BAC fuses fairy tales and hip-hop in "Once Upon A Time"

While the words “Once Upon a Time” evoke thoughts of Grimms’ fairy tales, Princeton’s Black Arts Company Dance (BAC) is interpreting that phrase in a whole new light during their spring show of the same name. According to artistic director Sylvia Okafor ’16, the 12-piece spring show, set for this weekend, is meant to depict the many faces of BAC.

“Artistically, we really want to branch out,” Susanna Yu ’17, the current president of BAC, said. “Thisshow in particular is a lot more creative in terms of the theme and how we’re working with it. The types of music is also a lot more diverse in this show than in previous shows.”

According to Okafor, BAC’s current mission is to show thatare many sides to the dance company.

“I think in the past, BAC has been confined to this box,” Okafor said. “When people think of BAC, only one type of choreography comes to mind, one type of dance style comes to mind, and for this show especially, we want to show that we’re not confined to this box and that we are growing and expanding and we have many faces to this one company.”

Ebo Quansah ’17, the assistant artistic director of the company, stressed the importance of innovation.

“The most important thing that people are going to find out is BAC’s innovation,” Quansah said. “And I think that has led to a difference in music, difference in choreography. We are not just focusing on the choreography, but we are also focusing on showmanship.”

Okafor explained BAC's tenet of showmanship.

“When I first got into BAC in my freshman year, the company was known for having a great choreography, and now we are moving to the point where we can perform amazing choreography while telling a story and having the audience understand what we are trying to portray from the beginning to end,” Okafor said.

The leaders of the show agreed that something that sets BAC apart from other dance groups on campus is the company’s funny and entertaining video fillers, as well as how each theme is chosen strategically to match the company’s vision. They also explained that this year’s theme was suggested two semesters ago, when a member of BAC proposed that the company put on a show that was similar to a dream.

Okafor said the company had been considering the theme of “Once Upon A Time” for a while, and now that BAC is concentrating on showing the Princeton community the company's many faces, the idea that originated a while ago seems like a great medium to accomplish the company’s mission. She went on to explain that “Once Upon A Time” is the most choreographically diverse show BAC has had since she joined the group.

Putting on shows has not been without challenges. Terry Zhu ’16, the vice president of the company, talked about how critical it was that the members embody the theme.

“The fillers and the choreography are all very crucial, so a cohesive theme is very, very important, even from the get go,” Zhu said.

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The group has high aspirations for every show they perform throughout , according to Okafor.

“We set really high standards for ourselves," Okafor said. “The choreographers push themselves, and the dancers try to meet the choreographer’s vision. Making sure everyone meets that standard is a challenge.”

Yu echoed this sentiment, explaining that the company pushes people to always want to improve.

“It does not matter whether you are a senior or a newbie, because there is always room for improvement,” Yu said. “There should be no room for complacency.”

The organizers are looking forward to showing the different faces of BAC to the Princeton community. Every piece is significantly different, they said, and showcases BAC’s innovation. They expect all four shows to be packed.