Category: Features

Take the quiz and test your Rally Day knowledge.

by Vivian Palmer, class of 2019

I’m aware that I carry traits, genetic wiring, emotional baggage. I can feel it in my bones. I am constantly shaped by the people, the places, and the things I encounter. Each one flows into my life and contributes to the formation of my person like the tributaries into the Mississippi. New Orleans is my one and only home, the only place I’ve ever lived, and a central part of my identity. Its culture and quirks are what make me who I am, and the music and arts of the city impact my life on a daily basis. As an arts lover and a dancer, New Orleans allows me to be immersed in a rich and colorful arts scene that is unique to this city alone. New Orleans is the only place where you can walk down the street and hear a jazz quartet playing in a club on one corner, and turn and see a collection of paintings hanging for sale on the wrought iron fence of Jackson Square on another, and for this, I am eternally grateful. Tennessee Williams once wrote, “America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.” Every day, I wake up and thank my lucky stars that I don’t live in Cleveland. Anywhere else, the city will not embrace you at first glance and let its artful culture seep into your pores; but in New Orleans, it’s just how the city says hi. Here, because art is a vital part of the city’s composition, I can be passionate about it without boundaries. However, without a city that freely and unapologetically expresses itself, I don’t think I would feel comfortable doing the same.

Overall, society suppresses the arts, but in this city, they are highlighted, and dance, specifically, is something that New Orleans embraces. The art of dance, in and of itself, is universal. Everyone can dance, anywhere, at any time. Dance is spontaneous, and it can begin in an instant. It requires no formal training, no formal attire, and no objects, except two mobile feet, and because of its easy access, dance can be found in every inch of the city. From the second liners on Bourbon Street to the tap dancer in front of St. Louis Cathedral trying to earn a buck, to the partygoers at Rock ‘n’ Bowl and even all the way to my own dance studio, dancers move and descend further and further into the New Orleans culture, a culture that has been alive with dance for three hundred years. From New Orleans’ very inception, Cajuns gathered in dance halls to preserve their culture and traditions, and the same is true for the African slaves in Congo Square. Even when they had nothing else, no freedoms, no rights, they still had their own customs, which they preserved through dance. Once a day, for a few minutes a day, dance was a slave’s escape from the tragic reality that was his or her life. In a similar way, dance allows people in New Orleans to escape their realities and be someone else, if only for a moment. However, it is only because New Orleans has the arts at its core that this escape is possible. Without things like dance and music pumping through its veins, New Orleans would lose all vitality, all spirit, all culture, and in turn, I, and many other artists, would as well. Without the arts, New Orleans would just be Cleveland, and the world would suffer an unbearable loss.

Cby Ella Cheramie, class of 2019

Click-Clack goes the horses marching down St. Charles, atop them police united with the people

Click-Clack goes the soles of a young boy’s feet, of his makeshift taps from his daddy’s cans

Click-clack goes the spare change thrown in the box of a performer who sits near the historic steeple

Click-clack goes the Abita bottle, being tapped by a lost drummer’s hands

Click-clack goes the tractor sinking into the pothole, taking the brunt of damage so the float lugged behind it rides smooth

Click-clack goes the beads aimed straight for the drains, green shiny plastic meets hard metal Click-clack goes the tambourine off the hip of a Mardi Gras Indian, who feels the groove

Click-clack goes the spoon, stirring the tea to awaken New Orleans creative minds, brewed straight from the kettle

Click-clack goes the cruiser bike switching gears, as it approaches the bustling colorful Frenchman street

Click-Clack goes the track of the ruby red Canal Street streetcar, dropping off local and tourists to the river

Click-clack goes the succulent crawfish poured atop the table, an aroma Catholics on Fridays adore more than meat

Click-clack goes the spray paint can marking a Katrina- X, as the national guard plays the role of a giver

Click-clack goes the lights of the Superdome, a place of refuge and unity, for the first time since the storm

Click-clack goes the hammers of volunteers rebuilding our homes

Click-clack goes the sounds of the heartbeat of resilient city reborn

Click-clack goes the door of our newly built fence to a home built from love and a yard for us to roam

Click the link and take the quiz!  Build your Thanksgiving menu to find out which Dominican Faculty member you are most like.

• original artwork by senior Rebecca Triche, member of the National Art Honor Society

 

• quiz designed by Jade Nguyen

Ms. Anjel Guitroz- Eyes and Dolls

The woman behind the SynDaver isn’t Ms. Guitroz. It’s Barbie! Ms. Guitroz is an avid collector of special edition Barbie dolls. Her collection began fifteen years ago with a set of Barbie dolls inspired by her favorite movie, Gone with the Wind. Her collection includes dolls from famous movies and TV shows such as That’s So Raven and I Love Lucy.

Her two favorite dolls are her special 40^th Anniversary Barbie that was made in 1999, the year her daughter Anya was born, and her sorority’s specially-made Alpha Kappa Alpha doll that was created to commemorate the first all-black sorority in the United States.

“I’ve always loved dolls ever since I was little,” says Guitroz. “I love the stories behind them and the people they represent.”

• Natalie Rodriguez-Ema

Mrs. Katie Kirkwood –  44 Presidents in One (or two) Breaths

Not only is Mrs. Kirkwood a math teacher, she also has a hidden talent.  She can name all the presidents of the United States in under 25 seconds.  She learned how to do this impressive talent in the 5^th grade through a song.  She can name them all with their first and last names.  She used to recite this fascinating skill to her past classes.

