As we approach Valentine’s Day, the annual discussion of whether or not it is a “real” or meaningful holiday emerges. Many feel as though Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a glorified national date night. But when presented from a new perspective, Valentine’s Day is a staple holiday in the United States with a meaning that carries far beyond romance.

Aside from the overpriced flowers and heart-shaped chocolates, the meaning of Valentine’s Day goes much deeper. One does not need a fancy dinner or romantic gifts, or even a significant other in order to celebrate Valentine’s Day, as the true celebration lies in the appreciation of loved ones. Whether it may be a significant other, a friend, family member, or even a pet, the essence of Valentine’s Day lies in your heart and not in how others choose to celebrate it.

To say Valentine’s Day is not a “real” holiday compared to other famous holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, discredits the purpose of all major holidays in the United States. Each major holiday shares two roles in the United States: to bring people together and to encourage consumer spending. Valentine’s Day serves both these purposes as consumers go out to eat with each other, as well as purchase gifts as a token of appreciation to their loved ones.

“Working in the flower business makes you realize just how significant Valentine’s Day is. We raise all of our prices and our sales still go through the roof,” said Cara Carlson, a freshman undecided major. This goes to show how businesses thrive on the opportunity that Valentine’s Day provides across the country. Just like Christmas helps retail with the concept of gift giving, and Thanksgiving helps the grocery industry with eating together, Valentine’s Day helps various industries through the concept of appreciating your loved ones.

There will always be people who refuse to believe Valentine’s Day is a “real” holiday. This belief typically stems from the idea that the holiday is reserved for those privileged enough to be in a romantic relationship at this time of the year. When looked at from this perspective, Valentine’s Day can seem like a conditional holiday that only manages to make people feel lonely if they are without a significant other to celebrate with.

Yet, this is far from the purpose of this holiday, as it is simply a celebration of love in its purest form. Remember in grade school when everyone exchanged cards and had a blast? No one has outgrown that concept. Rather, people have let how others celebrate the holiday dictate the meaning of it. Deep down, whether people are second graders or graduating college, the drive to celebrate the people we love will always remain at heart.

This Valentine’s Day, do not worry if you do not have a person to go on a date with. Go out to eat with a friend, call your grandparents, or even treat yourself to your favorite relaxation activity. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of pure, unconditional love and only your heart should be able to dictate how you celebrate.

The Baltimore Dance Project is like nothing anyone has ever seen. The elements of this production, from costumes and music to the lighting and movements, are specifically arranged to create an experience unlike any other. The dancers gracefully synchronize their movements and forms and coax each other into one entity on stage.

With elements of horror, restoration and melancholy, the Baltimore Dance Project is not an average dance recital. The focus is not on ballet or tap or jazz — or any type of traditional or conventional dance — but on the body’s full range of motion. The performances incorporate natural, fluid, human movements and mechanical, sporadic, inhuman positions.

Some dances completely distance the dancer from the movements, creating a disturbing but enthralling escapade for the viewer. Other dances feature less eerie components and are paired with lighter, more whimsical audio and visual supplements. One performance is as beautiful as flames dancing on a pool of water.

The intensity and darkness of the dances increase with each performance, from whimsical to thrilling, from Waterlilies to The Deep. The Baltimore Dance Project teaches us that dance is as moving and unsettling as any other art form. While the event ends almost identically to how it starts with a somewhat tame dance comparable to ballet, it successfully brings the event to a close; it comes full circle.

The costumes of the Baltimore Dance Project are perfectly complementary to the context of the dances. The first costumes are vibrant, loose and flowy with an emphasis on the flare they bring to the performance. The final costumes are neutral and pale, body conforming and identical, allowing the audience’s eyes to digest every move the dancers make.

Most of the dancers, including Giavanni Powell, Briana Norwood, Maia Schechter, Sammy Siegel, Clarisse Lukban, Melissa Hudson, and Emily Godfrey, are current UMBC students who all embody a certain fluidity that brings the Baltimore Dance Project to life and makes the performance a unique experience. These women are hypnotic and ethereal. Each brings their own signature to the moves.

Alongside the current students are five alumni, Ryan Bailey, Franki Graham, Eric Holmes, Desiree Koontz-Nachtrieb, and Kendra Welborn. These individuals make the dynamic team that creates the daringly creative and exhilarating adventure of the Baltimore Dance Project.

