BAC ushers in a new ‘Reign’

Prepare yourself for a “reignstorm.” Powerful, electrifying and notoriously BAC, “Purple Reign” brings together a diverse compilation of hip-hop styles with fresh music mixes and dynamic choreography that keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat, strings you on a hook and takes you along for the thrill ride. The energy never wavers; “Purple Reign” will shock you with its delicious combination of sexy, badass, flirty and most of all what BAC is known for — swag.

In McKenzie Dawkins ’14 and Marvah Hill Pierre-Louis ’13’s opening piece, “Make it Reign,” seven powerful girls light up the auditorium with hot energy and precise choreography. Yet the performance showcases not only BAC’s usual hip-hop swagger, but also a fair number of lyrical pieces. Pritha Dasgupta ’13 and Ailea Stites ’12’s piece “Rain On Me,” set to Adele’s “Someone Like You,” stands out with its haunting tone and beautiful storyline. By infusing the show with a chilly wistfulness that opposes the typical BAC flares of swag, this lyrical performance demonstrates the group’s versatility. Even club dancing comes off as graceful and beautiful.

Even so, hip gyration does get a bit repetitive in its pieces this year. The dancing was sexy and suggestive, and BAC was able to mix in an element of desirable danger. But while pairing in flirty duos is provocative and intriguing, the sex appeal is used so liberally that it takes away from the overall effect and does not necessarily fit in with BAC’s image.

Fortunately, BAC makes up for this with stud-ly men throwing off fresh swag. A sure lady-killer, “Underground Kings,” choreographed by Jordan Best ’13 and Ethan Leeman ’13, will hold the audience in awe, with BAC’s fine crew of gentlemen pulling off sharp and incredibly clean choreography in brilliantly hip electric blue shirts. While the men in this piece were a hit for the squealing girls in the crowd, the next piece brought BAC’s ladies back on stage — with chairs. Choreographed to Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation,” Julie Nkodo ’12 and Marvah Hill Pierre-Louis ’13’s “Take The Reins” incorporates dynamic choreography by allowing the dangerously sexy girls to dance around the stainless steel.

Choreographed to a clever remix of Owl City’s “Fireflies,” Seung Nam ’12 brings to the spotlight a hard-to-forget piece, “Dreaming of Death.” The choreography is as fantastical as the title sounds and presents to the stage 10 of the top dancers in the crew, all masterfully executing complicated dance moves in perfect synchrony. It’s a breathtaking and magical work of art with an otherworldly feel. If nothing else, come to witness this masterpiece.

However, a few pieces do seem under-practiced technique-wise. Dancers are individually strong and have well-developed and unique styles, but the synchronization isn’t always on point. The troupe also attempts to incorporate ballet movements within its lyrical pieces, which fall short of technique in comparison to BAC’s hip-hop. But swag makes up for the show’s shortcomings. With its aesthetically pleasing formations and fly movements, the choreography is innovative and sensational to watch. These dancers challenge their limits with difficult moves that they pull off well.

There’s less of an inclination to incorporate overplayed top-40s pop music in every piece, so the beats throughout the performance stay fresh. The outfits reflect the pieces and movements well. The lighting is phenomenal, exceptionally artistic and complements the intensity very well. BAC pulls the show together under its “Purple Reign” royalty theme, from the clever puns on “reign” to the fresh tracks from “Watch the Throne.” You won’t want to miss out on this astounding performance as a new reign of dance unfolds.

4 Paws