Hip-hop steals the show diSiac's 'Heist'

I know what to expect when I go see diSiac. I know that I can expect energy, synchrony and technique. I know that I can expect beautiful lifts, flips and short solos cast against a backdrop of strong performances by the company. I know that I can expect a showcase of talent and skill, as opposed to a spectacle of gratuitous sexiness. And I know the nuts and bolts of the show’s structure: it opens with a lengthy but high-energy hip-hop number, then alternates with contemporary pieces.

I know what to expect because diSiac, for the past two years, has delivered. However, this year I encountered something that I did not expect from diSiac: the contemporary pieces, easily my favorites in previous shows, are wildly overshadowed by the hip-hop numbers in “Heist.”

From the very first number in the show, the hip-hop dancers of diSiac command the audience’s attention. Their energy is high with a focus on hitting each step hard and sharp. The exacting attention to detail culminates in the final hip-hop number of the first act,“Awesome Possum,” choreographed by Angie Chiraz ’16. The dancers are crisp, and the choreography is fast and clean, with the entire piece playing off of the music perfectly. The group avoids the trap of trying to dazzle the audience with tricks, and performs without pretense: only in diSiac would a dancer perform a flip upstage obscured by two lines of dancers in front of him. I refuse to succumb to the pun by calling the piece awesome, but “Awesome Possum,” is the best number in the first act by far. “Hanging On,” choreographed by Kalin Stovall ’15, is another hip-hop standout. This piece is cast with many contemporary dancers, which allows for a stunning blend of sharp hip-hop with moments of smoother contemporary technique.

Overall, the hip-hop numbers are notable not only for their execution and choreography, but also for the energy blasting out of each dancer. They know when to grin, they know when to grimace, and they move as a single, self-aware unit.

The counterpoint of this exact strength in the hip-hop numbers is the ultimate weakness of the contemporary pieces. The dancers —beautiful and flowing, as always — display very little emotion, leaving the reaction of the audience completely at the will of the music (often sad) and the choreography (often slow). The energy on stage, so high in the hip-hop numbers, sinks low in the contemporary sections. Yes, the choreography is solid. The entrances and exits are smooth. As always, diSiac does a wonderful job of showcasing individual dancers in short solos and small group pieces without taking the spotlight off the group. No single dancer is given disproportionate emphasis even though there are several standouts: Maria Katarina Rafael ’15 and Clark Griffin ’18, in particular.

There are still interesting moments in the contemporary pieces. In one, the dancers toss baby powder around the stage, reminiscent of Christopher Scott and The LXD. The effect is stunning and fills the entire auditorium with a fresh scent. However, this piece is more interesting for the powder than for its emotional power. Even while throwing baby powder, the dancers do not seem to be having much fun. When two of them act out a basic boy-meets-girl storyline in“Wicked Game,” the two featured dancers have no chemistry whatsoever, ruining the intended poignancy and emotion in the choreography.

One contemporary piece does overturn my unhappy generalization, however.“Worn Out Shoes,” choreographed by Casey Ivanovich ’17 and Adin Walker ’16, finally releases the dancers from the melancholy of previous pieces, letting them smile and openly enjoy themselves on stage. The choreography is not significantly different from other contemporary pieces, and it isn’t that this dance had a particularly detailed storyline: it just feels happy. That is not to say that every contemporary routine should have its dancers grinning from ear to ear, but every contemporary routine should have a clear idea ofwhatthe dancers are actually feeling.“Worn Out Shoes”was not fantastic by virtue of being happy; it was fantastic because ithademotion.

Every time I write a review, be it for diSiac or any other dance company, I feel a bit of unease. In some sense, a student’s review of a college performance is completely unfair — the reviewer, after all, attends a dress rehearsal rather than the finalized, polished, audience-packed show. These critiques are performance-specific, and it is easy to imagine that when diSiac opens in front of a cheering full house the energy of the contemporary pieces will soar up to match commendable technique and the booming energy of the hip-hop pieces. “Heist” is a good show: the dancing, the choreography and the balance of genres are all excellent. These, of course, are characteristics that you can always expect of diSiac.