A few crucial pieces of the Baltimore Dance Project are the background effects: the music, lighting, and props. The rise and fall of the music control the corresponding movement. The manipulation of lighting and shadows create an ominous vibe which pulls the observer into the performance. Outside of the actual dances, the efforts that go into the production are essential to guaranteeing the connection between audience and dancers. The props add dimension, immersing the viewer into the performance.

Outside of the dancers and the creative elements of the Baltimore Dance Project, it is a wonderful way to celebrate the arts. By supporting this event, those in attendance are celebrating the rich and talented minds of UMBC students and faculty.

The Baltimore Dance Project plants a deeper appreciation of art in the psyche of every attendee. Every preconception of what art, specifically dance, is supposed to look like is carefully uprooted and replaced with a new understanding of creative expression. One will not leave the theater unchanged.

Attention all aspiring entrepreneurs! Do you have an idea for a company that you just can’t shake? Are you ready to try out something new, take risks, and be your own boss? Then you’re going to want to hear about CBIC, a competition exclusively for UMBC students that gives out up to $5,000 in cash prizes!

Announcing the Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC) – Prizes up to $5K!!!

What is the CBIC?

Prizes:

After a 6-month review, an additional $2,000 is available to one of the top 3 winners.

Who Should Participate?

Why Participate?

APPLY TODAY!  Deadline for submittals is March 7th at 1:00pm
Applications can be found here. More information about this competition, including past winners, can be found at umbc.edu/cbic

Join us for our first workshop of the semester, next week—February 28th from noon to 1 pm in University Center 115—to speak with and learn from Jason Tagler as he shares his inside scoop on funding. He will be discussing his experiences as a venture capitalist, and what a truly successful and efficient pitch sounds like. If you’re interested in finding out what venture capitalists are really looking for, this workshop is for you. Bring your lunch and your questions­—we can’t wait to see you!  

About The Event

This session, taught by a venture capitalist, will show you how to create a "read me pitch" and "listen to me pitch" as quickly and efficiently as possible. It will introduce Pitch Creator and theFoundation Pitch (http://www.pitchcreator.com/self-study-courses/) which will prepare you to successfully pitch your business idea. You don't want to miss this opportunity!

About Jason

Jason is a Partner at Camden Partners and joined the firm in 2005. He invests in technology-enabled services, software, and business services companies. Jason currently serves on the boards of OutMatch, Proposal Software, Viventium, and Tracx. His previous board roles include Steelwedge (acquired by E2open), Prolexic Technologies (acquired by Akamai), Ranir, and IncentOne (acquired by Welltok).

Pitch Creator is an online learning platform and was started in 2014 as Jason Tagler's volunteer, passion project for Baltimore. His initial goals were to help entrepreneurs in the Baltimore area learn how to pitch investors and raise money for their businesses; thereby impacting Baltimore's economy, start-up ecosystem, and job creation potential. However, the online self-study materials have expanded greatly since then and entrepreneurs/CEOs from all over the world visit our website.

To RSVP, click here!

I did not get to do my interview in a monster truck, but talking with Tony Ochs, driver of the Monster Jam Soldier of Fortune truck was still a memorable experience.

I read that one of the rituals you do before a show is controlled breathing exercises. Why is that?

It helps me calm down you know? There is a lot of different factors that get you hyped up. I mean it is nice to be hyped up, but it kinda increases your anxiety level. Right before a show I climb into my truck super early and sit and try to clear my mind. You know? Take a few deep breaths and drop the anxiety levels a little bit.

How did your love for vehicles come about?

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, we grew up with ATVs, dirt bikes, and off-road equipment. I guess all that was really just the foundation of my love for motorsports and vehicles. When I joined the army, I became a helicopter mechanic and that is when I really took an interest in mechanics. That is how I got into Monster Jam. When I separated from the Army, I started with Marvel Universe Live — which is a sister company of Monster Jam. I was their stunt motorcycle mechanic and from there I worked my way into Monster Jam.

Did you help in developing the Soldier Fortune Black Ops truck?

I actually had no input in developing that Monster Jam truck. Feld Motorsports had already designed the truck and they picked me to drive it.

Did you always want to join the army after high school or did you have any other post-high school plans?

I had the military in my mind for the last couple years in high school. That’s something I really always wanted to do. Five days after my seventeenth birthday I called the recruiter and said, “Hey I’m ready to join the army.”  I did basic training between my junior and senior year of high school.

Did your time in the army prepare you in any way for Monster Jam?

