SoC thrills an energized audience

Spinning, kicking, jumping, stepping, and gyrating dancers lit up the stage last Thursday and Friday in Spirit of Color's (SoC) fall dance spectacle, Climax.

With pulsating beats, colorful lights, and challenging choreography SoC thrilled an already energized audience with 21 numbers danced by some of the most talented performers Tufts has to offer.

An eclectic musical selection gave each number its own style and pizzazz. Of course there were the traditional dance beats derived from popular hip-hop, reggae, and teeny-bop-pop. However, there was also music seldom associated with dance, such as that of Rod Zombie, Bush, and Oasis. The broad range of musical genres allowed each group of dancers the freedom to express themselves through more than just the rhythms of traditional dance.

Though each number had its own distinct high points, several stood out above the rest. The fourth number of the first act, entitled "Organized Chaos," offered steamily sharp sex appeal with its all-female company clad in black and red. With a dangerously fast beat provided by the music of Outkast, the dancers managed to stay in sync while still flirting with the audience. Strobe lights and silhouette effects enhanced the visual experience and made the dancers' movements that much more erotic.

Complete with cinematic accompaniment, SoC's darker edge came out in full force with a number that was set to the music of Rod Zombie. "The Puppet Master" featured scowling, goth-like dancers popping out from under black cloaks after a somewhat disturbing Marilyn-Manson-video-like clip of the Tufts campus. Through the metallic driving music and acrobatic moves, the dancers portrayed a sinister aura.

On the lighter side, the "Work Me Down" number choreographed by Tyler Duckworth brought the audience back to the 1980's when leg warmers, big hair, and shirts off the shoulder were all the rage. This cheerleading inspired dance highlighted Gumby-esque flexibility and dazzling kick-line synchronization.

The second act began with pounding bass. "The Black Out" combined mind-boggling coordination with a military attitude. The all-male group stepped it up with little to no music creating SoC's version of Stomp without the props. The steppers threw in their own personalities with momentary pauses in the percussive action to make wise-cracks or break into less regimented dance moves.

SoC's sex appeal came to a climax in "Hot Tenderness" set to the music of Otis Reading and Jessica Rabbit. The seven female performers utilized the whole stage with long seductive moves. Silhouette effects created by colorful backlighting coupled with graceful floor work and intermittent solos highlighted the dancers' sexy skills.

In "The Chemicals Between Us," choreographers Lucia Carballo and Henry Myint (also SoC's director) brought together rapid, sharp movements and the alternative music of Bush. Myint was an obvious presence on stage with his seemingly effortless execution and confident poise. He and his neon-green clad fellow dancers seemed like machines straight out of a Matrix or Terminator movie.

Though the SoC cast is primarily female, an all male group danced to the music of Justin Timberlake in "Senorita." This was clearly the high point of the second act. There wasn't a girl in the audience who wasn't aroused by these eight guys dressed in soccer jackets, white t-shirts, and jeans. The group tantalized the crowd with moves reminiscent of an ultra-sexy R&B video while proving that yes, real guys can actually dance.

Though the choreography and execution were phenomenal, the show had some unnecessary breaks in the action. Several short comedy scenes took away from the fluidity of the production by creating some awkward moments. Though they drew a few laughs the production would have been more cohesive had these skits been cut out.

The dance contest after the intermission was mildly entertaining, but "Benny from the Block" needs to go back to high school if he thinks he can win a dance contest by doing push-ups on stage. Though there were some talented dancers in the competition, it was more awkward than amusing to see non-SoC members improvising to random music.

All in all, SoC lived up to its hype as one of Tufts' most anticipated fall fine arts events. Myint and assistant director Elizabeth Sutton brought this large company together for a show that was truly the Climax of the semester.