On Saturday, April 14, Boston College held its annual dance showcase and competition event – Showdown. The night is always filled with excitement as Boston College’s top dance teams perform in Conte Forum for the large, energetic crowd. This year, I had the privilege of attending this fantastic event. As I watched all the teams dance, I was amazed once again by just how talented Boston College students are. After each performance, I was left thinking, “wow I think they were the best,” but then the next group would perform and blow me away again. Here were some of my favorite dances from showdown:
Synergy
Last night, Synergy went home with the grand prize after winning the competition portion of the event. This title was rightly deserved as their performance was truly spectacular. Their theme was “Synchella” (Coachella), which they executed perfectly with fun festival-like costumes, a great music set list, and an overall fun atmosphere. Their dance moves were impeccable with everyone dancing in perfect unison and the choreography was truly unique. Synergy also made a subtle social commentary by having a portion of their dance be called “summer love” and had one same-sex couple actually kissed on stage. While it was a little risky considering Boston College’s Jesuit values, I think everyone appreciated the statement made.
Photo Credit to Christine Kane
PATU
PATU is Boston College’s African Dance group who took home the prize for the best cultural performance last night. Their theme was The Lion King, which was a great selection given the African dance style. PATU told the story of The Lion King through dance, and my personal favorite part was the fight scene between Simba and Scar. The way that they choreographed the fighting with dance was very cool to watch. Overall, their performance was one of my favorites.
On Tap
I may be a little biased considering my roommate is a part of this group, but regardless, On Tap’s performance was truly charming. Taking on the theme of The Wizard of Oz, On Tap told this classic story while mixing in some modern elements, especially with the music. But besides the great storytelling, the dancing was on par with some of the most well-known groups on campus. On Tap is a relatively new group, but this year they stepped up their game. I’m excited to continue watching this group tap their way to the top over the next few years.
Photo Credit to Emily Lyons
VIP
Last night, VIP gave one of the more moving performances of last night. Their dance’s theme was Puerto Rico, and they highlighted the struggles that the island has faced since the hurricane this fall. But most importantly, they showed that despite the struggles, the Puerto Ricans will persevere, and one of the ways they can do that is through dance. The dancing that went with these messages was equally as moving.
Dance Ensemble
Lastly, Dance Ensemble’s performance was spectacular. They danced to the theme Alice in Wonderland and between the dancing and costumes they executed the theme perfectly. In my opinion, the best part of the performance was the combination of so many different dance styles. They danced ballet, tap, and modern all in one performance, and each element was choreographed extremely well. This was definitely one of the best performances of the night.
Photo Credit to Christopher Huang
All in all, it was a great night of dance. From tap to Latin to hip-hop to ballet, all types of dance were expressed showing off Boston College’s diversity of interests on campus. It is truly a special, and fun, night to be a part of.