The Princeton Borough Police has dropped all charges against campus dance group BodyHype after allegations that the often-provocative show was a front for a prostitution ring. The group and all dancers were issued a public apology.
Dancers in BodyHype, which completed its annual fall show Saturday night, said that despite the steamy stage scenes of the show, they were stunned by the unfounded accusations.
"It's ridiculous that someone would try to twist our art form into something so perverted and awful," said outgoing BodyHype president Sunny Park '03.
Police first received a tip about the alleged criminal activity late Thursday night from an anonymous source who claimed to be a member of the Agape Christian Fellowship, Borough Police Capt. Anthony Federico said.
Federico said he could not release the name of the informant.
"According to his story, there are some really hot acts in the show, and he claimed to have information on shady backstage deals with some of the girls," Federico continued.
The informant highlighted several numbers in the second act of the show, including one that he said featured "upstanding men being seduced by hookers" and another with "costumed crack whores," Federico explained.
During the investigation, several plainclothes Borough Police officers were sent to watch the show, and afterward kept a close eye on dancers and audience members for suspicious behavior, like interchange of money for interaction with the ticket office.
While Borough Police found that no illegal activity was occurring, the attending officers said even they were shocked by the highly explicit nature of the show's "Sex Piece," choreographed by Kevin Simmons '03, which featured four couples on stage in their underwear.
"They were practically naked and dry humping," Federico read from the officers' report. "It's no wonder someone thought something shady was going on."
Of the informant, Federico said his claims were baseless and he was likely just out to put an end to the group's "sexcapades."
"I think Agape has been after us for a while," said incoming artistic director of BodyHype Laine Kavanaugh '04. "I guess some people are too busy staring at the skin to get the messages we're behind the dancing."
Agape president Cole Barfield '03 assured police that the fellowship had nothing to do with the police investigation, and he disagreed with Kavanaugh's assessment.
"I think I got it," he said.
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