Readers’ Forum for October 6, 2006

88

Kudos, Cougarettes

As a member of one of BYU’s dance performing teams, I was sorry to read the letter to the editor Oct. 4, regarding the Dance Assembly. I am sorry that those two young women found the dance performed by the Cougarettes so disappointing, but I did not appreciate their implication that the majority of the student body shared their feelings.

I thought that the dance, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” was inspirational. The Cougarettes are talented, beautiful girls who were simply trying to share their testimony through their art form. I felt the spirit as they were dancing.

As to the accusation that these girls were being sacrilegious, I would have to point out a few things. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” while both beautiful and moving, is not a hymn. It is not found in the current LDS hymnbook. Also, it was stated yesterday that a spiritual song should not be used to entertain, or elicit applause. I wonder if these two young ladies have ever seen the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in concert. Most of their incredible songs are spiritual numbers, and the audiences they perform for show their appreciation through applause.

I am proud to have had the opportunity to dance with the Cougarettes this year in concert, and I look forward to more opportunities to come. I loved their number, and I know that others felt the spirit as well. I commend this team for their efforts and would encourage them to continue to share their wonderful testimonies through their dancing.

Janelle Bartholomew

Benicia, Cali.

Moshing and grinding?

Blasphemous, sacrilegious, provocative and revulsion? Were we watching the same dance routine? Girls, step down off that pedestal of yours before you fall off it.

If you have a problem with the musical selection, take it up with the dance team, don’t parade your opinion around and publicly accuse people of being blasphemers when they had no intention of offending anyone. When our choir sings a hymnal arrangement at a concert, don’t we applaud? When a student plays a hymn at a recital, don’t we applaud? In a church setting, it is not appropriate; but seeing as we were not in that particular situation, there is nothing wrong with it.

Where did you get this idea of provocative dancing from? Did you see any grinding, or shaking, or moshing, because I didn’t! None of the dancers were immodest, there was nothing funny to distract from the spirit and it was simply meant to be calming, peaceful and a beautiful display of talent. We applauded the courage of those young women and young men for performing for us, for their grace and elegance, and I for one will always plan on lifting up my brothers and sisters of the Gospel.

Kiery Jensen

Idaho Falls

Nothing wrong with applause

I disagree with the editorial (Oct. 4) expressing ?disgust, revulsion and deep disappointment in the failing judgment of all those who took part in enabling? the performance of “?Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”? The authors of that editorial are entitled to feel offended by the performance, but their condemning the performers?’ expression of reverence is unnecessary.

Those who ?enabled? the performance you call ?provocative? and ?blasphemous? have a different method of reverencing sacred things, but their form of worship is just as valid as yours. For some, the performance did ?turn our minds to God,? leaving us ?renewed and enlightened, in a quiet spirit of reverence.?

The editorial claimed applause should never be elicited in response to a sacred hymn; I believe applause is appropriate at BYU Men’s Chorus concerts and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas Concert, where hymns are sung that are still in our hymnal–unlike the hymn in question. Thankfully, our view of ?sacred? can be broad enough to include hymns absent from the canon.

I continue to applaud Tuesday’s performance of ?”Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,”? and the performers who created a magnificent work of art. Well done!

Jonathan Landon

Salt Lake City

Start a petition

In response to “Devotional Dancing Disaster,” as I recall, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs all over the world. They perform hymns and are thanked with applause by millions. The dances that were performed were nothing but well intentioned and were there for your entertainment and enjoyment. In speaking with others throughout campus, the student body was thrilled with the performances of the dancing. The reputation of the dancers is nation – if not world – renowned. How could this hateful editorial be written about some great dancing?

The hymns are for our enjoyment. Enjoy them. Please start a petition among the student body and see who, other than you two, didn’t like the devotional. The department chair has to approve of every song that is performed. Just be happy that we have such world-class talent at our university. If you have a serious gripe about this, go talk to the director and the department chair. I know some of the dancers, and they took offense to the comments made by the two of you. Blasphemous, revulsion, deep disgust is something that I wouldn’t say to very many people. Let the hate go. Do what Elder Bednar says and choose not to be offended. Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but there was nothing provocative or offensive about the dancing. Get your minds out of the gutter. Get over it. And to the dancers who performed: great job, good luck at the conference center! Blow em away.

Stephen Montague

Pittsburg, Kan.

