Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College, Author at Study Breaks

Someone taking a picture of their young child.

Ruby Franke, 8 Passengers and Perilous Family Vlogging

What started as a fun and parasocial trend now falls to the hands of the legal system.…

April 12, 2024

Young girl hiding her face while someone tries to film her.

Child Exploitation and Trauma on Screen: The Dance Moms Reunion

Nostalgia breaks down as entertainment figures from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s like Jenette McCurdy in memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died” and Drake Bell in “Quiet on Set” reveal how they were exploited and…

April 1, 2024

‘Frankenstein,’ Ballet and Mute Dancing Creatures

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Royal Ballet’s “Frankenstein” is loyal to the written work, as it highlights the significance of connections and what occurs upon breaking human and social conventions.…

March 26, 2024

Is Laufey the Next Jazz Goddess?

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Laufey’s emotive songwriting confirms that genre is not the defining quality of her work.…

March 21, 2024

Machismo, Marianismo and Misogyny in Mexican Telenovelas

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

“Lo que la vida me robó” is the quintessential telenovela to observe and dissect what life has taken from women and men in Mexican communities.…

March 10, 2024

Collage of Mitski performing for a crowd.

Mitski and the Spirit of Intimate, Strange Performances

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Mitski’s 2024 “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” North American tour has social media users speaking about concert etiquette and performative art.…

February 26, 2024