IAP 2019 Activities by Category - Multicultural Activities

Srinivasan Raghuraman

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: None

Carnatic Music is a form of Indian Classical Music associated with South India. Unique in several respects, most first-indulgers and curious internet sweepers are likely to feel some or all of the following:

• This form of music utilizes more modes/pitches than others.
• This form of music calls for a lot of vocal/instrumental acrobatics.
• This form of music uses many complex rhythmic patterns.
• This form of music is boring!/It is hard to sit through a 3-hour concert!
• This form of music is unintelligible.

As is the bane of many classical art forms, a little understanding of the how Carnatic Music works would go a long way in actually appreciating it and enjoying it.

In this course, we will study Carnatic Music as an art form. Discussions will include (in no particular order)

• The history of the art form and its performance today.
• Technical aspects of the art form including sruti, rAga, tAla, etc.
• The role and various forms of improvisation or manodharma sangIta.
• Compositional aspects.
• Performance aspects

and much more. The expectation is that this course equips one with the necessary knowledge and skill set to appreciate and enjoy a Carnatic Music performance today. No prior knowledge in Carnatic Music or any other form of music is expected, only a desire to understand what makes Carnatic Music work.

Jan 7, 9, 11, 10 AM - 1 PM.

Venue: 2-105.

If you are interested, please fill this form so that I may get a sense of the class size and also email updates: https://bit.ly/2BDRmjt

Sponsor(s): SANGAM
Contact: Srinivasan Raghuraman, SRIRAG@MIT.EDU

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Appreciating Carnatic Music

	Jan/07	Mon	10:00AM-01:00PM	2-105
	Jan/09	Wed	10:00AM-01:00PM	2-105
	Jan/11	Fri	10:00AM-01:00PM	2-105

Srinivasan Raghuraman, Srinivasan Raghuraman

Beatriz Cantada

	Jan/30	Wed	12:00PM-04:00PM	W20-307
	Jan/31	Thu	12:00PM-04:00PM	W20-307, back-up date

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/18
Limited to 30 participants
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

Class Awareness Workshop

Are you inspired to help end issues of class and classism at MIT? Join us and Class

Workshop details

DATE: Wednesday, January 30, 2019 (during IAP period) 

Back-up date: Thursday, January 31, 2019

TIME: 12:00-4:00 pm (Lunch will be served from 12:00 -12:30pm, workshop starts at 12:30pm)

LOCATION: W20-307 (Mezzanine Lounge)

AUDIENCE: Faculty, postdocs, staff and students at MIT

PRESENTER: Rachel Rybaczuk, Interim Director, Class Action

Registration is required. Lunch will be served.

SUGGESTED LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Identify different components of an individual's class background (income, occupation, education level, etc.) and how they are similar or different from others.
• Understand how students, faculty and staff from particular backgrounds could have additional challenges, both in general and specifically at MIT.
• Brainstorm ways of making the world and MIT specifically more inclusive and equitable.

 To register and request for additional information, please contact Shauna Bush-Fenty at sfenty@mit.edu.

Hosted by: Institute Community and Equity Office (ICEO) in partnership with Class Awareness Support and Equality (CASE), MindHandHeart (MHH), and Working Group for Support Staff, Civility and Respect Subcommittee (WGSS- C&R).

 

 

 

 

Sponsor(s): Institute Community and Equity Office
Contact: Shauna Bush- Fenty, 4-250, 617-715-2066, sfenty@mit.edu

Sam Kanner, Joyce Wu

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/09
Limited to 15 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Fee: $20.00 for instruction **

CLASS IS FULL - WAITLIST IS FULL

 

Kyudo, Japanese archery, means the "way of the bow" and was considered the highest discipline of ancient Japanese samurai. Kyudo is based on standing Zen meditation used by Zen Buddhist monks as a means of cultivating self-awareness. Beginners will receive instruction in the basic form of kyudo.  Training will take place on the first day (1/19), followed by actual shooting on the second day (1/20). People are required to come on Saturday to be trained in order to shoot on Sunday.  Open to MIT only.

