The AXIS Dance Showcase delivered high-energy performances from the Boston College dance community Friday evening, featuring hip-hop influenced routines and modern renditions of traditional dances.
The showcase included performances from eight dance groups including Fuego Del Corazón, Boston College Irish Step Dance (BCID), Boston College Dance Ensemble (BCDE), Full Swing, Phaymus, AEROdynamiK (AeroK), Masti, On Tap, Vida de Intensa Pasión (VIP), and Sexual Chocolate.
Fuego, the 2019 Showdown Competition Category winner, started the night hot with a sensual salsa routine. The dancers were dressed in their standard sparkling red dresses, which were accentuated against the backdrop of their partners’ black button downs and matching pants. The Latin dance team shimmied and performed stunts, blending elements of hip-hop into their choreography, a juxtaposition which complemented their mashup of Spanish and electronic music.
BCID followed Fuego, performing a clean routine to “Fool’s Gold” by Dagny featuring BØRNS. Dressed in simple navy blue dresses, all the attention was on their precise footwork as they stepped in and out of formations. They finished their routine joining hands in a circle, their feet never missing a beat, before filing off the stage.
The seven dancers in BCDE excelled at executing graceful, fluid movements, performing a contemporary dance with an uplifting message of girls supporting girls.
Full Swing picked up the pace with a rock ‘n’ roll themed performance, lending a tougher edge to swing. The male members swung and flipped their partners to King of Leon’s “Sex on Fire” before transitioning into Fallout Boy’s “My Song Knows What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up),” during which dancers mounted their partners onto their shoulders.
Phaymus started off their routine with a back-track of “Are you ready to rumble!” shaking up the stage. The all-female dance team exuded confidence during their hip-hop performance, dancing to a mashup of Beyonce’s “APESHIT” and Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow.”
The dancing didn’t stop at intermission, though. Three volunteers from the audience were asked to join the stage for a dance battle to Jason Derulo’s “Swalla.” Afterwards three more members, this time members from VIP, AeroK, and BCDE, were called to compete.
Once intermission came to a close, AeroK took to the stage with the largest group performance of the night. The group danced to “Be Like Me” by Lil Pump before switching to seductive partner dancing to Rihanna’s “Skin.”
Masti was up next, with a traditional Indian dance performance that incorporated wooden instruments that the group played in time with the music. Pulling from hip-hop, they also danced to a snippet of Kanye West’s “Famous.”
Following this fun performance, On Tap’s six-member routine tapped to the beat of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” The song’s infectious beat paired perfectly with their steps.
VIP brought stamina to their steamy Latin routine. Halfway through their routine, they switched to traditional partner dances, demonstrating skill and speed in their performance.
Sexual Chocolate wrapped up the show, stomping, jumping, and clapping as they used their bodies to create sounds. They danced to “Fine China” by Chris Brown before the music faded out, ending their performance on a powerful note.
The Southeast Asian Student Association hosted the event in collaboration with AeroK. With the audience packed into chairs and lined up along the walls, the sold-out show raised enough money to sponsor 10 elephants for the Save Elephant Foundation.
Featured Image by Leo Wang / Heights Staff
