From the first booty-shaking notes of their infectious first song, "Simply Irresistible," Sarabande's fall Supershow will hook you and leave you begging for more.
For their final fall show, Sarabande has prepared a collection of acts gathered from Tufts groups so versatile that even Madonna, the queen of reinvention, would be put to shame. In the nine dances planned for this weekend's Supershow, the performers will cover ballet, tap, jazz and modern styles of dances.
Even within each act, Sarabande is still mixing it up. Besides the catchy opening number, there is a tap dance to Usher's "Bad Girl," a modern/lyrical piece set to Nirvana's "Come As You Are," and in a particularly interesting combination, a ballet number to "Agoraphobia" by Incubus.
The show also includes songs by Alanis Morissette, Lenny Kravitz, and the ubiquitous Guster.
These genre-bending acts may sound strange, but they are performed so expertly that the audience will be left marveling at the fact that they never thought of alternative rock as a complement to ballet before.
Sarabande stands out from the other dance groups on campus because of the rigorous audition process that is required simply to become a member. The troupe is a performance dance ensemble composed of classically trained dancers.
Once a dancer is admitted, she (or he - contrary to popular belief, being female is not a prerequisite) has the option to stay in for all four years.
Sarabande members are, as junior Laura Manoogian puts it, "the dancers at Tufts that were hardcore dancers in high school. Most of us have taken dance all our lives, and have been classically trained."
Such classical training shows in Sarabande's productions. The dancers move with professional precision and grace.
The troupe's members also choreograph all of their own pieces. Each choreographer comes up with a concept for a dance, including costume and lighting design, and then the dancers sign up.
But these are no prissy Swan Lake porcelain ballerinas prancing in pink tutus. For one thing, they are costumed in slashed black t-shirts, elbow-high gloves, red tank tops and sequined evening gowns over their basic black. There's not a tutu in sight.
In addition to the nine Sarabande acts, there are seven outside groups also performing. The Tufts Dance Collective (TDC) is represented by an all-male dance to the Beastie Boys' "Check it Out," and Spirit of Color is bringing the hip-hop. TASA and the Arab Students Association provide garba and belly dancing, respectively.
This show isn't limited strictly to dance, either - it is a Supershow. B.E.A.T.S., the Stomp-like group that bangs out rhythms on anything in sight, will take part in the performance, as will the Tufts Taekwondo Club. Rounding out the pack is Major Undecided, Tufts' new sketch comedy group.
Junior Stephanie Cohen, the second-time producer of the Supershow, joined Sarabande as a freshman after hearing about it from her sister, a former member.
"This is a great way to see awesome dancing from Sarabande as well as other outside groups," Cohen said. "There's no show like it on campus with such a combination of acts. There's something for everyone!"
The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Initiative is sponsoring a reception with free snacks before the show begins.