Web site: http://web.mit.edu/misti/mit-japan

Cosponsored by Byakko Kyudo.

 

** Please make sure to pay your registration fee by Wed January 9.   You will forfeit your registration if you do not pay by January 9 and your place will be given to the next person on the waiting list. 

Sponsor(s): MIT Japan Program, Center for International Studies
Contact: Christine Pilcavage, x8-8208, csp18@mit.edu

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Day 1

Jan/19

Sat

01:00PM-05:00PM

MAC Court

Kyudo training

Sam Kanner, Joyce Wu

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Day 2

Jan/20

Sun

09:30AM-03:30PM

Rockwell Cage, North Court

Kyudo shooting

Sam Kanner, Joyce Wu

Hiroko Matsuyama

Jan/09

Wed

02:00PM-03:30PM

E40-496, Lucian Pye Conference Room

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/04
Limited to 20 participants
Fee: $10.00 for Materials (due at time of registration)

CLASS IS FULL; WAITLIST IS FULL -- Sorry no space left

 

Hiroko Matsuyama, an accomplished instructor of the Ohara school of Ikebana, will show you the basics of this ancient art as you create your own flower arrangements.

To register, please contact Christine Pilcavage at csp18@mit.edu. Your registration is not complete unless you have paid your $10 registration fee. You will forfeit your registration if you do not pay by Fri. January 4 and your place will be given to the next person on the waiting list. 

 

 

Sponsor(s): Center for International Studies, MIT Japan Program
Contact: Christine Pilcavage, csp18@mit.edu

MIT Language Conversation Team

	Jan/14	Mon	03:00PM-04:00PM	10-105 (Bush Room)
	Jan/28	Mon	03:00PM-04:00PM	10-105 (Bush Room)

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

Meet Eat Speak

Come to meet other language enthusiasts, students studying new languages, and native speakers of languages you’d like to practice. All MIT community members welcome. This is a great way to find a language partner!

Can't fit these coffee hours in your schedule? Try finding a conversation partner for language practice on our new website: http://lce.mit.edu. Partners pick the day, time, and place that are mutally convenient to meet.

Contact: MIT Language Conversation Team, E23-385, 617-253-1614, lce@mit.edu

Tobie Weiner, Student Administrator

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants should attend all sessions but there is flexibility

Discussions about race, politics, human rights leading up to  conceptualizing, designing and developing the 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Installation

Let's have fun and indepth conversations about the serious issues of race, politics, human and civil rights, then conceptualize and devlelop our plan for the 2019 MLK Jr. installation.

Since 1999 MIT and Wellesley students have worked together to create artistic and political installations that are built in Memorial Lobby to coincide with MIT’s celebration of Dr. King.

This year students have the option of enrolling in the MLK Design seminar (17.922, 6 units p/d/f) or joining a non credit discussion group to facilitate the design and construction of an installation, which will be placed in Memorial Lobby the dates of February 4 – February 14.

In designing the installation or project, participants in the seminar may address aspects of the theme of the honored speaker and the celebration in addition to their thoughts on civil and human rights, justice, equality, race, racism and the principles of Dr. King.  The installation will serve as a model for connecting academics and education with real life problems and struggle.  It is hoped that the seminar and the projects will encourage interaction and foster communication among members of the MIT community with diverse backgrounds.

If you are interested please contact me, Tobie (iguanatw@mit.edu) so I know how many people want to join the project.

 

 

Sponsor(s): Political Science, Institute Community and Equity Office
Contact: Tobie Weiner, E53-483, 617 253-3649, IGUANATW@MIT.EDU

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Design and Build the MLK Installation

	Jan/16	Wed	03:00PM-04:00PM	E51-385
	Jan/23	Wed	03:00PM-04:00PM	E51-385
	Jan/28	Mon	03:00PM-04:00PM	E51-385
	Jan/30	Wed	03:00PM-04:00PM	E51-385

We'll begin by getting to know one another and through our discussions about race, gender, human and civil rights and justice formulate our ideas for the 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Installation. The installation is built in Memorial Lobby the evening of February 4 and will be on display until February 14 when we take it down.

