Houston tries to lighten the early evening mood

Passersby roaming through Houston Hall in the early evening can now enjoy entertainment five days a week. And last night, the student Israeli dance troupe Yofi! -- which means "great" and "beauty" in Hebrew -- provided the amusement, as part of the new "Houston Hall is Alive at Five" program sponsored by the Office of Student Life. Yofi! member and College junior Sara Tillinger said the event, held in the Houston Hall Bistro, was a "fun opportunity" to showcase the group's talent. "It's a more relaxing kind of performance.... We get to do dances we don't get to do in a more formal performance," Tillinger said. About 30 students attended. Although most said that they had come to Houston Hall to study, they called the performance a welcome surprise. Alive at Five aims to take advantage of the late afternoon lull by presenting a variety of activities and performances every weekday at five in the Bistro. Engineering sophomore Tom Kelly said that he "just happened to be here," but said, "Iwas glad Iwas here to see it." Perelman Quadrangle Program Coordinator Andrew Zitcer said of Alive at Five, "Houston has just reopened.... We wanted to... reintroduce it to the student body." Zitcer added that the program grew from student demand for regular entertainment. The goal is "to create an atmosphere in Houston Hall that's just beyond a place to sit and study," Student Performing Arts Coordinator Ty Furman said. College junior Katie Rinaldi said she enjoyed Yofi!, adding that she was not distracted by the group's music. "It's not a high study time,"she said. Yofi! performed as part of the Wednesday program, which is run by Student Performing Arts. The organization usually features dance and a cappela groups. Furman added that student groups enjoy the opportunity to perform. "It's a place where they can test out what they're doing," he said. Alive at Five is still a growing program, but Zitcer is optimistic, saying attendance is increasing as more students learn about the program through word of mouth. Some of the more popular activities include Thursday's dance lessons, Tuesday's Campus Conversations and Monday's screening of Sex in the City and The Sopranos. Associate Director of Student Life Victoria Nastri, who is in charge of Monday activities, said the casual atmosphere attracts students. "It's not [really] aggressive... it's an option to take a break from studying,"she said. But many are not aware that Alive at Five exists. "It's a great concept. Idon't know if people know enough about it," Yofi!member and College junior Rachel Bergstein said. Tillinger, however, is hopeful. "Maybe it'll catch on," she said.