraderie.

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LIFESTYLE 4/15/24 10:21am

Limelight Records twin duo release their self-titled debut album

By Charlotte Pfabe

Whether they're blending their voices to create heavenly harmonies or playing dazzling melodies on piano and guitar, Ali and Andi Dalton find comfort in performing together. As identical twins, Ali and Andi have been writing music together for a few years and recently released their debut album, titled “Ali and Andi,” on March 31. Ali and Andi’s music falls into the singer-songwriter, folk genre, with plucky guitar lines and breathy vocals layered on top of one another to create a chorus of harmonies. Andi and Ali returned to their hometown on April 5 to celebrate the release of their album with a release party and performance.

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LIFESTYLE 4/13/24 9:46pm

Elon Motorsports hosts community car show

By Monika Jurevicius

Cars of all generations gathered in the back of Schar Center for the Elon Motorsports car show. 60 participants from the Elon community came together to sponsor or enjoy the event. Elon Motorsports club hosted the car show for an end-of-year event on April 13 with partnerships from other North Carolina universities and the local community. Local car group Burlington Cruise In joined the group of students in the event. Vice President of Elon Motorsports Quintin Lasky said the event was to introduce new motorsport enthusiasts to the community, as well as bringing the experienced groups together.

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LIFESTYLE 4/13/24 2:25pm

Photo Gallery: Elon University hosts annual spring pride event

By Rachel Holley

The Gender and LGBTQIA Center at Elon University hosted its annual spring pride event on April 12 at Young Commons. The event was open to the public in hopes of educating the community on LGBTQ+ identities, with the theme “Flower Power.” 

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LIFESTYLE 4/11/24 4:11pm

Elon Performing Arts presents Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” for spring play

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s performing arts department presents William Shakespeare’s comedy, “As You Like It” for the main stage spring play from April 11 to 13. “As You Like It” will be performed in McCrary Theater in the Center for the Arts on April 11 and April 12 at 7:30 p.m. and on April 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 or free with an Elon ID and can be purchased on Elon’s ticketing website. When deciding on productions for the 2023-24 season, director and Elon professor Kevin Ortos advocated the play to the season selection committee.

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LIFESTYLE 4/11/24 12:35pm

Elon University Percussion Ensemble examines music from international composers

By Ruth Cruz

The Percussion Ensemble Spring Concert explored a beautiful mix of sounds from around the world. Students performed a variety of music from international composers on April 10 in Yeager Recital Hall. The Percussion instruments included rattles, cymbals, gongs, hand drums, shakers, marimbas and more. Ensemble director and music instructor Isaac Pyatt focused on the complexities of sound from various instruments to create harmony. He said a talented musician can alter any object to create beautiful melodies. Pyatt said he hopes he can transform student experiences and enhance their musical journey through percussion instruments.

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LIFESTYLE 4/9/24 10:43am

Grand Night features student-produced music theater, emotional senior send-off

By Katharyn MacDonald

In four sold-out shows of song, dance and looking back on college journeys, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre students performed together in Grand Night — a collage of performances that showcased the program’s talents — on April 5 and 6 in Elon University’s Roberts Studio Theatre. Students directed, music directed and choreographed 15 numbers across many genres. Caroline Borio, assistant student director and senior performer, said everyone always looks forward to doing their senior class number. Assistant Professor of Music Theatre Courtney Liu, who managed Grand Night with Guest Instructor Jane Lanier, called it a “real tear-jerker.”

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LIFESTYLE 4/6/24 11:05am

Holi celebration educates students about Hindu culture, spreads awareness for diverse religions

By Ruth Cruz

Elon University’s Truitt Center celebrated the end of winter and the warmth of spring with the Holi Festival of Colors at Speaker’s Corner on April 5. Holi represents hope and new beginnings in the Hindu culture. The spring festival includes colored powder — or gulal — or colored water. Holi aims to commemorate connection and companionship, as well as bring the community together to acknowledge diverse cultures. The festival also teaches students about India, Hinduism, and traditional stories reflected in the celebration. University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement Kirstin Boswell encourages students to participate in these events, which offer opportunities to learn about diverse cultures.

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LIFESTYLE 3/25/24 5:16pm

Elon Watches: Avatar the Last Remake

By Lucy Samuels

Three things: 1) No, it's not as bad as the movie. 2) ‘Show don't tell’. And 3) … why? After five years of production and a change in leadership, Netflix released its own live action adaptation of Nickelodeon’s iconic series: “Avatar the Last Airbender.” By trying to set itself apart from the original show (created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko), it’s lost the key elements that made the animated series so good in the first place. While not as bad as the infamous M. Night Shyamalan film, the new Netflix rendition is far from honorable.

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LIFESTYLE 3/22/24 3:51pm

Elon campus police, Residence Life offer safety tips for spring break

By Jordyn Forni

Spring break is quickly approaching, beginning after classes on March 22. Before leaving campus, students must properly secure their living spaces and vehicles for safety — according to Residence Life and campus police. Student Life urges students to unplug all appliances, hide valuables that they plan to leave behind, secure non-perishable food, dispose of perishable food, empty all trash cans, turn off all water faucets, set their thermostats to 50 degrees, as well as lock all doors and windows. Director of Residence Life Kristen Carrier said students should bring their keys with them upon departure from campus.

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LIFESTYLE 3/20/24 9:44am

Elon professor sheds light on college students with eating disorders

By Nia Bedard

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, Eating disorders generally begin to develop between the ages of 18 and 21 which is mainly college students. While in college, students participating in classes can be involved in clubs, internships or work creating a high workload and causing students to demand a lot of themselves. Elon psychology professor and clinician, Bilal Ghandour, whose research revolves around perfectionism and impulsive behaviors, has found that eating disorder behavior evolves from a strong sense of needing to be perfect and an inability to let go of high demands.

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LIFESTYLE 3/19/24 12:15pm

Student art gallery shapes future artists, promotes diverse perspectives at Elon University

By Ruth Cruz

The annual Juried Student Exhibition will be open through April 18 in Gallery 406 at Arts West. The student gallery featured 28 unique pieces that reflected concepts of identity, race, and community. A Juried Exhibition is an artwork gallery and competition that selects the best expressive art in a showcase. Chair of the art department Samantha DiRosa collaborated with students in the art program to promote the gallery. She said the gallery was a student effort that provided career opportunities for students to gain experiences in their field.

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LIFESTYLE 3/19/24 10:17am

Elon University DJs electrify college party scene

By Charlotte Pfabe

There’s a new wave of musical entertainment on the rise that has swept through Elon’s campus — DJs. DJs, also known as disc jockeys, are performers that play and mix pre-made music live. Shawn Kelly, an Elon senior and computer science major, found DJing during his sophomore year of college. Performing under the name 'djskelly,' he used his musical background and computer science knowledge to teach himself how to mix music. Since beginning his journey of making music and performing, Kelly has amassed over 24,000 followers on Instagram.

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LIFESTYLE 3/18/24 5:55pm

Original play by Elon student explores intersections of LGBTQ+ identities, Catholicism

By Sarah T. Moore

Senior Mallorie Sievert is determined to fill a gap in Catholic theater exploring LGBTQ+ themes and narratives. Inspired by the combined experiences of seeing a queer retelling of Joan of Arc at the Globe Theatre in London, visiting Santa Catalina monastery in Peru and her own Catholic upbringing, Sievert wrote a play about LGBTQ+ Catholic nuns in the 17th century. The play, which is part of her honors thesis, follows the love story of Ana and Teresa, who Sievert said were based on the biblical archetypes of the “whore” and the “bride,” respectively.

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