Eights dance crew collaborate to benefit Blue Dragon, a children’s charity benefits kids in crisis in Vietnam.
The South East Asian Student Association (SEASA) along with breakdance group Conspiracy Theory, hosted a fall showcase featuring creativity for a good cause, because sometimes dancing just is not enough. Sometimes dancing for donations is not enough. Sometimes, you just have to dance dressed up as a BCPD officer or a flight attendant.
This year’s showcase featured eight dance groups to raise awareness for the Blue Dragon—a children’s foundation dedicated to rescuing kids in crisis in Vietnam. Blue Dragon has been able to send 3,058 children back to school and provide accommodation for 208 boys and girls.
The event was held in the Murray Function Room, which allowed for 150 to be seated and featured a small stage. The room was quickly filled, though, forcing some viewers to stand in the back.
The eight groups that performed were Irish Step; Presenting Africa To U (PATU), UPrising; KAYA; Conspiracy Theory; Boston College Dance Ensemble; Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (F.I.S.T.S.); VIP; AeroK; and Phaymus.
Kicking the event off, Irish Step consisted of two groups for the night—a larger group and an all-girls group—to accommodate for the smaller stage. The performance focused heavily on leg movement, and its strongest point was its in-sync tap dance without any music.
The Showcase took a cultural turn for the next crew. PATU featured traditional African dances, with the dancers clad in tribal clothing. The music was very energetic and rhythmic, and the group’s dancers used powerful legwork and arm movement in order to keep along with the beat. The team had one either lucky or alarmingly clever lone male dancer who worked well with the mostly female crew. He fit well into the group’s intricate formations.
When UPrising took the stage, the event was finally able to showcase some boys, but it was the group’s charisma that stood out. A co-ed hip-hop group, UPrising featured fluid and concise dance patterns. UPrising worked well together and gave off easy energy. The transitions were seamless like some of the other groups. The dancers did not get much time to rest between each song. Each solo dance distinguished itself from the others.
The next group, Kaya, was also co-ed, but featured separate male and female dances. The moves were simplistic and seemed to work well with the lighter songs, but the members seemed a bit dazed. Spacing among the members was a bit awkward, and coordination could have been better.
Nearly halfway through the evening, it was time for some breakdancing. Conspiracy Theory was up next with an all-male breakdance group, which focused on a lot on the group’s older members. With a humorous plot in the performance (BCPD vs. Robbers) and interactive song selections, the segment was very entertaining to watch since transitions were great once again.
Dance Ensemble first featured tap dancing to a more lyrical song that was interesting, but the members were a bit offbeat. The real showcase was the second song that combined breakdancing songs and traditional songs, which allowed for the members to use traditional Indian moves and more snake-like movements.
Not to be left out in the costume contest, F.I.S.T.S., an all-girl step team, had a great routine featuring a flight attendant theme. The movements were in sync, and the rotations of the members allowed all of the different members to get some time to showcase their unique starts to the routines.
VIP (Vida de Intensa Pasion), a Latin dance group on campus, featured three different songs of varying rhythms, which allowed for a showcase of various Latin dance routines. The switch-off of dance partners between songs was done fluidly and mesmerizingly.
One of the more intricate aspects of the event was AeroK’s ability to fit its substantial group onto the smaller stage. The biggest hip-hop dance group showcased its talent, maneuvering well on the small stage by breaking its bigger group into smaller groups and being able to move well among each other. The routine worked in everyone and focused on hand movement.
Finally, the members of Phaymus were all able to sync their bodies very well to the heavy drumbeats of the songs. They combined those persistent heavy beats with hand movements, but they were also able to change up their routine throughout the songs.
Lots of folk spend their Friday nights dancing. Most are not good enough to warrant a showcase, or a showcase for charity.
Featured Image by Drew Hoo / Heights Staff
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