Qingyang Xu, Liangyuan Na

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 12/31
Limited to 8 participants
Attendance: Enrollment priority given to those who can attend all sessions.
Prereq: None

Registration Link 

https://goo.gl/forms/h2HYkSKvlo59h5nq1

 

Overview

 

Gu-zheng, also known as Chinese Zither, is a traditional Chinese string instrument with over two thousand years of history. It is also replete with aesthetic vitality and can be adapted to play modern Western music. Exotic as it might seem, participants with no music background can perform elegant solo pieces (one traditional Chinese and another Western) after limited practice by the end of four sessions. We will also have Gu-zheng available for participants to practice individually outside the sessions.

 

Free and delicious Chinese snacks will be provided at each session!

 

Syllabus

 

Session 1 (1/11):

 

Introduction (Instrument & History)

Basic playing techniques (right hand: pluck, pick, hook; left hand: tremolo)

Group practice

Demonstrate simple Chinese piece (A Laugh at the Undaunted Sea)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmbxge3rxgs

 

Session 2 (1/18):

 

Introduction (Traditional Chinese Music)

Basic playing techniques (flowery slide)

Teach simple Chinese piece (A Laugh at the Undaunted Sea)

Group practice

 

Session 3 (1/25):

 

Introduction (Traditional Chinese Art and Culture)

Basic playing techniques (left hand: press, half-note, slide)

Teach simple Western piece (Jingle Bells)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogtI9REv_6k

Group practice

 

Session 4 (2/1):

 

Advanced playing techniques (shake)

Demonstration (Qin Sang Qu)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLm0itS3kbk

Group performance by participants

Sponsor(s): Chinese Students and Scholars Association
Contact: Qingyang Xu, E40-103, 650-804-3938, qxu94@mit.edu

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Introduction

Jan/11

Fri

02:00PM-03:30PM

Sidney-Pacific

Each session will be divided into two 45-minute sections, with 4 participants each. Each participant will attend one of the two sections on any given date. The section times are: 2:00-2:45PM and 2:45-3:30PM. Both sections on the same day will cover the same materials.

Meet at Sidney-Pacific seminar room

Qingyang Xu, Liangyuan Na

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Basic Playing Techniques I

Jan/18

Fri

02:00PM-03:30PM

Sidney-Pacific

Each session will be divided into two 45-minute sections, with 4 participants each. Each participant will attend one of the two sections on any given date. The section times are: 2:00-2:45PM and 2:45-3:30PM. Both sections on the same day will cover the same materials.

Meet at Sidney-Pacific seminar room.

Qingyang Xu, Liangyuan Na

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Basic Playing Techniques II

Jan/25

Fri

02:00PM-03:30PM

Sidney-Pacific

Each session will be divided into two 45-minute sections, with 4 participants each. Each participant will attend one of the two sections on any given date. The section times are: 2:00-2:45PM and 2:45-3:30PM. Both sections on the same day will cover the same materials.

Meet at Sidney-Pacific seminar room.

Qingyang Xu, Liangyuan Na

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Advanced Techniques and Performance

Feb/01

Fri

02:00PM-03:30PM

Sidney-Pacific

Each session will be divided into two 45-minute sections, with 4 participants each. Each participant will attend one of the two sections on any given date. The section times are: 2:00-2:45PM and 2:45-3:30PM. Both sections on the same day will cover the same materials.

Meet at Sidney-Pacific seminar room.

Qingyang Xu, Liangyuan Na

Hiromu Nagahara, Associate Professor of History

Jan/16

Wed

01:00PM-02:00PM

Museum of Fine Arts, Meet inside the Huntington Ave. entrance

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/15
Limited to 15 participants
Prereq: None

Did you know that Boston is home to the largest collection of Japanese art outside of Japan? Join MIT Japan historian, Hiromu Nagahara, on a tour of the fascinating collection at MFA, including famous woodblock prints, Buddhist sculptures, and samurai swords. The tour will include a discussion of the artworks' significance as well as how they got to Boston in the first place.  *Meet at 1pm inside MFA's Huntington Ave. entrance.  

