Which Princeton group can pull off popping and locking, tapping, hip-hop, pointe, martial arts and a costume consisting of nothing but neon-yellow booty-shorts? No other hints are necessary. diSiac.
This week, the members of diSiac Dance Company will take the stage for their annual fall production in Princeton's Theatre~ Intime. The show, titled "pulSe," is a roller coaster ride of varying styles, moods and musical selections that is sure to get the audience's blood pumping.
"It's a hot show with a lot of the elements our audiences are usually the most excited about, including hip-hop, hot boys, sentimentality, social commentary, good music and, of course, sex," said Hana Ginsburg '04, diSiac's Artistic Director. Indeed, "pulSe" will not disappoint the diSi-fans who have come to expect diSiac's signature combination of high-performance, high-art and little clothing.
Unlike past diSiac shows, "pulSe" is not based on an elaborate thematic structure. Ultimately, the show is about moving to a unifying rhythm, be it Eminem, Tracy Chapman or the sound of a heartbeat.
"Whereas a few choreographers are speaking to really serious themes, like gang violence and interracial dating, this show is primarily about taking our audience from one kind of visual experience to the next — all united by a common pulse," said Coco Stiff '04, diSiac president. To this end, sundry styles and musical selections are merged and juxtaposed in an attempt to illustrate the common rhythms that unify disparate kinds of movement and emotions.
Though diSiac Dance Company was founded only five years ago, the group's dynamic performance style reflects a maturity and artistic savvy beyond its years. The company regularly commands sold-out audiences and compels a cult-like following of dance savants and pop-culture junkies.
DiSiac's broad appeal bespeaks its dual commitment to artistry and entertainment. While diSiac's infamous "sex pieces" have assumed an almost mythic reputation on the Princeton campus, the company also performs numbers that exhibit notable artistic depth, emotional versatility and technical virtuosity. "PulSe" continues this tradition, with diSiac's typical melding of overt sexuality with creativity, artistic vision and the choreographic prowess of diSiac's dancers.
Few will dispute that diSiac's members are in a class all their own. Hailing from a variety of backgrounds, the current company boasts a former ballerina, a javelin thrower, a lacrosse player and a Princeton admissions officer. "PulSe" is a celebration of this diversity, binding different experiences and individual styles through a shared cadence and a common affection for dance.
"PulSe" features 16 pieces that span the spectrum of today's most popular dance styles. While the act of getting 35 people with varying degrees of dance experience to move in exact unison is virtually impossible, what is missing in precision is more than compensated for in energy and charisma. In each piece, from the first to the last, there is no doubt that every person on the stage loves to dance. Their love of performance is so magnetic that to say that these people "dance" seems woefully inadequate. These dancers perform, and as much as their performances are intended to entertain audiences, it is obvious that they are also dancing for themselves and for each other.
In "Ten Angry Men," by Garo Hovnanian '04, the "diSi-boys" engage in mock battles to music from "Mortal Kombat," "The Matrix," Steve Vai and DJ Qbert. The piece is a spin-off of the "Mortal Kombat" video game (minus decapitations and organ-removal), with five different fighting styles for five pairs of fighters. Combining breaking, musical theater movement, contemporary dance and even a pair of nunchucks, the dance is a testament to the undeniable talent of the diSi-guys.
"The guys have been amazing in this piece, always willing to sacrifice their bodies to try anything we ask them to do," said Hovnanian.
Indeed, the diSi-boys move with the facility and confidence of professional dancers, which is all the more impressive because many of them have had little to no formal dance training. Capitalizing on the dancers' natural talents and mixing energy, humor, and sheer charisma, Hovnanian has created a definite crowd-pleaser that raises the bar for b-boy battles everywhere.
Kelly Sortino's "Cloudy with a Chance of Men" to music by Gene Kelly and The Weathergirls is another fun-filled showstopper. Replete with umbrellas, bright lights and lots of skin, the dance moves from classical tap to Vegas-style staging.
"This piece was a healthy challenge for me because I was allowed to integrate several forms of dance under a unifying theme, while pushing myself to explore every possible permutation of how one might use an umbrella as a prop," said Sortino '03. The effect is a raucous romp of character dancing and comedy.
As the final show in which all of the diSi-seniors are performing on the same stage, "pulSe" is particularly meaningful for the Class of 2004. "Our class has been active in the leadership of the company since freshman year, and I think we are all proud of how far the company has come over such a short period of time," said Ginsburg, who is in her third year and final semester as artistic director.
"In many ways, this show will be a sort of rite of passage for all of the talented underclassmen to make diSiac their own," said Smith. After seeing "pulSe," audiences will agree that the underclassmen have their work cut out for them.
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