BAC show highlights diversity

With characteristic flair — and a few surprises thrown in — Princeton's Black Arts Company (BAC) performs its fall show "Back at the Jump-Off" this weekend at Theater Intime. The 22-member cast will present its strongest and most diverse show yet — in more ways than one. Creative and ethnic diversity is the focus for BAC this fall. Guest artists include Sympoh, The Friendship, Raks Odalisque, Culturally Yours and the Highsteppers.

Beginning with the opening number, the company tests uncharted waters by sharing the stage with musicians. The Friendship, a popular student band sometimes seen at Café Vivian and Terrace Club, will play the opening number, a cover of "The Magnificent Seven" by The Clash. This decision is one of the company's many consciously innovative choices, and BAC is not shirking any artistic challenges in this show.

"You don't see many hip hop groups dancing with live bands onstage. If they even sneeze, we're in trouble," Rhonda Fitzgerald '07 said.

Like many of BAC's dances, "The Magnificent Seven" is informed by multiple dance styles and techniques.

"I choreographed the dance, and I can't exactly characterize it as a single type. I guess you could say hip hop with a little bit of jazz," said BAC co-director Karen Bailey '08.

Spanning from lyrical to salsa, gospel to club, the stylistic breadth of BAC's show is as impressive as the ethnic and geographic diversity of its members. Not only is the 11-piece show packed with an array of dance styles never before included in a BAC program, it also highlights the ethnic diversity of which the company can be proud.

"BAC welcomes and includes persons from all backgrounds. Common perception has been that BAC caters only to African-Americans, but if you look at our cast today, we have persons from all types of ethnic backgrounds onstage," Krista Nottage '07 said.

The show is reflective of the unique talents of company members, featuring seven different choreographers, many of whom choreographed for the first time.

Sandra Scoseria Katz '08, of Uruguay, contributed her stylistic and cultural expertise by choreographing a sexy coed salsa number to Shakira's "La Tortura." The girls' heels are high and the energy levels are higher as the six-member cast incorporates chairs, intricate partnering and an array of unabashedly sensual salsa moves into this upbeat number.

"The audience can tell we have fun onstage," Katz said.

The male presence in the company is stronger than ever. The six men performing in BAC's fall show will represent over a quarter of the dancers onstage. Ask any of these boys about their favorite dance in the show, and it's not the salsa partnering or the hot club scenes. It's the guys' dance.

"That's the best piece in the show. Period," Erber Hernandez '09 said.

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With choreography by Tarik Jones '07, the boys do much more than just hold their own against the girls. Set to Chris Brown's "Run It," the guys' intense dancing and charismatic presence prove them to be worthy rivals for some of the audience attention normally reserved for the ladies.

"It's like our showcase. It's our time to shine," Benjamin Bernstein '08 said.

Not everything has changed, though. The days of classic booty shaking are far from over for the 15-year-old BAC, one of the oldest dance troupes on campus. For those expecting the sexy freestyling and energetic hip hop for which BAC is known, the company does not disappoint.

An all-girls piece, "The Whistle Song," features a small cast that absolutely dominates the stage of Intime with the choreography of Ganga Bey '08. Another piece involves a set of cages and poles. This show is looking to shock, impress and, most of all, entertain.

"When people come to BAC shows we want them to feel like it's a party and they're part of the family," Nikki Bowen '08 said.

BAC co-directors Bailey and Ery Shin '08 represent the strong underclassman presence in the company. Just three years ago, the company had only about five regularly performing members. Now, the 29-member BAC represents a wider pool of talent and a brighter future than ever for the company at Princeton.