Students with MIT ID get in museum for free. 

Click here to register!

Contact: Meghan Pepin, E51-255F, 617 324-5134, MJPEPIN@MIT.EDU

Hoon Cho, Margaret Lee

	Jan/09	Wed	07:00PM-08:30PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Kokikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/10	Thu	06:00PM-07:00PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Aikikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/16	Wed	07:00PM-08:30PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Kokikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/17	Thu	06:00PM-07:00PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Aikikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/23	Wed	07:00PM-08:30PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Kokikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/24	Thu	06:00PM-07:00PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Aikikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/30	Wed	07:00PM-08:30PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Kokikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.
	Jan/31	Thu	06:00PM-07:00PM	W32 Multi Court #2, Aikikai practice. Wear comfortable clothes.

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

Aikido (合気道; “the way of unifying life energy”) is a modern Japanese martial art that emphasizes blending with the attacker to use their strength against them, rather than resorting to forceful techniques such as punches and kicks. Aikido techniques are built upon the principle of handling physical confrontation with compassion rather than brute force. Because of this aspect, many consider Aikido not only a martial art, but also a nourishing life philosophy.

Beginners are welcome at any practice session. Classes are free of charge.

We offer classes in two branches of Aikido: Aikikai and Kokikai. Pick one that suits you better, or learn both!

Sponsor(s): Aikido Club
Contact: Hoon Cho, HHCHO@MIT.EDU

Kyoko Wada

Jan/27

Sun

02:00PM-03:00PM

W20-306

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/24

Join us for a Japanese tea ceremony performed by MIT Japanese Tea Ceremony lead by Mrs. Kyoko Wada, who has been studying the Japanese Tea Ceremony for more than 30 years. She will share "the happiness of the tea ceremony" with you and invite you to take this opportunity to leave your worries and problems at the door. Be transported to Japan by the calligraphy, ceramics, flowers, lacquer, and incense. Experience the four elements of the "way of tea:" harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. Imagine how they can bring harmony into our daily interactions. Take the first step of what can become a lifetime of study and meditation. 

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)

Sponsor(s): SpousesandPartners@mit
Contact: Kyoko Wada, chado.iap@gmail.com

Divya Goel, Radha Mastandrea

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: None
Fee: $10.00 for non-MIT community

Bhangra, a folk dance from the state of Punjab in India, is full of joy, energy and vibrance, with a rich tradition and a thriving community all over the world. Please join the MIT Bhangra team to learn a short piece of choreography and get a great workout, but more importantly, have a great time with great people!

This workshop is open to anyone: free for the MIT community, $10 otherwise.

Please bring comfortable clothes and a water bottle! 

The workshops are located at McCormick Hall (320 Memorial Drive). There will be a member of the team at the front desk to sign in participants, so just let them know you're there for the workshop!

 

Contact: MIT Bhangra, BHANGRA-EXEC@MIT.EDU

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Beginner Level Workshop

Jan/16

Wed

06:00PM-08:00PM

McCormick Studio, Please note date & location have changed

Divya Goel, Radha Mastandrea

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Intermediate Level Workshop

Jan/19

Sat

03:00PM-05:00PM

McCormick Studio, Please note date & location have changed

Divya Goel, Radha Mastandrea

MIT Language Conversation Exchange team

	Jan/09	Wed	01:00PM-02:00PM	E19-202
	Jan/22	Tue	01:00PM-02:00PM	10-105 (Bush Room)

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session
Prereq: none

Twice monthly lunch mixer for language enthusiasts to meet native speakers and exchange about language and culture! All MIT community members welcome. Multicultural foods will be served at each lunch. This is a great way to find a language partner.

Can't fit these lunches in your schedule? Try finding a conversation partner for language practice on our new website: http://lce.mit.edu. Partners pick the day, time, and place that are mutally convenient to meet.

Eat, Meet, Speak

 

 

Sponsor(s): MIT Language Conversation Exchange
Contact: The MIT Language Conversation Exchange Team, E23-385, 617 253-1614, lce@mit.edu