Frigid temperatures and freezing rain did little to dampen the spirits of the people gathering in Robsham Theater on Friday night. The sense of excitement was palpable as conversation buzzed around the auditorium. The crowd eagerly awaited the opening night of Dance Organization of Boston College’s (DOBC) two-night annual showcase, titled “Electric.”
In a message written in the event’s program, Regan Hayes, director of DOBC and CSOM ’22, described the group’s inspiration for the show.
“[It is] reflecting on our collective experience as a team over the past several years,” Hayes said. “Despite so many challenges, we have been powerful and resilient, brought together by our love of movement and positive energy.”
The audience echoed the dancers’ positive energy as the lights went down and cheers swelled from the crowd to support the performers.
The first number of the night was a lyrical piece to Lucy Dacus’ cover of “La Vie En Rose.” Before each dance, a video was shown on stage of the choreographers giving a summary of why they chose each song.
Choreographers Suzanne Quigg, MCAS ’22, and Angela Liu, CSOM ’22, said that they emphasized the song’s themes of finding true love by including fluid movements that expressed longing and hope for the future. The shifting colorful lights complemented the touching tone of the dance. At times, most stage lights went down, leaving just the dancers’ silhouetted figures visible as they flew across the stage in perfect unison.
In the introduction videos, many dancers also took the opportunity to express thanks to their friends and family for all of their support. Quigg and Liu explained in their video why they chose “La Vie En Rose”—which translates to “life in pink.”
“DOBC has brought us to see our BC experience through rose-colored glasses, ” Liu said.
Throughout the rest of the first act, DOBC alternated between slower, lyrical dances that awed the audience with expressionism and dances to more animated pop beats.
The energy in the room grew when the opening notes of the Glee cast’s recording of a “Survivor / I Will Survive” medley began to play. The catchy tune had the audience clapping along from the beginning. The dancers stoked this energy with a dynamic, pop-style routine as they commanded the stage.
Synergy Hip Hop Dance Company made a guest appearance by playing a video of its spring 2021 set called “SYNPARTY.” Dancing in the video to a variety of hip hop beats including “Good Form” by Nicki Minaj, the group’s six-minute set came alive with the precise execution of hip hop moves.
Synergy returned on video once more in the second act with a shorter virtual performance. Still as alive as ever with the pulsing movements of hip hop dance, the set started on a slower note with a dance to “Make It Out Alive” by NAO. The camera dramatically circled around the group as Synergy gave a rousing finish to its performance.
DOBC closed out its show with two special numbers. The group’s seniors performed to the song “Survive” by Madilyn Bailey as they celebrated their last annual showcase. The last routine, titled “Electric,” was a medley of tunes choreographed by the group’s officers and featured dancers of every class year.
As the performers took their final bows, the crowd rose to its feet. Energy coursed throughout Robsham one final time as DOBC fulfilled its promise to deliver an electric evening.
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