I think so. To race all three of these vehicles it’s really important to be physically and mentally fit. In the army, you have no choice but to work out and be physically fit. I think that has definitely given me a leg up on the competition.

How long did it take you to learn how to control your monster truck?

 Every time us drivers go out and perform a show, we are still learning. Every performance is a learning experience. Yes, it is very hard to control the truck. It probably took me maybe five or ten shows before I was really really efficient with steering, fluidity … you know.

Have you ever gotten hurt while performing a stunt?

No, never happened. I have come away with bruises, but that is just minor stuff that is expected in any motorsport event. Never any major bruises.

What’s your favorite stunt to do?

Anything that involves big air! Jumping as high as I can. When I am flying through the air, it is a very exhilarating feeling. I cannot really describe it.

Out of all the shows that you’ve competed in, which has been your favorite?

I would say that my favorite show that I have ever done was Houston, Texas October of 2017. I was driving Netflix’s The Punisher truck. It’s where I did my very first backflip in monster truck. It was all in all a great performance and a great time.

Do you have any other competitors you look up to as mentors?

Absolutely! Tom Meents. He is an eleven-time world champion. He is the guy that taught me how to drive a monster truck. I will always look up to him and I will forever be grateful for all the things that he has taught me. I also look up to the other guys that are on my team with me. We all learn stuff from each other. It is a great honor to compete with such a high level of talent.

Do Monster Jam drivers usually stick with the career for a long time?

Yeah. We have had guys in Monster Jam that have been driving for thirty-plus years. This is all they have done their entire life. For me, personally, this is my first year on the Triple Threat Series. We call it the Triple Threat Series because we race the Monster Jam trucks and we also have the ATVs and the speedsters as well. So we are racing three different vehicle platforms all in the same event.

Do you have any next steps in your career after Monster Jam driving?

Right now I aspire to start my own motorsports dealership — ATVs, bikes, and motorcycles. I do hope that I can get quite a few years out of Monster Jam. I sure would not mind still driving when I am fifty.

Thank you so much for talking to us! Is there anything else you would like to say before we finish up?

Anybody can get the information they need about the show at Monsterjam.com. We have a show Friday night at seven o’ clock. We have two shows on Saturday; one show is at one and the other is at seven. We have another show on Sunday at one and both Saturday morning and Sunday morning from ten thirty until noon. We have the Pit Party, and its passes are ten extra dollars. You can get them at the ticket window. Check out Monster Jam’s social media pages. Also, check out my social media pages. My Facebook and Instagram are both @TonyOchsBlackOps. My Twitter is @TonyOchs.

Just as one can normally recognize a question from the tone of a person’s voice, so too can a question be recognized in a musical by the tone of the music. Music and humans have this in common; they are both quite audible. The ability to read the emotions of a musical can be quite thrilling, leading to a very suggestive play.

Right from the start, as soon as the performers walked towards the stage, the notes on the piano hit. The two performers, Elizabeth Sarian and Nathan Cicero, provided immediate entertainment before even speaking into the microphone. What made this performance special was the ability to connect music to human beings to a very significant degree.

Among the plethora of wonderful musical performances that were demonstrated, a few very specific pieces caught me by surprise and had me think to myself a couple of times. The first piece that caught my attention, called “How can I keep from singing?” and arranged by Nathan Cicero, expressed a state of enjoyment to me. Each question asked in the song was accompanied by a subtle shift to a higher pitch in music.

In between performances, a quote was presented. One of my personal favorite quotes was by Gustav Mahler stating, “It is a funny thing, but when I am making music, all the answers I seek for in life seem to be there, in the music. Or rather, I should say, when I am making music, there are no questions and no need for answers.” This quote is significant not only because of the inspiration factor of it, but because of the message that lies underneath it.

The aforementioned quote by Gustav Mahler seems to allude to the idea that the process of making music is very conforming. There are no arguments and no troubles experienced when making music. Everything seems to go your own way with no direct form of resistance. This depiction of the quote allowed me to see the performances from a whole new perspective.

The two performances that were executed last, “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise” and “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin, were both “welcoming.” I use this word flexibly because it can be perceived in a number of ways. I say “welcoming” because the audience was allowed to join and sing a couple of lines displayed on the projector.

The performance welcomed us to finalize the piece of music, even allowing us to select the pitch of some of the lines in the music. Not many performances can say that they can utilize the vocals of the audience and bring in that form of vibrancy into a work of art.