“If there is anything virtuous”

Tuesday’s devotional was such an enjoyable experience for me and so many of my classmates. We were carried away by some of the finest dance talent anywhere in the world. I was so proud of our fellow students who have spent years developing their talents. I was especially moved by the expressive dance by the Cougarettes. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” is one of my favorite hymns and to see the refinement and grace that they used to express their testimonies with such celestial movements made me feel close to my Savior. This was truly an example of “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy we seek after these things.” I am grateful that the Cougarettes helped us see how dance can express a powerful testimony of the Savior. I applaud their efforts for finding a way to infuse the gospel into their study as we’ve been challenged to do in all disciplines. Karl G. Maeser said, “Even the multiplication tables should be studied with the spirit of the Lord.” I know he would be thrilled to see that dance is being studied with the Spirit as a constant companion.

Annalece Boothe

Spanish Fork

Sharing gospel through dance

In response to ?”Devotional Dancing Disaster,”? all I have to say is wow. Have we become so calloused and bitter that we must attack a group of dancers for showing their love for the gospel through dance? The Cougarettes are only trying to share their talents by using them to bring people closer to the Savior. Is that not what our talents are to be used for? This was a devotional, therefore, the theme was supposed to be spiritual, which made the hymn very appropriate. Their dancing was not meant to be provocative, the dancing was meant to inspire us and make us feel. Elder Bednar in this past conference admonished the saints not to take offense in trivial matters and said that it is only up to the individual whether or not to be offended. I personally loved the performance and felt that it achieved the goal of devotionals, which is to leave the audience enlightened and uplifted. I applaud the Cougarettes for the hard work that goes into each of their performances. They are missionaries in a very immoral dancing culture and are amazing representatives of both our university and the Gospel as a whole. Congratulations to the Cougarettes for striving to be a light in a darkening world.

Kimberly Roberts

South Jordan, Utah

Not all offended

I would just like the Cougarettes to know that not everyone was offended at your performance at Tuesday’s Devotional. I saw nothing provocative or blasphemous about the dance at all. I thought it was a wonderful interpretation of a beautiful song. To be honest, I could probably go so far as to say that I felt the Spirit during your dance. Thank you for sharing your talent with us all, and keep up the good work!

Alyssa Madsen

Woodbridge, Va.

Nothing provocative

I am not a fan of cheerleading. Talk all you want about the effort and creativity it requires, but I’ve never particularly cared for it. That being said, I must say that of the few Cougarette dance routines I’ve seen, their performance of ?”Come Thou Font of Every Blessing”? was one of their least ?provocative.? Likewise, the applause in response was hardly within the realm of ?loud, rambunctious approval from a riotous crowd.? It seemed to be merely genuine applause garnered by a good performance. I realize that there are some who believe it inappropriate to use hymns as background music for a secular activity, and I respect that opinion. I happen to disagree. This hymn is not LDS, nor would the version used be found in a sacrament service. I believe that applause in this case was not sacrilegious.? To speak of the ?failing judgment? of all those involved is to criticize many faithful saints with a deep reverence for the hymns, President Samuelson included. A seething response to an unintended offense is uncalled for. However, considering what has already been written, I hope that both sides will take the advice of Elder Bednar and not get offended.

Elizabeth Forbes

Acton, Mass.

Praise Through Dance

“Praise the Lord…with dancing,” D&C 136:38. Dance is an appropriate means of worship endorsed by the Lord. The performance to “Come Thou Fount” was not at all blasphemous, nor was the dancing provocative. Also, the music wasn’t merely “background music;” for the dancers, the choreographer, and the audience, the music was an integral part of the choreography.

The use of this hymn (not actually in our hymnal) was not used to “garner loud, rambunctious approval from a riotous crowd.” This was a dance devotional, not a forum or spectacular, etc. President Samuelson even addressed the spiritual nature of this Devotional before it started and commented on how we should applaud these dancers. Any riotous behavior reflected poorly on the audience, not on the performance. Saying that “applause should never be elicited in response to a sacred hymn” is off base. What about the Joseph Smith Commemoration, or a

Nauvoo Sociable (a fireside with clapping)? Celebrating the gospel doesn’t always have to be through solemn worship.

I hope that this dance didn’t “deeply offend” any of the student body. If it did, you should probably peruse Elder Bednar’s conference talk from last weekend.

Holly Rands

Wilsonville, Ore.

Dance a form of worship

In response to the “Devotional Dancing Disaster,” letter written by two of my fellow students: “Come Thou Fount” is a very sacred hymn and one I dearly love. I was impressed with the beauty of the choreography put to the hymn. There was nothing “provocative” about it, but it truly was a stunning expression of joy in the atonement expressed by dance. Please remember there is nothing wrong with dancing as a form of worship, which we see in the Old Testament (2 Sam 6:14, Ps. 149:3) all the way up through modern revelation (D&C 136:28). The beauty of the music moved me, the words of the song, and-yes-by the expression of love and the talent contributed by those dancers. Bravo to our Dance Department.

