.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

It is hardly news to anyone, at this late stage, that the Dubai College senior production this March will be Hairspray.  To the average onlooker, this musical may seem like a happy-go-lucky, cringe-worthy cheese-fest – which admittedly, in many ways, is undeniable!  However, many people gravitate to the belief that Hairspray has little or social historical weight, rendering it clichéd and uninspiring.  They could not be more wrong.

Set in 1960s Baltimore, in the thick of civil rights campaigns sweeping the United States, Hairspray follows the tale of the bubbly, “pleasantly plump” teenager, Tracy Turnblad, who is involved in a campaign of her own: to become one of the “Nicest Kids in Town” on the “Corny Collins Show” (based on the real life Buddy Dean Show).  However, as the musical progresses it is revealed that Negroes are not permitted to dance on the show with the White kids, and are further restricted to only one day each month of air time on the show: “Negro Day”.  Tracy then makes it her mission, along with Baltimore’s Negro community, to integrate the Corny Collins Show.

Bursting with energetic dances, goosebump-evoking love songs and an all-round unique dynamism, Hairspray is a must-see for all.  Self-confessed musical fans are a ridiculously small group of people in the grand scheme of things, but Hairspray has something for everyone.  It explores issues such as racism that makes it highly relevant to its time period, as well as relating to similar present-day concerns.  Having opened on Broadway in 2002, Dubai College will have the honour of performing it in its 10th anniversary year.  The original show played for over 2,500 performances, making it one of the longest-running Broadway shows ever.  The original cast starred none other than Matthew Morrison as Link Larkin, who most people are familiar with through his portrayal of Will Schuester on the hit TV show Glee.  Perhaps the primary reason for Hairspray’s popular renown among today’s youth, however, is the movie remake released in 2007, starring Zac Efron and Jon Travolta, among many other A-list stars.

While it is lovely to watch a show full of delightful songs and jolly dances, Hairspray leaves audiences enlightened about the culture it surrounds itself in, as well as astounded by the performance quality and witty humour that is so prevalent in the script.  The effect that Dubai College’s production of hairspray will have on audiences will be no exception to this convention.  Run and tell that!

Our inspiration

An ancient Indian proverb reads, “All that is not given is lost.” Indeed, the quote speaks a great deal about the innate obligation we have, as members of humanity, to give all that we can to charity. Over the past few weeks, countless people have come to me with ideas for the new Charity Committee, which is to be restructured this year, and I have been struck each time by the capacity of society to feel moved, and to take action. I have been genuinely touched by the sheer devotion most people seem to have for charity, and the creative approach they take to fundraising. No longer is charity about throwing money at the anonymous poor; today’s charitable leaders look to send supplies, and offer active service, which is a donation that far supercedes the much less personal gift of money. As President of the Charity Committee this year, I look forward to seeing what people do in order to offer their support to those in need.

The new Charity Committee will be restructured in true Communist style, with six sub commissions and equal representation- as well as some advice and input from your friendly dictators, Nayana Prakash (yours truly) and Aashini Shrivastav…or as we prefer to call ourselves, Mao and Jiang Qing. The six sub-commissions will represent the charities of the Ray school in Ethiopia, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Harmony House in Delhi, the Dhaka Project, MSF and Nepal’s Children of the Mountain charity, as well as the charity events of World Food Day and Music, Charity, Love. Under the new structure, the sub-commissions will work virtually independently of each other, which should leader to a greater sense of participation and, hopefully, more work being done. However, during such events as World Food Day and Music, Charity, Love, we do hope that the Charity Committee will band together in order to support each other, as well as a good cause. Additionally, though a great number of charities do not have permanent footholds in the Committee, we are always open for ideas and charitable events which we can become involved in, something which many students have already noticed.

