 The Dance Ensemble's fall production of 'Fusion' tried to shake things up with a robotic tap number to the Chemical Brothers' hit song "Galvanize."
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This past weekend, the Dance Ensemble of Boston College presented its annual fall production, titled Fusion. The show aimed to create a collaboration of dance through a unique mixture of ideas, styles, cultures, backgrounds, and individual talents. While the performances were riveting, the show suffered an artistic setback courtesy of its oversexed nature.
A highlight of the night was the very eclectic tap routine, "Galvanize," set to music by the Chemical Brothers. The song plays on the "pushing the button" sexual innuendo. Jonathon Arpino, CSOM '09, played the character of a man turning on robot-like dancers - a move that was sexually suggestive. The choreography was refreshingly original because it was so uniquely stylized. It featured a strong emphasis on the upper body, an element important to tap numbers.
The standout of the night, however, was "To Build a Home," a pulse-grinding modern number choreographed by Katherine Apple, A&S '08. Her steps did what good choreography does, telling a beautiful story that followed every pulse of the music it accompanied, which in this case was the Cinematic Orchestra. This played on the theme of a universal love as explained in her program expletive. It featured precise hand-clapping and exaggerated breathing from the dancers on stage. Every inch of emotion in the performance permeated into the audience.
When choreographing a piece, music choice is an important factor. "Apologize" proved a beautiful ensemble number with its catchy beat and rich violin, and lines that wrapped perfectly with the music. The choices of "Sail Away" and "Delirious," though, were not well-thought out - they were boring breaks in a fast-paced, intimate show.
It was confusing to see dancers en pointe in "Away," because they did not use an extensive ballet repertoire. The show's other pointe routine, "Festival of Beltane," left much to be desired, too. The Gaelic spin put on the dance gave it a freshness, but the choreography was lost in its simplicity.
2008 Woodie Awards