Sally Rice

Arlington, Texas

Fragile students?

I would like to address the authors of “Devotional Dancing Disaster,” who found the BYU Dance Department’s performance blasphemous because they used sacred hymns as background music for one of their dances. Someone should seek to inform these fragile students in a very delicate manner so as not to cause them any more undue offense that there are 341 hymns in the Latter-day Saint hymnal and that ?”Come Thou Fount”? is not one of them. Yes it is a pretty song that does have a spiritual message but it is not included in the standard LDS hymnbook.

I would also like to express my appreciation to the Dance Department and congratulate them on their uplifting and inspiring performance at Tuesday’s Devotional. I hope that by using songs like ?”Come Thou Fount,”? and any actual hymn that they see fit to dance to they can use their talents to share the message of the restored gospel during their performances. Thank you, and congratulations on a job well done.

Ty Cook

Idaho Falls

Nothing was desecrated

I would like to respectfully submit some observations in response to the unfounded complaint by those who were “offended” by the use of “Come thou fount” in Tuesday’s Devotional. First, there was no desecration of “our sacred hymns,” because “Come thou fount” is simply not an LDS hymn. It is popular Christian anthem, but it is not in our hymnal. Second, it was stated that hymns should never be used in settings where they would elicit applause. The Tabernacle Choir routinely performs sacred music in public concerts, where they always receive an enthusiastic applause. I have heard hymns used in many contexts here at BYU, and they are always used appropriately and with good intent. Good job, BYU dance department!

Andrew Gleaves

Monroe, N.C.

Thanks, Cougarettes

I’d just like to thank the Cougarettes for the beautiful dance number performed at Tuesday’s devotional. The dance gave me the chills, because I could see their testimonies in the graceful movements of the dance. Some people express their testimonies through song, some through art, and others through dance, and your time and effort was well-worth it in the spirit that I felt in watching that dance. Although there have been objections to the fact that a hymn was used, I’d like to express my gratitude that you girls used the hymn to express your beautiful testimonies through the thing you do best – dance. Thanks again for the wonderful spirit you shared.

Niki Thurber

Phoenix, Ariz.

Contrast Cougarettes with other cheer squads

In response to the inflammatory letter blasting the Cougarettes for their “blasphemous” performance at Devotional on Tuesday, I would like to thank the Cougarettes for their performance and the spirit they brought to the performance. To the authors of the letter, here are a couple of things you might want to reconsider:

1) Dancing in the proper setting is a commended form of worship before God (see 2 Sam. 6; D&C 136:28).

2) While “Come Thou Fount” is undoubtedly a spiritual text, it is not one of the “canonized” hymns in the LDS hymnbook. Complaining about it being used in a non-sacrament meeting setting, therefore, is as hypocritical as complaining about the BYU Choirs’ frequent renditions of African-American spirituals. As for your comment that “applause should never be elicited in response to a sacred hymn,” I would invite you to go watch Music and the Spoken Word at the Conference Center and watch Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg accept applause for the Tabernacle Choir’s performance every Sunday morning.

3) The Cougarettes’ dancing was artistic and beautiful, not provocative. If you want to contrast it with something really provocative, I’m sure that a quick perusal of cheerleading and dance-related teen movies released over the last ten years will give you ample material for comparison.

Again, my thanks to the Department of Dance for their wonderful Devotional, and for the chance to further contemplate the Atonement during “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” I hope, Heidi and Rebecca, that next time you will take the chance to contemplate the Savior’s life rather than get distracted by your own prejudices by taking offense at how someone else chooses to express their love for Him.

Brian Wall

Henderson, Nev.

Don’t tell us what to think and feel

As a member of BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company, I am writing to defend the honor of the Cougarettes. Their performance in the dance devotional was recently slandered as “Blasphemous,” and “Elicit.” Who are you? Where do you come from? Dance is a form of art that enables us to express our inner feelings. Obviously, you have not had many opportunities to partake of the inner beauty of dance. I am not saying that you have to like every dance number you see, but to say that it was “revolting,” and a “failing judgment upon the dance department” is preposterous.

I dance in a number that is set to the music “If You Could Hie to Kolob.” This past summer while in the Ukraine, I witnessed audiences, both nonmembers and members alike, who were spiritually touched by this number. If we can dance to a variety of other music and with varying personal experience, who are you to say that we should not to the same with our testimonies of Christ. I know from personal experience that these numbers do invite that spirit to upon all those who come with an open mind and heart, and BYU’s performing companies do a marvelous job at selecting numbers with this thought in mind.

