Performing in front of the GonusAthletic (enter, Belles and Beaux members, junior Carrie Cantrell, fresh– men Betsy Dell and Samantha Cheatham, sing during Family Weekend Oct. 8. "It is always one of my favorite performances because it is an outside, laid-back atmosphere ," Cantre ll said. ·Amber 8azargoni Singer spends spring in child's fairy tale Senior AbbyChandler left a semester-long absence in H arding University's musical grollp, Belles and Beaux, when she decided to spend an entire semester working at Disney World. Chandler spent the 2005 spring semester of her jun ior year in rhe Walt D isney World Resorts and Theme Parks College Program. Chandler, a communication disorders major, said shegOt the idea from her friend, senior Jeremy Painter, who planned to work for Disney. "He was telling me about it one day, and it sounded like it would be a really fim experience," Chandler said. "I interviewed and thought if I get it, I call make a decision from there," she said. While working at Walt Disney World, she played many charaaers like Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, both "Lila and Stitch," Miko from "Pocahontas," Mushu from "Mulan" and even Pinocchio. C handler tOok training classes to learn how co sign each character's name, how co imeracr with people without talking, and how to acr like each character when meeting people and raking pictures. Each day she was assigned her character. Then she would spend time meeting visitors, signing autograph books and taking pictures. C handler would work in 30~minute shifts. "A lot of people think it's moving around the park, bur it's nor like that," Chandler said. "You have a certain SpOt, and people come co you." TIlis was Chandler's third year as a Belles and Beaux voc.1.lisr, a group that performed music from classical to rock for various crowds across the nation. While she was working at Walt Disney World, her place in the group was held so when she returned, she could become involved again right away. "I'm not an insrtumenralis[ or a musician, so it's n Ot like if they lost the d rummer, they would have had to replace him," Chandler said. "There are other singers in"the group who could cover my part while I W,IS gone. Despite knowing that her position in Belles and Beaux would be saved, C handler said it was not an easy decision. "I was having a really good time at school, and I didn't really want co leave my friends," C handler said. "It was harder for me to nOt go and miss out on the opportunity." Chandler said the experience nor only taught her a lot about living in the real world and being independent, but also about herself. -Maranda Abercrombie goOd [fj]@w~singers ' businessfr@@11ilil Row 1: A. Cantrell, M. Martin, R. DeRamus, R. Donald. Row 2: A. Row 1: L. Bryan, B. Grady, L. Kellis. Whitehouse, T. Wisely, J. Cox, M. Ramboran, S. Whitehouse, C. Hicks. voca l music ;'~~.
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