First, I do have performance experience, a lot of it. I performed annually with the dance school in my town where I took lessons/classes for over 10 years. I went to a performing arts camp where I participated in musicals and dance performances. I performed with the dance team at my high school for 2 years and was captain one of those years. I’ve performed in choir since I was in 4th grade and have performed solo vocally since 10th grade. I’ve performed in plays/musicals since 1st grade.

Of course, unless you asked me you wouldn’t know any of this. You would only know (maybe) of my performances here at Conn, of which there have been many-Camelbacks (step dance ensemble), chamber choir (my 4th semester doing so), voice recitals, jazz band/ensemble, the vagina monologues (last year, not this year), dr. horrible’s sing-along blog, 7th & broadway: a musical review, Privilege, and (most recently and therefore not applicable when my article was printed) the Rocky Horror Show.

Second, the article as I’d written it was not supposed to print as far as what I inferred from an editor’s note to me. The note was long and gave me suggestions of what to do with my article. I inferred that meant it wasn’t printing the week after FUSION and was, instead, going to print the week after with my better, rewritten article.

Of course I could’ve done more research on the different represented cultures (my dance experiences, though quantitative, didn’t have the breadth spanning to Asia at all), gotten quotes from performers instead of hastily running out the door to write the article, and also learned what FUSION was all about. Had I known beforehand that it was a fundraiser for something beside just the CCASA club at school, I wouldn’t have been so shocked and, I suppose, annoyed with having to see images of the underdeveloped villages for a while before the dancing began. I honestly thought it was a purely dance performed show of a selection of Asian dances and therefore I could just comment on the performances, no real research necessary.

I know the kind of work performers and organizers put into a show. I don’t believe I said that they didn’t work hard-if it was inferred, I apologize for that. My focus on the performers and their synchronization was just a theme for me that night, I suppose. Of course there are many different aspects to each performance-this was just one that I noticed a lot. Perhaps it was due to nerves, perhaps due to having a bad day, that some performers looked like they weren’t having fun at certain points. I acknowledge my mistake in not personally asking why the performers that I noticed not smiling or energetic during a song weren’t doing so, especially considering that not every dance is meant to celebrate (again, something that I would’ve known had I done the proper research of the dances beforehand).

I made a big mistake by not researching/writing the article as thoroughly as I should have. I offended a lot of people who worked very hard to put the show together, which I would’ve had a more positive outlook on had I done what I needed to do and, therefore, would’ve enjoyed as much as the students involved did. I honestly thought I had the opportunity to rewrite it and that they weren’t going to print it. Not that it’s any legitimate excuse for not doing my part more thoroughly and not hitting each step of an article-writing process. However, I wanted to let everyone know that there was a definite miscommunication between me and my editor, which I didn’t realize (I guess that’s why they have the saying about “what happens when you assume…”).

Anyway, I’m sincerely sorry to those I offended by my article-process-incompletion. I hope after you’ve read this you’ll have gained some perspective on what happened on my end, instead of just assuming I’m a poor writer (I’ve written 2 other articles for the Voice if you want any public proof of my true writing ability, though that’s beside the point) and that I’m petty, judgmental and heartless toward a cause that I actually do have a lot of compassion and understanding for (in a different context, of course, than this article proves…and, again, beside the point).

“To err is human,” they say, “and to forgive, divine.” I’m hoping whoever reads this will accept my apology.

I am assuming that you have never helped out at any major production like FUSION, because if you have, you would know how much work goes into it. If you are going say things like “there were a few girls who looked like they didn’t even want to be up on stage,” GET AN ACTUAL QUOTE. People were not forced to dance in any of the pieces, they volunteered and I can tell you they LOVED every moment of it.

Being a good critic does not mean just getting your opinions down on paper, it means getting quotes from people that participated in the event and the audience. The quotes give your work substance and different perspective. This piece has no substance.

I’m not sure what the intention of the article as a whole is. An incredible amount of time and effort goes into this production every year, and there isn’t a single quote from a participant or organizer. And I’m really sorry that looking at pictures of decrepit Vietnam school was a bummer for her. Really, that’s tragic.

How about some information on the charities the proceeds from this event will go to support? How about a quotation from ANYONE, even an audience member? She clearly has little to no knowledge of the background of the pieces and as a result simply recommends different-colored costumes.