Two months after the fiery plane crash at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport, the community at the nearby Airport Arts Campus of Santa Monica College is undeterred. The fatal accident occurred Sunday, Sept. 29, when a Cessna Citation jet landed at the airport and veered off the runway before plowing into airport hangars, erupting into flames and killing all four...

On Saturday night, Synapse, the Santa Monica College contemporary dance ensemble, stormed the theater with a series of fiery, powerful and stunning dance numbers that showed the unique capabilities of the human body to tell stories. After six weeks of preparation and six hours of rehearsal each week, the Synapse dancers showcased their new repertory by guest and faculty artists...

When Rafael Silva left the heat and crystalline shores of Rio de Janeiro to play soccer in the United States, he never imagined he would find himself in the bone-crushing arena of American football as Santa Monica College's prime kicker. "I came here to play soccer," Silva said. "I knew the football coach. He's a friend of mine. He told...

Santa Monica College veteran student Ronald Gray served three years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps, four years in the Reserve, two years in the Texas National Guard, and two years in the California Guard. Two weeks ago, Gray received a denial from the Social Security Office of Disability, stating that he has to wait until it...

Chassés and pas de boureés, techniques used as warm-ups in dance, were in the midst of perfection by Santa Monica College dancers in a rehearsal before the spring semester dance ensemble premiere of "Synapse." An array of contemporary dance styles will be performed this weekend, including modern, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical jazz, jazz, ballet, and fusion. Director Jae Lee, a...

A rush of artful adrenaline runs through the veins of Santa Monica College dancers as they prepare for their annual world dance concert, Global Motion. New additions to this spring semester’s Global Motion performance will incorporate two ethnic dances, Filipino and Moldavian. SMC student Toni Pasion, who has a background in Polynesian dancing, is in her fourth semester with Global...

Bradley Rava was out of the pool by 9 a.m. on Sunday, after finishing what he called a “warm down,” a type of recuperative workout. Rava, along with the rest of the Santa Monica College swim team, had just returned from the Western State Conference swim championships at Los Angeles Valley College. It was a typical Sunday for him in...

It was an ordinary day in Glendora, Calif. for Santa Monica College student Eric William Van Horen when he stopped at a Starbucks drive-thru before heading to school. Eric decided to pay for the customer behind him, which led to every person "paying it forward" to the person behind them in line for the next 10 minutes. "My first reaction...

In the face of defeat, great players stand tall and progress forward. Athletes often find that volleyball, like other sports, promotes growth with losses, and serves as a learning experience. Keeping his head held high and moving forward, sophomore Charlie Schmittdiel leads the Santa Monica College men's volleyball team, despite their recent struggles. Schmittdiel started playing volleyball his sophomore year...

The Santa Monica College photography department's new chair is Ford Lowcock, and in congruence with his 39 years of experience in the field and visions of three other full time faculty members, change is in store. "After several years of discussion, the department is headed in a new direction," says SMC professor of photography Bob Ware. The department is making...