It’s fine if you want to think that it is too provocative or sacrilegious. But what right do you have to tell the rest of us how we should think and feel?

So, to the Cougarettes, I think you girls are great. Your performance was awesome and truly radiated your inner feelings to all those in attendance. So keep on dancing

Kevin Rosen

Provo

Imploding GOP

Will there be any coverage on the Foley/Reynolds/Hastert powderkeg or is The Daily Universe going to pretend it didn’t happen (or worse, acknowledge it did happen and pretend it doesn’t matter)? Five weeks from Election Day and another fault line has appeared in the Republican Party. A wanton pervert resigns from Congress, House Speaker Dennis Hastert is getting calls for resignation from within his own party because he looked the other way, and The Daily Universe’s front page has surfers on it. This is news and it warrants as much if not more space than pop trends do. Just my opinion.

Max Stoneman

Provo

Surf Clothing

After reading the article about wearing surf clothes, I looked down and sure enough I was wearing a surfer shirt. I felt a little guilty about it because I haven’t surfed in years. The last time was Christmas break three years ago. And this shirt isn’t something that I won in a contest back in my glory days; it’s just a hand-me-down from a friend. But who cares?

The clothes we wear don’t make us into something different. Your shirt’s logo has very little to do with who or what you are. The best surfer I knew was a guy who wore flannel and blue jeans his whole life. Everyone knows that the image we get from Quicksilver is the same as the image from Burton, North Face, and others: a clever selling point. Wearing a $300 jacket doesn’t make us tough, owning a $700 snowboard doesn’t mean you can drop bigger cliffs and wearing Roxy has nothing to do with the winter swell. It doesn’t mean we are evil either. We shouldn’t be judged one way or another for it, its just clothing. I personally applaud the clean appearance of the dress here on campus, regardless of brand or style.

Art Brown

Salem, Ore.

MFHD Myths debunked

As a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, sometimes I think about my experiences while I was an MFHD major at BYU. Often I would feel frustrated because of the many stereotypes about MFHD majors. Stereotypes often arise because of a lack of information. In order to deal with misinformation, I would like to address three major stereotypes that MFHD majors face.

1) MFHD is not a real major; it is just something that BYU made up.

Both ideas are false. Specific areas in the social sciences such as psychology, anthropology, family science, and human development share a lot of similarities with each other. What distinguishes them is that they are different perspectives through which to study and understand human beings. Universities vary in how they organize these different perspectives into majors. While the MFHD title may be unique to BYU, the study of relationships and human development is not. These are widely studied areas and are represented in one form or another at every major university.

2) MFHD is not a very challenging major; therefore students in this major are not very ambitious or intelligent.

As a graduate student, I have learned that there is no end to the complexity of studying human development. How do you draw any general conclusions about human beings when there are so many differences between individuals? How do you understand and measure the influence of genetic and environmental factors that lead to various outcomes? These questions make the field challenging, but also rewarding. I admit that it is probably easier to fudge your way through the MFHD courses than it would be in other majors. But you get out of the MFHD major what you put into it. There are intelligent students in MFHD and they are needed just as much as intelligent students in other fields because the study of human development is important and valuable.

3) MFHD majors aren’t really interested in academics; they just want to get married.

As an academically driven student, I was often frustrated that my academic goals weren’t taken seriously because I was studying family relations and the development of children.

The reality is: some women in MFHD will work in their field, some will go on to earn advanced degrees, and some will leave their area of study in the formal sense but continue to bless their families and communities with the knowledge that they have gained. We need to remember that these are possible outcomes for women in every major at BYU. All students, both women and men, make decisions about education, work, marriage, and children. These decisions are difficult and personal. Each individual at BYU needs his or her decisions and goals in life to be valued and respected.

Nobody likes to be stereotyped regardless of his or her major. It is important that we treat each student at BYU as an individual.

Katie Millett

Minneapolis, MN

Blast from the past

Sweet dude. Surf clothes are cool. Thanks for that throw back to 1997. Its great to hear about trends from the past, so we can learn from our mistakes. I wore Billabong in the 7th grade. Are we really as out of touch with fashion trends as BYUSA is with the music scene of Provo? I have heard of two bands performing in Battle of the Bands this year. Where are the heavy hitters of the Provo music scene? Mathematics etc., Details of Speech, the Otters? How far from an accurate portrayal of the Provo music scene can they get? This Battle of the Bands is a bunch of bands which no one has heard of. Battle of the Bands? More like a light skirmish between late 90’s rockrip-off bands. Don’t worry though. I’ll be there Friday night wearing my Quicksilver T-shirt…NOT.

Jake Melzer

Thousand Oaks, CA

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