• Jennifer Yrle

Mr. Cameron Hahne- Performing Fanatic 

Dominican welcomes a new cast member to the stage, Mr. Hahne, as he performs in his new roles as French and religion teacher. Behind the scenes, however, Mr. Hahne is passionate about all things theater. He is a member of the ensemble of The Music Man at Rivertown Theaters for Performing Arts and has performed in musicals throughout high school and college.

In addition, he takes gymnastics classes, dance classes and voice lessons to help strengthen his skills for theater. “I enjoy having an outlet for my creative energy,” Mr. Hahne.

• Natalie Rodriguez-Ema

Sister Pam – Former Teacher and Rock Enthusiast

Believe it or not, Sister Pam had a career before settling in to Room 109 at Dominican. A former teacher and a rock enthusiast, Sister Pam Weathersby, M.S.C., loves all things science.  For 40 years, Sister Pam was a science teacher in the Archdiocese of New Orleans school system.  She taught biology, microbiology, earth science and physical science.  In fact, rocks of the earth are some her favorite things.  “Rocks remind me that we are still on the brink of creation,” said Sister Pam.

• Jennifer Yrle

Mr. Kwantrell Rideau- A Saxophone Star

The maintainance staff’s Mr. Kwantrell  has a hidden talent of his own: he plays the saxophone like no one else. Mr. Kwantrell Rideau been playing saxophone since he was eight years old. He fell in love with instrument because of its smooth, flowing sound. He keeps up with playing as a hobby and in a jazz group.  His favorite genres to play are traditional jazz, blues and contemporary jazz. He said he especially loves to play in Mardi Gras Second Lines. “I’ve always enjoyed the sound of the saxophone, ever since I first started playing,” said Mr. Kwantrell.

• Natalie Rodriguez-Ema

Ms. Charlene Ford – English Teacher by Day, Baker by Night 

Ms. Ford loves baking honey buns as much as she loves teaching Hamlet. She began baking when she was a student at LSU, but she does remember baking with her mom when she was little. Her bookshelves are full of cookbooks even though she’s not the best at following the recipes. Because Ms. Ford lives a vegan lifestyle, she said her biggest challenge is to modify recipes to make them vegan.

“My Instagram is all food,” said Ms. Ford. “My favorite recipe I’ve made has to be the Classic Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

• Grace DiFranco

Ms. Ashlyn Ciolino – Woodworking Enthusiast

While Coach Ciolino spends most of her time teaching P.E. in the SARG or coaching the Stunnah Runnahs of the Dominican Cross Country Team, woodwork is something that she also enjoys. Ms. Ciolino first discovered her love for building things when, at age 12, she built a wooden halfpipe with her cousins for skateboarding.

She calls this event her “intro to woodwork,” and since then, she has built many different things, including a door for her house, shelving, and even a trophy for the Cross Country team after a race win. “I’ve come a long way. I don’t make as many mistakes anymore,” said Ms. Ciolino.

• Vivian Palmer

Sr. Angeline Magro, O.P. – The African Violet Whisperer

Sr. Angeline has a knack for bringing an African violet plant back. She has such as green thumb that she has a nursery for sick violets in the in the back of the library. Those African violet plants displayed in the library have all been brought back to health by Sr. Angeline.

She said she waters them once a week, removes the dead flowers and leaves, “and I talk to them nicely.” She loves seeing them grow and has some at her house. “I liked watching the flowers grow and sometimes the plants would grow shoots. So I learned how to transplant the shoots,” said Sr. Angeline.

• Jade Nguyen

Mr. Matthew Foss- Master of Frog Tie Friday

Mr. Foss’s hidden talent, besides being a physics aficionado, is that he devloped a method to his “frog tie Friday” madness. Mr. Foss has a specific algorithm for organizing his outfits for the week.

The system begins with the shoes (either black or brown), then follows with the pants, shirt and, of course, the tie. Each week, he alternates a few color choices of articles of clothing, which then establishes his ensemble for the day. “If it’s the right time and the right day, then it’ll be a Frog Tie Friday!” said Mr. Foss.

• Kathryn Valldejuli

Ms. Lauren Bordelon- Krav Maga Master

She’s a master of Scripture, student council and of marital arts. Ms. Bordelon  practices the art of Krav Maga at Triumph Self Defense School. She’s been attending classes 2-3 times each week since October. “I wanted to learn self-defense,” said Ms. Bordelon. “It is good practice being assertive, and I love the community there!”

• Kathryn Valldejuli

 

 

Mrs. Dawn Frick – Puppy Love

Mrs. Frick has always been an animal lover. Even though her mother wasn’t fond of animals, Mrs. Frick had two dogs during her childhood years. When she became an adult, she had several pets which were a part of her family.

After those beloved pets died, she knew she didn’t want to deal with that pain again, so she and her family started fostering dogs. Her latest and greatest endeavor was fostering three puppies this past summer.

• Macie LaFonta

The sounds of mistletones and jingle bells are resounding through the halls at DHS this holiday season. From frolicking in the first snow in New Orleans since 2008 to pictures with Santa in Alumnae Hall, students are preparing for a jolly Christmas.

For many, the Christmas season brings treasured memories and traditions to life. From watching their favorite Christmas movies to baking cookies with their families, the faculty and students of Dominican shared some of their favorite aspects of Christmas.