NIACC will present the Harlem Gospel Choir, who will take the North Iowa Community Auditorium stage on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. as a part of the 2005-2006 NIACC Performing Arts Series.

Tickets are on sale now and cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For tickets and dinner reservations, please call (641) 422-4188.

The world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir looks to provide an extraordinary evening of foot-stomping and hand-clapping blues, jazz and gospel spirituals. From the heart of Harlem in New York City, the Harlem Gospel Choir travels the world as the ambassadors of African American culture, and is loved for their joyous music.

Having performed for the likes of Nelson Mandela and Pope John Paul II, the Harlem Gospel Choir has also performed with U2 in their movie Rattle and Hum.

The theme of every performance is bringing people and nations together and giving something back. Their songs of inspiration touch the depths of the soul and raise the spirits to angelic heights.

Founded in 1986 by Allen Baily, who got the idea for the Harlem Gospel Choir while attending a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the renowned Cotton Club in Harlem, the choir is a gathering of the finest singers and musicians from various black churches in Harlem.

For tickets to the Harlem Gospel Choir, call the NIACC Box Office at (888) 466-4222, ext. 4188. The NIACC Performing Arts Series is sponsored by the Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund; the Globe Gazette; Henkel Construction; Principal Financial Group; Alliant Energy; Drs. Beck and Lovick, Neurological Surgery; Clear Lake Bank and Trust; First Citizens National Bank; First State Bank of Belmond; Hanford Inn; Holland Contracting; Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa; Pepsi; Sukup; Heartland Arts Fund; National Endowment for the Arts; Iowa Arts Council and NIACC.

Audrey Allen
Staff Reporter

Duck, dodge, dip, dive and dodge are the five D's used in the movie Dodgeball, which, according to the film, is "a true underdog story."

According to the Average Joe's coach in the movie, "If you can dodge a wrench or traffic, you can dodge a ball."

These five D's are what students at NIACC try to use for the intramural dodgeball league, which started this winter.

The NIACC intramural dodgeball league consists of ten teams with eight players on each team.

These teams include B.A.N.A, Mandingo Warriors, Fluffy Bunnies, B-Ball squad, Lamas, DVDA, The Above Average Joes, A Team, Magma and The Demented Dodgeball Disciples.

This is the first time NIACC has offered an intramural dodgeball league.

Jerry Montgomery, co-intramural coordinator, and Travis Hergert, co-intramural coordinator, are in charge of the dodgeball league.

Both Hergert and Montgomery said they believe that this is a good way for students to interact with each other.

According to most of the NIACC students who participate in the dodgeball events, intramural dodgeball offers a lot of excitement.

Just like the movie, NIACC's intramural dodgeball can be funny because of the way people get hit with the ball.

Some students just come to watch the dodgeball matches.

Unlike other intramural sports at NIACC, dodgeball is unique in a way that mostly anyone can get hit and throw a ball; where as not everyone has the technique to throw a football or make a basket.

Just like the movie Dodgeball, not everyone on the team was a natural-born athlete.

Intramural dodgeball is one thing that students can do to stay active and meet new friends.

"Intramural dodgeball is a good thing to do," Heather Becthold, student ambassador and resident assistant, said.

Dillon Carpenter
Staff Reporter

Looking for a chance to get away this summer? If you're in northern Minnesota during the month of July, some of the country's most popular jam bands will combine their talents for the 3rd annual 10,000 Lakes Festival.

An exciting variety of artists have signed on to play at the festival taking place at the Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minn., July 19-22. The festival includes numerous on-site campgrounds and facilities for concertgoers and campers alike.

Surrounded by lush forests and the scenic Lake Sallie, which boasts more than 3,000 miles of coastline, past attendees say the festival offers scenic surroundings with music to sooth the soul.

"The sunsets in northern Minnesota are unbelievable," Dan Gorman, a NIACC student who attended the inaugural festival in 2004, said. "I've been to other places across the country and they don't compare to 10,000 Lakes (Festival)."

Gorman added that having a lake available for swimming only yards away from the campground is a relaxing benefit to the festival.

Offering 35 bands performing on four stages, the musical aspect is strong for this year's festival. Headlining this year's repertoire of jam bands is long-time Grateful Dead bass player and his ensemble, Phil Lesh and Friends.

Also found on the bill will be Trey Anastasio (former front man of the band Phish), String Cheese Incident featuring Keller Williams, Umphrey's McGee, and OAR (Of A Revolution).

Other acts scheduled to perform include southern Minnesota bands The Big Wu, WookieFoot and Trampled by Turtles.

"I'm really pumped up for 10K this year," Matt Sauve, a freshman at NIACC, said. "I had a blast at last year's festival and the set list is full of even more heavy hitters for this summer."

For more information check out http://10klf.com.

Chelsie Anderson
Entertainment Editor
CDANDERSON@NIACC.EDU

In everyone's lives there is something that makes their day. For me that thing is going to choir and NIACC Singers.

Some of you may have attended our recent performance of Quodlibet last week to see what we do. Quodlibet has been the highlight of my two years at NIACC.

Although it creates a lot of stress and takes a lot of extra time, the efforts to produce the show are worth every second.

It's an amazing feeling to step foot onto the North Iowa Community Auditorium stage and look out into an auditorium full of people. You can feel their anticipation and it creates an ecstatic energy that the performers can tap into during each performance.

The funny thing is, I can get that feeling even when just Mr. Ryner, the choral director, is the only person in the audience.

The only explanation for that is the excitement of performing. Leading up to the show, we have long practices where sometimes people, including myself, get frustrated.

But to see how the show can come together and be great is what is so amusing and inspiring.

It is so incredible being able to do something that makes my life so great every day.

If I feel like my day isn't going well I can just look forward to when I get to sing and dance in choir.

For that one hour I can forget all my other stress and problems and just perform.

A lot of what I do in Singers and choir mirrors how I feel about my academic career.

My last performance of "Quod" is kind of like a graduation for me. It felt like it was my final time to shine at NIACC.

I've worked really hard the past few years as many others have. It's been stressful and enjoyable at times.

In the end the result is so worth all the work that was put into it.