Seeking to improve social options at Dartmouth, the Programming Board kicked off some of its new activities this weekend with a revamped Friday Night Dance Party and a comedy show.
The board also has plans in progress for a daily events bulletin and a coffee house in addition to continuing many of its activities from last year.
Linda Kennedy, director of student activities, said the reinstitution of the weekly Friday Night Dance Club was one of the Programming Board's more significant additions.
Programming Board Co-Chair Matt Ellis '97 said the former Friday Night Dance Club died out in 1995 because attendance dwindled.
She said it was held in Webster Hall for a while, but Webster was too large a venue for the event.
Shauna Brown '99, who co-chairs the dance club committee, said the Programming Board allots the funds and the space for the party, and a co-sponsor group is in charge of setting up, getting decorations and handling the publicity.
"The purpose of having different groups co-sponsor it is so it doesn't get stale," Kennedy said. "We hope to have hundreds of people here every week."
Brown said there will be a dance party each Friday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. in Collis Commonground.
"Before each dance there will also be a mini-concert," Brown said. "Like an a cappella group or Sheba [dance troupe] to get people there."
Friday marked the kick-off dance club, co-sponsored by La Alianza Latina.
Programming Board Co-chair Kristin Canavan '97 said the turnout was "incredible -- Collis was packed."
She said La Alianza had a Latin "hip-hop jam" featuring D.J. David Avila and food from Del Taco.
Brown said the Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance will co-sponsor the dance club on Oct. 11 in conjunction with National Coming Out Week.
Kennedy said many students in the past have asked for a coffee house, and so this year the Programming Board will sponsor a coffee house every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. in Collis Cafe.
The cafe will be open, serving coffee and "an array of desserts not available any other time," she said.
To avoid conflicting with the sounds of the dance club, Kennedy said on Fridays the coffee house will feature recorded music played on a new sound system.
Kennedy said Saturday's entertainment will alternate between Eleazer's Dungeon's comedy shows and performances by student bands.
She said Eleazer's Dungeon will be held in the cafe because it is a better atmosphere for a comedian than the spacious Collis Common Ground.
At the first Eleazer's Dungeon performance of the year, comedian George Hamm entertained a crowded Collis Cafe.
The second scheduled comedian did not show up to perform.
Previously admission to Eleazer's Dungeon cost $1, but Kennedy said entrance to the comedy performances in the coffee house will be free.
Kennedy said the band performances will be more concert-oriented than the background music found at Lone Pine Tavern.
The Programming Board will also present students with a new publication that lists the campus events of the following day.
Called the Daily Notice, Kennedy said the handout will be the size of a half-sheet of paper and contain a listing of all campus events occurring the next day -- including sports events, Hopkins Center activities, parties and meetings.
The Daily Notice will be available Sunday through Friday evening at the Collis information desk and all Dartmouth Dining Services cash registers, hopefully starting on Tuesday, Kennedy said.
"A chronic frustration has been that I work with many students who go to great lengths to put on events, yet there are always people who complain that there is nothing going on at Dartmouth," she said. "I think some events haven't been given enough publicity."
Tikia Hamilton '98, who will collate the information from electronic submissions and type the Daily Notice, said she thinks the information will give students added incentive to come to an event.
Hamilton said knowing all the social options on campus can "make people feel better about the social atmosphere at Dartmouth."
Kennedy said she hopes the late submission deadline of 2 p.m. the day before the event will get "late-breaking news" in the Daily Notice that might not otherwise receive much publicity.
She said the Daily Notice will also have a section of useful reminders -- such as "housing deadline is tomorrow," Kennedy said.
Ellis said other events the board has scheduled for Fall term include a Rusted Root concert in Leede Arena on Oct. 26 as well as a few other performances by smaller bands.
Ellis said the Programming Board will once again sponsor two free movies at the Nugget movie theater in Hanover each term and will continue to hold community dinners.
Ellis said the Winter Mission Tour, which is a promotional tour sponsored by companies like Sony and Rossignol featuring free activities for students, will come to campus today.
Students can go to Tuck Mall from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and go wall-climbing, use an inflated simulated snow board, play video games and watch a snowboard stunt team.
