BAC is harder, better, faster, stronger than ever in ‘Beast Mode’

This weekend, Princeton’s premier hip-hop company presents “Beast Mode,” an exciting assortment of choreography, music and dancers that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The Black Arts Company, a group that has long wowed Princeton students with its innovative, sharp pieces and energetic presentation, does not disappoint with “Beast Mode.” In this show, BAC demonstrates its impressive range with lyrical efforts and slow, controlled choreography. Nevertheless, it still shines most brightly with its fast-paced, upbeat hip hop.

BAC breaks away from its hardcore image to perform slower, more lyrical pieces in “Beast Within,” choreographed by Lauren Ivey ’11, and “The Worst Part is Over,” choreographed by Kadeem Gill ’11. In Ivey’s piece, the BAC ladies feature their technique and connection to the music while keeping the audience’s interest with a remix of Adele’s popular song “Rolling in the Deep.” “The Worst Part is Over” tells a touching story of loss and grief to Fantasia Barrino’s intense vocals. Dancers bring their all in this piece, with emotional facial expressions and good synchronization.

While BAC is strong in its lyrical presentation, it is exceptional in fast, loud and over-the-top hip-hop dances. “Sextraterrestrial,” choreographed by Ethan Leeman ’13, Lucy Fang ’12 and Lyuba Docheva ’11, is a highlight, with great sound effects and difficult movements, as well as Katy Perry’s edgy “E.T.” which adds another level of enjoyment for the audience. “Level Up!” choreographed by Fallon Atta-Mensah ’12, is danced to the strong beats of “Bass Down Low” by The Cataracs and the old-school selection “Swing” by Savage. This music and the dancers’ sharp, synchronized movements absolutely galvanize the crowd. Another standout comes in “The Glitch Mob,” choreographed by Daniel Chang ’13 and Jordan Best ’13. This piece features men only, and BAC’s men are perfectly willing and able to star without their female counterparts. Choreography alternates between large moves and small, quick motions, with interesting formations engaging the audience’s eyes.

“Beast Mode” ends on a high note, with “BAC Total Fitness: Let’s Get Beast!” Choreographer Julie Nkodo ’12 features dancers in small groups to upbeat songs like “Mommy” by Missy Elliot, “Ms. New Booty” by Bubba Sparxxx and “Go Hard in the Paint” by Waca Flocka Flame. Dancers get a chance to show off their talents as the show comes to a close.

BAC’s starring piece comes early in the show, with “The Deadmau5’s Apprentice.” A large number of BAC dancers take the stage in this piece, choreographed by Seung Nam ’12, which shows a group of people controlled by a single individual with a remote control. The dancers exhibit incredible abilities to stretch, freeze and isolate their movements to the extent that they look eerily like robotics puppets. The dance is not easily forgotten by the end of the show.

BAC’s only difficulty manifests itself in ubiquitous themes. While it is nice to see BAC focusing on each piece telling a clear story, the stories all tend to resemble each other as the show progresses. A variation on boy-meets-girl, boy-and-girl-have-issues and boy-finally-gets-girl shows up in most every piece. In “When Geeks Beast,” choreographed by Stephen Park ’12, Lauren Brown ’12 and Chidalu Onyenso ’14, nerdy boys see attractive girls, have difficulty attracting said attractive girls and finally end up with the attractive girls in the end. “Too Much,” choreographed by Rana Campbell ’13, tells a story of two men who entice attractive girls, mess around with said attractive girls and also end up with the attractive girls in the end. “Lessons on Swag” by Adetola Olatunji ’11 similarly focuses on men who can’t seem to get their act together to get with the pretty girls but do so by the piece’s close. Although these similarities do not diminish each piece’s individual value and interest, the show as a whole suffers from this overused trope.

“Beast Mode” is a thrilling performance from Princeton’s experienced and beloved hip-hop troupe. The music choices engage both the performers and the audience, and it is refreshing to see difficult choreography done so well. Dancers are sharp and expressive and truly look comfortable on stage. Despite perpetual themes of sexual tension and relationship difficulty, dances are interesting and fun. Don’t miss out! Beast it up this weekend.

Pros: Cool choreography, fun music.