DOBC’s Showcase ‘Reputation’ Centers Around Kindness and Empowerment

The Dance Organization of Boston College (DOBC)’s showcase Reputation, held on the Robsham mainstage on Feb. 3 and 4, was a night about empowerment and kindness, according to Gianna Laura, director of DOBC and MCAS ’23. 

Laura said when choosing a theme for the showcase, the officers of DOBC were thinking about words that aligned with empowerment and felt “reputation” fit the bill. 

“DOBC wants to have a reputation of being friendly and people who love to dance and love each other,” Laura said.

The performance featured dances from 20 different student choreographers, including eight of the nine officers. Before each dance, a video played featuring the dance’s choreographer introducing the song and giving background to the choreography. The dances were in a variety of styles, including lyrical, jazz, tap, and hip-hop. 

Laura explained that the choreographers are selected at the beginning of the year. Members auditioned with 30 seconds of prepared choreography. 

The nine officers choreographed the finale, which honed in on the reputation theme and included solo sections from each class year. The finale’s music was a mash-up of “…Ready For It?” by Taylor Swift, “Diva” by Beyoncé, “Can’t Be Tamed” by Miley Cyrus, and other songs. 

In every dance, both audience members and performers looked as if they were enjoying themselves. 

“People are really excited to share what we have been working on,” Laura said. 

The dancers were in sync throughout every performance, matching their movements to the music of each song, telling a story.

“A Little Party Never Killed Nobody,” choreographed by Amy Guggenberger LSEHD ’24, was a hip-hop number, portraying a style not widely represented in the show. The upbeat music was matched by the enthusiasm of the dancers, evident on their faces and fast-paced movements. 

“A Sky Full of Stars,”choreographed by Catherine Hazard, MCAS ’23, and Emilie Vieaux, LSEHD ’23, was a ballet piece that featured fluid yet powerful movements, alluding to themes of strength and grace.

The dancers changed costumes in order to fit the theme or mood of each song. For the lyrical and ballet numbers, the dancers wore flowy, gauzy skirts that moved with their motions. For the jazz numbers and upbeat dances, the performers mainly wore black leggings or shorts with colorful, sometimes glittery tops, which fit with the more energetic music.

Two groups, the Bostonians and the Heightsmen, made guest performances at the show. The Bostonians performed “I Want Love” by Jessie J, “Masterpiece” by Tori Kelly, and “Evergreen” by Omar Apollo. The Bostonians’ clean and emotional performance matched the style of the dance performances. 

The Heightsmen performed in the second act, donning their signature jackets and ties. The group performed “Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney, “Honeymoon” by the Shadowboxers, and “Because Of You” by Ne-Yo.