This past Thursday night, Nov. 12, the Adagio Dance Company performed its fall semester show, “Evolution of Dance.” As Brandeis’ largest student-run, student-choreographed dance company, Adagio truly demonstrated the extent of their hard work and overwhelming abundance of talent during the two-hour-long performance. Encompassing many styles of dance, ranging from hip-hop to ballet, “Evolution of Dance” was surely a sight to see for fans of all types.
The night kicked off to an electrifying start with the opening performance by the dance ensemble called “Got It.” The dancers, dressed in black and white outfits, took center stage with their seductive yet classy motions and gentle-style canes. The following performance, “Entangled” provided a refreshing contrast by with their flowing movements and earthy style. Featuring the mellow tunes of Australian, singer-songwriter Vance Joy’s “Mess is Mine,” the dance offered a different, more mild and sincere tone than the preceding performance.
Although the rivalry may divide us, Bentley’s CRAZE hip-hop dance team claimed the Levin stage with their high-energy and fast-paced dance called “Divas,” which drew its choreography from icons such as Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. Immersed in a crowd of dancers dressed in black, three star performers marked by bright blue articles of clothing captivated the attention of the audience with their powerful and striking show. With the longest performance of the night, CRAZE truly demonstrated a fierce mastery of their art.
Nevertheless, the Brandeis students still conquered Adagio’s falls show with their incredibly varied spectrum of dance styles, which successfully entertained and left a lasting mark on the audience. One notably interesting dance of the night was “Tziltzelei Pa’amonim” by B’yachad, one of Brandeis’ semi-professional dance troupes, which allowed its viewers to fully appreciate the traditional form of Israeli dance. Moving across the stage barefoot and in red and black cultural attire embroidered with gold, B’yachad definitely generated excitement in international dance.
Each performance required the hard work and dedication of every dancer, even when under the pressure of limited time in which to practice. “Even though the group had to learn half of the routine within a two-hour time frame, our seniors (Hannah Brooks ’16, Brendan Weintraub ’16, and Stephanie Anciro ’16) make practices very fun and productive,” Rachael Schindler ’19, who performed in “Evolution of Kaos.” “Rehearsing for this show was very easy-going.” Although one may think that the dancers are only thinking of the dance and the heat of the moment, Schindler reveals the true thoughts of the performers, “I was also wishing that my overalls wouldn’t come undone so I could give the audience the kind of show they (didn’t) pay for,” she lightheartedly said.
The Brandeis Ballet Company, founded by the Hannah Schuster ’18 (an editor of The Brandeis Hoot) and Abby Skolnik ’17, also made a memorable performance with their dance “Hidden Language of the Soul.” With fluidity, grace and quick motions, the dancers glided across the stage, concluding with a lone dancer, Schuster, who effortlessly brought the dance to a gentle end.
Of the Brandeis groups that performed outside of Adagio, the most memorable was surely “Stop Motion,” and their intensely animated performance, “Randomonium.” Featuring many quick-paced dance moves, representative of various Eastern pop dance groups, the Stop Motion crew added an entirely different perspective to the show. Dressed in pure black, the dance crew demonstrated a spirited performance that most definitely exceeded the audience’s expectations.
The night concluded with a breath-taking performance to the melody of “Heart Cry.” The choreography began with the hauntingly soft sound of a piano piercing through the silence of the ballroom. From there, the pace of the music piece picked up into a powerful tempo that blended together hip-hop and ballet seamlessly. Being the sole instrumental piece in the entire show, the final dance certainly induced a lasting impact in the audience. Full of fluidity, the synchronization of their movements to the heart beats in the music presented a dramatic display to end the night.
Working closely alongside Adagio were members of Brandeis’s annual Dance Marathon fundraiser, the money from which will go directly to the patients and families of patients at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Donations will help the Dance Marathon reach its goal of $5,000, and make a difference in the lives of those who are just starting out. Events like this “Evolution of Dance,” in which the performers work alongside volunteers to help raise awareness and generate funds, reminds us of the Brandeis’s mission to serve its community.