The year ahead looks to be a promising one, with events slotted in for nearly every week of the school calendar. With numerous applications rolling in, I feel confident that the new Charity Committee, with Aashini and I, as well as Mr. Dennis, Ms. Foulkes and Mrs. Greenlees to supervise it, will be capable of revolutionizing the charitable aspect of the school. As busy as the year will be, I know that the school will always be willing and eager to help out in any way possible. Although the Committee is for sixth formers only, compassion knows no boundaries, and we can all become involved in some way or another, and if you do have ideas, I urge you to seek out the people mentioned above in order for your voices to be heard. With Pink Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month right around the corner, I am certain that the response will be immense. Now is the time to step forward with your ideas; now is the bring to life the ideas that you have always wished to implement. As my personal mentor, Chairman Mao, once said, “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend”; this year, we want to hear your ideas, your schools of thought. Although we may not be able to accommodate every suggestion, let the Charity Committee be your sounding board so that we can support your endeavours outside of school, either in a professional or personal capacity. For the coming month, think pink, and think big: in the true spirit of Communism and charity, let us be united in whatever we strive for- and let this year be a fruitful one.

How is AS level music going so far?

It’s fun so far. We have 5 lessons a week, 3 of which we spend on learning the syllabus, and listening and analysing music – so far we’ve listened to Renaissance music and a bit of Classical music, Neoclassicism, and Romantic Music. The other two lessons a week are spend doing composition, which makes up part of our music coursework.

How did you enjoy GCSE music?

It was about the difficulty I was expecting it to be, so it was challenging but not overly so. The coursework did become a bit time consuming towards the end, as it was difficult trying to find the time to finish it all off! My favourite part of the course was part of the coursework. We had to do two performances, a solo piece and an ensemble piece. The ensemble piece was my favourite part, as I really enjoyed working in a group like that.

Have you got any advice for Year 10s who have just started their music GCSE course? Give the readers your 5 top tips.

• Listen to as wide a range of music as possible, really listen around your set pieces.
• Stay on top of your composition, and try to finish it as early as possible, as it will really save you time later
• Practice as much as you can, and you will really improve quickly.
• Don’t be scared of Mr. Zambonini
• Play in groups when possible, it will help to improve your musicianship and teamwork

Which instruments do you play and what is your favourite?

I play the flute and piano, for which I am taking my Grade 8 in May this year. I don’t know what my favourite of the two is, as piano music is definitely harder, but flute playing requires more skill, as you have to create your own sound, so it is very different to the piano.

Finally, what ensembles do you play in?

I play in piano ensemble, senior orchestra and flute choir. I have been playing in flute choir since Year 7, first in the Junior Flute Choir and now in the Senior Flute Choir since Year 10. I would say that flute choir is my favourite ensemble.

Here is this month’s quiz… See how many you can get right – and don’t cheat!!

1. What battle was fought in 1066 in Britain?
2. What is the oldest religion in the world?
3. Who was the first man to step on the moon?
4. Name the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White
5. How many Olympic Gold Medals did Mark Spitz win in the 1972 Olympics? (Clue: He is a swimmer)
6. I’m running a race. I overtake the person in second. What position am I now in?
7. Bilbo Baggins is a character is which trilogy?
8. Where is the smallest bone in the human body?
9. Which famous celebrity’s true name is ‘Curtis Jackson’?
10. If instructed to play a piece of music “allegro”, what pace would you play: fast, marching-beat or slow?
11. What is the currency of Oman?
12. If you fly into the airport with the three-letter code, CDG – what city are you in?
13. Which film won the 2011 Oscar for Best Picture?
14. Chiffon, Marble and Bundt are types of what?
15. What is geniophobia a fear of?
16. Who wrote ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’?
17. What was the score in the most recent Manchester United vs. Arsenal match in the Barclays Premier League?
18. What was the name of the ship that fired the first shot to signal the beginning of the Russian Revolution in 1917?
19. What is the binomial name of a lion?
20. What is the name of David and Victoria Beckham’s youngest child?

DC students have excelled with some outstanding performances at both GCE A Level and GCSE. The A*/B pass rate for A Level was once again over 85% placing the College in the top 80 UK schools in the recently published Times League tables.

There were a number of superb performances none more so than those from Cody Duncan, Pooja Nair, Shaun Ayrton and Devin Clarke, all of whom gained 4 A* grades.

The GCSE results produced the highest ever number of A* grades with over fifty students achieving 5 A* grades or more. The overall success at GCSE was also reflected in the Times league tables with an A*/A pass rate placing the College in the top 50 schools.

Commenting on the results Headmaster Peter Hill said, “I am delighted so much hard work and commitment has been rewarded. It is wonderful to see so many DC students achieving the highest possible grades. They deserve every congratulation. I must also mention the dedication of the teaching staff and the support given by the parents.”