Yes we can-can

Dancing for the inauguration

For one Princeton student, the inauguration of President Barack Obama was quite the occasion to dance. Kate Adamson ’11 performed at the Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show, hosted by the California State Society, Jan. 18 in Washington, D.C.

Adamson, a member of Princeton's Disiac Dance Company, linked arms with professional Broadway dancers and Radio City Music Hall Rockettes in a "Yankee Doodle" dance number, as well as in a can-can dance inspired by Obama's slogan, "Yes We Can!" Patti Colombo, the choreographer of Broadway's Peter Pan musical, arranged the routines.

Adamson left exam studying behind on Thursday evening to head down to D.C. for all-day rehearsals Friday and Saturday.

"It was such a great experience," she said. "I was especially grateful to be part of this historical moment, and to be involved in this surge of patriotism and energy." Adamson did it in style, wearing costumes designed by graduates of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom all were in attendance.

"The event was an intersection of two things that I am passionate about right now: dance and Obama," Adamson said. Nothing like a good high-kick to welcome in the 44th president. By Sarah Harrison ’09

Princeton's gym "for all seasons" turns 40

When Jadwin Gymnasium opened its doors in 1969, PAW billed the new facility as "a cage for all seasons": a facility that could be used for basketball, track, wrestling, fencing, squash, tennis, lacrosse, baseball, and rainy-day soccer or football practices. And with a volume of 10 million cubic feet (250,000 square feet of floor space), it was possible to contest a half-dozen sports at once.

Jadwin remains one of Princeton's most impressive buildings, 40 years after its opening. The men's basketball team will mark the 40th anniversary of the gym with a game against Concordia Jan. 25, 40 years to the day after the Tigers christened the Jadwin court with a win over Penn (pictured at right on PAW's Feb. 11, 1969, cover).

The gym's namesake is L. Stockwell "Stock" Jadwin ’28, left, a Princeton track captain who died in a car accident shortly after his graduation. After Stockwell's death, his parents, Stanley and Ethel Jadwin, continued to donate to the University's Annual Giving campaign in their son's name, and when Mrs. Jadwin died in 1965, she left $28 million to Princeton -- at the time, one of the largest sums ever given to the University. The money supported the construction of Jadwin Gym and Jadwin Hall, as well as several academic initiatives.

(At top, the H-Y-P indoor track meet of 1969. Photos: PAW archive)

Princeton's Office of Athletic Communications is counting down the top 40 moments in Jadwin's history. Click here to read:

No. 40-31 | No. 30-21 | No. 20-11 | No. 10-1

Mielke ’07 competes in curling championships

Alumnus Matt Mielke ’07, profiled in PAW's Jan. 28 issue, competed in the East Qualifier for the U.S. Curling Championships Jan. 7-11 in Brookline, Mass. It was an "up and down" week, Mielke said in an e-mail to PAW. The competition started well as Mielke and teammates Matt Hames, Bill Stopera, and Dean Gemmel won four consecutive matches in round-robin play. But in the final two round-robin matches, Mielke's team faced Todd Birr's team -- one of the world's top squads -- and lost both meetings.

At 4-2, Mielke's team moved on to the playoff round, where it drew Pete Fenson's team, the 2006 Olympic bronze medalists. Fenson's squad won, 6-3, knocking Mielke out of contention for one of the East's three automatic berths in the national championships. The championships also will serve as the 2010 Olympic Trials.

Mielke's team earned a second chance to reach nationals: By winning its consolation match in the playoffs, the team secured a spot in the "challenge round," to be contested in Bismarck, N.D., Jan. 28-Feb. 1. Ten teams from the regional meets will play for four berths to the national championships. Fans can follow the results at usacurl.org.