Category: Life & Arts
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Visiting professor teaches Comets West African dance
On Feb. 22, as a part of UTD’s iWeek, Cassandra Hines — a master teacher in West African dance — introduced Comets to a West African celebratory dance known as tiriba. Hines fell in love with African dance when she took an elective course during college, which led her to pursue years of further training…
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Gymnastics club flips into the limelight
In the gym, members of the UTD gymnastics club perform flips, turns on the beam and splits. But beyond the floor, these gymnasts can be found bonding over scoops of ice cream at Braum’s and cultivating a sense of kinship. UTD’s gymnastics club, hosted by University Recreation, was established in 2012 by UT Austin alum…
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‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ bends expectations
The Netflix adaptation delivers performance while stripping away the heart of the original. Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is a grounded adaptation that pays respect to its source material, but its pacing and dialogue tears away at the original’s 19 years of nostalgia. This live adaptation is an inconsistent yet beautifully crafted disappointment that will…
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Bad Romance: tales of heartbreak
One unread text: “It’s not you, it’s me.” It’s the text that no person in a relationship wants to receive. And while breakups are almost always painful at first — no matter which side you’re on — time can soften the messiest drama into a funny story. And when you date a UTD student, the…
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A whole new world of flavors with a side of service woes at Aladdin Café
Aladdin Cafe’s warm and inviting atmosphere begins at its front door, with staff welcoming you as you enter, and is only enhanced by the abundance of Disney’s “Aladdin”-themed decor and silverware, but the service and food offerings leave much to be desired. Located 13 minutes from campus and recently opened in December 2023, the cafe…
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Alumnus Mark Sampelo makes mark on Filipino community
Mark Deniel Sampelo, a 2016 UTD marketing alumnus, inspires hope by preserving an underrepresented identity in DFW through founding a Filipino Community Center and the first ever Filipinotown in North Texas. Sampelo said he was inspired by God to create a sustainable community home and legacy for Filipinos in North Texas. In 2022, he shared…
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The Slants share history fighting for free expression
Simon Tam and Joe Jiang shared an evening of music and passion with Comets on Feb. 2. They were invited on campus by Dean of EPPS Quentin Tarantino and Simon Tam — one iconic filmmaker and one visionary musician with seemingly no relation — ignited a controversial band name and a case for trademark rights…
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Furries of UTD: just like you and me
Walking down Rutford Avenue on Halloween, you may see something unexpected: a parade of students dressed up as humanoid animals, with furry bodies and cartoonish eyes. These Comets are furries, people who dress up as anthropomorphic animals, and they say their community offers opportunities for social engagement, academic development and emotional support. The UTD furry…
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Shinto beauty: Meet the Mingei Movement celebrating the humble
The Crow Museum of Asian Art at UTD exhibited everyday items made of from ceramics and textiles which are particularly praised by followers of Shintoism. Available until April 14, 2024, these art pieces are part of an existing exhibit — Japan, Form and Function: The Montgomery Collection — and housed in a large section called…
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‘Society of the Snow’ portrays pure realism
It’s old news that Hollywood likes to butcher true stories to make genres like true crime more marketable, substituting reality with sensationalized scenes made to garner shock over anything else. Director J.A. Bayona refuses to let the story of 45 Uruguayans get this treatment; his new film “Society of the Snow” (or “La sociedad de…
