"The video captures the “quiet voices” of students through the books they love" | Happy Feet @ MCC ❤️❤️❤️

MCC | A Place Full of Stories

And the First Place Goes To…

Ascentana & Soumya

Among all the student assignments, two deserve particular mention on our blogpost for today.

That’s because they are among the early birds - the very first to submit their vlogs - last evening to me.  

Firstly, Ascentana’s lovely vlog on dance, titled, “Between Culture and Content: What Dance Means Today”.

This YouTube Vlog is part of her vibrant YouTube Channel, that showcases her passion and love for dance. It explores the evolving role of dance in contemporary society, by contrasting traditional views of dance as a cultural and emotional expression with modern perceptions of dance as fitness, entertainment, or content for social media.

[On an aside, Ascentana has also been instrumental in coming up with a Dance Club in College, called Happy Feet, that she’s been doing consistently for the past one year].

Many interviewees who have been interviewed by Ascentana in this particular vlog have opined that, dance serves as an important emotional outlet to them at all times.

One participant even describes dance as “food for the soul,” that helps a great deal in relieving work pressure and stress. Yet another participant notes that dance provides a sense of freedom and a way to express emotions that are otherwise hard to communicate.

Some of the participants feel that, dance is often seen as a platform for self-discovery and building a social circle. It helps individuals overcome loneliness and provides a unique identity in schools, colleges, or workplaces. For many, the “dance community” offers a supportive environment that feels more “colourful” than their everyday routines!

One interesting take that I observed was on how social media has changed the perspective on dance. While it has increased visibility and traction for dance, some feel that it has shifted the focus toward popularity and attention-seeking (reels and likes) rather than pure artistic expression!

Yet another interesting part of the vlog is the shot that features a discussion on the role and importance of dance in Tamil culture.

Ancient Tamils used dance to return to a “middle state” when emotions like extreme joy or sorrow threatened their mental states, says the participant. The speaker also mentions how the patterns in Bharatanatyam mirrors the orderly movement of a nucleus, a concept even studied by organizations like NASA.

The vlog is a thoughtful reflection on how dance remains a crucial part of the human experience, bridging the gap between ancient traditions and the digital age.

Kudos, Ascentana.

You may want to access her vlog HERE.

Secondly, kudos to Soumya for her captivating vlog titled, “A Page from MCC: Conversations with Readers” - a video featuring interviews with students from Madras Christian College (MCC) about their favourite books and the impact of reading on their lives.

The vlog introduces MCC as a place full of stories, whether spoken in classrooms or written in books. Added, the video captures the “quiet voices” of students through the books they love!

Around sixteen students share their favourite books across various genres, including Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Plays, Adventure, Philosophy, Non-fiction, etc.

Some of the titles that they have shared are –

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

1984 by George Orwell

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

One Piece manga series

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Highest Duty by Captain Chesley Sullenberger

Soumya has asked some thought-provoking questions like, why these books are special, how they relate to the characters, and whether the stories changed their perspective on life!

Soumya concludes her vlog by noting that, while many students prefer globally popular Western literature, reading is a personal journey that reflects the reader’s emotions, interests, and values. As such, she highlights on the fact that, books, regardless of their origin, have a lasting impact and become a part of who we are.

I’m hopeful that the vlog would serve as a tribute to the diverse literary interests of the MCC student community and remind us all, on the power of books to offer escape, comfort, and insight into reality!

Kudos, Soumya. You may access her Vlog HERE.