This last week of classes has offered Tufts an exciting reemergence of springtime essentials: blooming flowers, outdoor classes and afternoon barbeques.
It also, however, charges the campus with a bittersweet sense that everything is moving to its conclusion. As points vanish from student IDs, textbooks lose their covers, and highlighters run dry, seniors prepare to grant Tufts a final farewell.
The Spirit of Color dance troupe (SoC) has adopted this theme for their spring show, which will be staged tonight at 9 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m. in Cohen Auditorium. Fittingly entitled "Generation," the performance will showcase the culmination of a semester's worth of material.
According to senior and director Sasha Kunin, "Generation" not only alludes to the departure of a large group of senior dancers, but also to the development of the current underclassmen of SoC.
"There are multiple meanings to 'Generation.' It pays homage to the seniors who have invested lots of time and dedication into SoC over the years. It recognizes the batch of younger dancers who will pick up where the seniors have left off," Kunin said.
SoC will perform 22 dances, all of which are student choreographed, with one intermission. Although often noted as being a hip-hop troupe, Kunin emphasized the variety of this season's dance selection. In addition to hip-hop, there will also be jazz, lyrical and flamenco dances. One choreographer also arranged a dance to include capoeira, a Latin martial arts dance form. Drawing from different styles and types of dance ensures that this SoC performance will be not only entertaining, but diverse.
The polished dances are a result of weeks of organization and practice. At the start of the semester, members who have danced with SoC for at least two semesters are eligible to present choreographed dances to the SoC executive board. The chosen choreographers hold auditions, usually accepting six to 15 dancers per dance. There are also two "open" SoC dances, which are audition-free.
The result is an assorted yet cohesive collection of dances, all of which are augmented by coordinated costumes and impressive lighting effects.
Assistant Director Stephanie Dres, a sophomore in her fourth semester of involvement with SoC, choreographed a jazz-inspired piece to a mix of Nelly Furtado's "Say it Right" and Timbaland's "Give It to Me." She felt a particular connection to this season's show because of the poignancy of dancing with the seniors for the last time.
Each member of the organization brings different talent to the various dances and performances. Though it might be sad to think that things will change, it is also encouraging to picture what SoC will transform into with the addition of next year's incoming freshman.
"For me at least, being a sophomore, I'm really close with lots of the seniors who are graduating. It's scary to think that we'll have to rebuild next semester. There's definitely a sense of conclusion, but with that, an excitement for starting anew next year," Dres said.
Senior dancer Jessica Lessing agrees. "SoC is something I'll especially miss because it's enjoyable but also serious," she said, noting that the combination of weekly dance practices and extra rehearsals building up to the final show have helped the dancers bond as they prepare for the final event. "The stress, the fun and the friends have made my time with SoC well worth it."
Despite bittersweet sentiments, the newest upcoming SoC performance is certain to provide the type of quality entertainment the Tufts' community has come to expect from this talented group.
