Competition

Arts & Entertainment

These examples illustrate how an interesting story may lead to a topic.

Re-Awakening Cuban Music

In 1996, producer and guitarist Ry Cooder gathered together a group of virtually unknown Cuban musicians to collaborate on an album of classic Latin big band music. Although these musicians were legendary stars in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, many had faded from the public eye. Among those that still lived in Cuba, most were long forgotten and unemployed. The resulting album, Buena Vista Social Club, went on to win a Grammy, the prestigious music award. Inspired by the story, German filmmaker Wim Wenders traveled to Cuba to chronicle the work of Cooder, this remarkable group of musicians, and their sellout 1998 concerts in Amsterdam and New York. The documentary, also called Buena Vista Social Club, was released to wide critical acclaim and helped spur millions of album sales and rekindle international interest in Latin culture and music.

Thinking Questions: What has this “lost” music contributed to society? Are there other music genres waiting to be re-discovered? Why do certain types of music go out of style and then come back into vogue? Do these musical trends point to larger social issues?

Other Possible Categories: Social Sciences & Culture, Business & Industry

Poetry Slams

Poetry communicates ideas, values, and emotions. Poetry has been part of oral storytelling for centuries. In the 8th century BC, a Greek poet named Homer wrote an epic poem called The Iliad to tell the story of the conquest of Troy. A much more recent development is the “poetry slam,” or the competitive art of performance poetry. Poetry slams were established in the 1980s in Chicago, in the United States. Since then, slams have become an international art form, emphasizing audience participation and poetic excellence. Poets perform their original work, without props, instruments or costumes, and are judged by members of the audience. Poetry slams are usually boisterous, loud, and passionate because the audience is encouraged to respond to the performing poets in any way they see fit.

Thinking Questions: How do poetry slams continue the long tradition of oral storytelling? How do poets communicate to their audiences? Some say that art occupies a parallel universe, reflecting and commenting on real life, but separate from it; what purpose does this parallel world serve and how does it effect life in the “real world”?

Other Possible Categories: Books & Literature, Social Sciences & Culture

Hip-Hop Style

With roots in West African and African-American music, hip-hop culture emerged from large, outdoor neighborhood gatherings—called block parties—held in New York City in the 1970s. During these parties, disc jockeys (DJs) created a new style of music by mixing funk and soul, while performers (MCs) rapped over the beat. This form of entertainment sparked a new urban culture encompassing dance, language, graffiti art, and clothing. Hip-hop performers often wore baggy pants, oversized athletic jerseys with matching hats, and expensive sneakers. As hip-hop’s popularity spread, suburban fans adopted this unofficial uniform. Starting in the late 1980s, hip-hop’s influence spread even further, reaching Japan, India, Turkey, and especially France and Italy. Today, international rappers, such as France’s MC Solaar, enjoy worldwide popularity.

Thinking Questions: What does it mean to wear the clothes of the hip-hop movement? Does hip-hop promote certain values? How have other types of music influenced fashion and culture?

Other Possible Categories: Social Sciences & Culture

Citations

• “Buena Vista Social Club.” Wim Wenders - The Official Site. 15 Aug. 2003
  <http://www.wim-wenders.com/movies//movies_spec/buenavistasocialclub/
  buenavistasocialclub.htm>.
• Martinez, Rubén. “Havana: The Golden Era.” PBS presents Buena Vista Social Club. PBS. 15 Aug. 2003.
• Smith, Marc. “What is Poetry Slam?” Slampapi.com. 5 Aug. 2004 <http://www.slampapi.com/new_site/background/what_is_poetry_slam.htm>.
• “Poetry Slam Incorporated FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)." Home page. Poetry Slam, Inc. 25 Aug. 2004 <http://www.poetryslam.com/modules.php?name=FAQ>.
• “Oral History.” WordIQ Encyclopedia. 5 Aug. 2004 <http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Oral_history>.
• “Hip-Hop Style: What is Cool?” PBS. 22 Jul. 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/infocus/fashion/hiphop.html>.
• “Hip hop music.” WordIQ Encyclopedia. 3 Aug. 2004 <http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Hip_hop_music>.
• Gagne, Michael. “Le rap: URI professor authors book on French hip-hop.” The Good Five Cent Cigar 7 Nov. 2002. 3 Aug. 2004 <http://www.ramcigar.com/news/2002/11/07/Campus/Le.Rap.Uri.Professor.Authors.
  Book.On.French.HipHop-316924.shtml>.