This Parents Weekend, music, dance and the sound of hefty drums can all be heard across campus. Following the traditions of the weekend, students and parents will be treated to student performances in supplement to highly praised brunches.
The weekend starts off with the Common Hour performance on Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Morrell Gym. Emceed by the Improvabilities' Ben Cedars '11 and Ben Johnson '11, this hour of student performances will highlight groups as varied as Taiko, the Japanese drumming group, and the Middle Eastern Belly Dance Ensemble.
In addition to dance and drumming will be five of the campus's a capella groups: Bellamafia, the Longfellows, the Meddiebempsters (Meddies), Ursus Versus and BOKA.
These performers will also join many other campus groups on Saturday night at 8 p.m. in the new Morrell Gym for a presentation emceed again by Johnson and Cedars. Starting off the night will be UNITY Step Team, with their characteristic stepping and clapping that will aim to get the audience in the mood for a thrilling night.
All six campus a capella groups will perform, giving their newcomers a chance to test their chops in front of students and their parents.
"Of course we're really excited" said Chris Li '11, of the Meddies, the all-male a capella group of which he is a member. "We actually already did a gig with our freshmen about three days after auditions at a yacht club on Orr's Island. They just blew us away. We're still excited, though, for Parents Weekend because everyone is just so receptive."
Likewise, the various dance groups on campus—including the Middle Eastern Belly Dance Ensemble, VAGUE, Anokha, Pure Life, Pivotal and Polar Bear Swing—will show off their moves. Joining these music and dance groups will be the United Martial Arts Club and the Bowdoin Cheer Squad.
The weekend of performances will conclude with the Bowdoin College Concert Band's performance on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Studzinski Recital Hall.
"This concert is more of a pops concert," said John Morneau, the band's conductor. "We're playing more light-hearted music, like marches and a song medley from the musical 'Wicked.'"
The program is certainly more upbeat than the program the band is putting on in November, focusing on music that has been inspired by art.
"The program is very energetic. The marches really exhibit the band's talent," said flute-player Sara Powers '11.
"Plus, it's great to come together with members from the community and have them contribute their talents to our performance," Powers added. "Also, having our parents hear what we've been practicing for the past couple of months really makes the concert special."
The concert will run for about an hour with no intermission.