Dance major senior Carmen Felder (front center) rehearses "Divertimento No. 15" with fellow dancers, from left to right Tara Cragg, Kristin Young, Mallory Markham

and Anna Doss.

Russian ballet opens Friday

Oklahoma Festival Ballet, celebrating the work of Russian ballet choreographer Sergei Diaghilev, opens this weekend in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre.

For dance senior Carmen Felder, one of the principal dancers in "The Firebird," the two-hour performance represents weeks of rehearsal on top of years spent developing her skills as a dancer.

"I started taking ballet seriously when I was ten,” she said. “Just seeing the older girls and looking up to them-they were just beautiful. I thought, wow! I want to be just like that.”

Featuring four works based on Russian ballet practices, Oklahoma Festival Ballet marks the 100 year anniversary of Diaghilev’s founding of the dance company Ballet Russes, French for The Russian Ballets.

The show runs for two weekends, from February 27 to March 8, with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and OU faculty/staff, and $12 for students.

Jennifer Mays, an area sales manager at the Sooner Mall Dillard's works on a

merchandising display.

OU Career Services to host fashionable guests

Career services will host a workshop on Monday for students interested in breaking into the fashion industry.

“Careers in the Fashion Industry” will feature tips from Little Rock, AR-based Dillard’s buyers and managers on obtaining entry-level positions and developing a career path in the field.

The workshop is part of Career Services “How to Break Into” series, which highlights two to three industries each semester.

Bette Davis, OU Career Services Director, said the fashion industry workshop has been one of the most highly attended in the past, and it appeals to students from all disciplines throughout the arts and sciences college.

“Fashion’s important to (students),” she said. “They follow the trends.”

“Careers in the Fashion Industry” will be from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23 in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Scholars Room.

Some of "The Vagina Monologue" all-female cast members rehearse

Sunday evening in Dale Hall.

Did you just say the "C" word?

Cast members for the upcoming production of “The Vagina Monologues” are busy this week fine-tuning their performances in anticipation of opening night, Monday.

Students and Norman residents are invited to experience the exploration of female sexuality in a 90-minute production that features stories of and about real women and provides answers to questions like, “What would your vagina say?”

Director Anna Holloway, professional writing graduate student and religious studies teaching assistant said the show is written with complete candor, and the stories reflect the drama of real life.

"Some of the stories are very funny, she said. "And some are difficult to hear."

Proceeds from the production will benefit the Women’s Resource Center in Norman, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Performances will be at 7:00 p.m., Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. Admission is $7 at the door or $5 with a donation of toiletry items for the Women’s Resource Center.

Physical therapy sophomore Miranda Smith learns new dance moves at Friday night's marathon.

Dancing for dollars

Children’s Miracle Network dance marathon officials are calling Friday night’s event at the Huston Huffman Center the largest ever.

One of the goals for this year’s marathon was to get 500 students to participate, Klint Neal, event coordinator said.

“We smashed that goal,” he said. “We don’t know the final totals yet, but it’s well over 700.”

All participating students raised $100 or more to participate in volleyball and basketball tournaments, as well as RockBand and dance competitions.

Children’s Miracle Network Research Institute will match each dollar raised, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Oklahoma hospitals that specialize in treating children.

Crimson fades to pink for breast cancer benefit

Representatives from the Women's Outreach Center are selling tickets in the Oklahoma Memorial Union this week for Saturday's Pink and Black Ball.

From 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Feb. 7 partygoers at the 1920s-inspired "The Pink Flamingo" gala can sample treats from the chocolate fountain, dance to live jazz music or try their luck at casino-style games.

"You can win absolutely no money," Healther Anderson, public relaions senior and event coordinator said. "But it will be fun."

The Pink and Black Ball is an annual event benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization dedicated to fighting breast cancer through research, screening and education.

Advanced tickets are $15 and may be puchased in the Union or at http://www.okctickets.com/. Tickets purchased at the door will cost an additional $5.

Ice storm prompts virtual instruction

When school officials close the campus due to inclement weather it can seem like an unexpected holiday. Unfortunately, it’s not.

Students are still responsible for course work and instructors may choose to teach via email, Assistant Provost Gregory Heiser said.

Many instructors chose to do just that last week when the season’s first ice storm forced OU to close Monday through Wednesday.

Some students were surprised by the cyber instruction, since the school closing meant they didn’t have access to resources, like libraries and computer labs.

“We hope (instructors) would be sensitive to issues beyond the students’ control, Heiser said. “This is an area where faculty has to use their professional discretion and common sense.”