Last semester, I attended and reviewed the Black Arts Company (BAC) fall show, “Verified.” At the time, I was blown away by the quality of the performances and walked away excited to see more from the group. Keeping my promise, I returned ready for the company to bring the same energy to new choreographies with their spring show: “Block Party.”
BAC’s “Block Party” was performed in Frist Theater on April 5 and 6. But well before opening night, and even before buying my ticket, I was drawn in by the group’s promotional photos. The shoot portrayed friend groups intersecting with other groups in a neighborhood. The outfits perfectly reflected BAC’s proud members’ coolness. The teasers for the show were reminiscent of the 2000s, using camcorder video quality to give the audience a sneak peek — I was instantly intrigued.
BAC dancers “assassinate” their leader in revolt in “R//EVOLUTION.”
Brianna Melanie Suliguin / The Daily Princetonian
The show opens with “Danger on ‘BAC Block.’” The white tee-distressed jeans and sports jersey combos donned by the dancers established the neighborhood party theme. The team grooved their way across the stage to “m.A.A.d city” by Kendrick Lamar, which was contrasted by individual shoutouts that spotlighted each member. The fan engagement made this a standout piece: The team knew how to excite the crowd for what was yet to come.
The tone then slowed down for “R//EVOLUTION,” one of my favorite dances of the night, which contrasts many of the other performances due to a focus on popping over groove. In this piece, the dancers presented clean lines and shapes, utilizing tutting and popping. The crew’s precision and power shined through their minimal yet impactful performance. However, my favorite part was the storytelling: The front-facing baseball caps, signifying loyalty to the leader Jeremy Dapaah ’24, were gradually turned around, showing them “turning” their backs and calling for revolt. The solo moments showing the dancers siding with rebellion were effective and dramatic.
BAC dancers strike a final pose in “Kid(s) ‘n Play.”
Brianna Melanie Suliguin / The Daily Princetonian
Would I have expected a Drake and Phineas and Ferb crossover? No. Did I thoroughly enjoy it? Absolutely. “Meap!” uses Drake’s “IDGAF” and “Another Late Night” alongside the dancers’ sparkly fire design tracksuits. The best way to describe this piece is “hip-hop dance crew coming to devour.” A very show-stopping performance, the selling factors were the contrast between groove and pops, the textures shining through. And the sass: Every single dancer delivered on facials and body language. I just knew they were having fun up there. With full confidence, they made the choreography look effortless, despite the powerful and sharp foot and arm work. The crowd reciprocated their energy, a perfect closer to the first act.
“Kid(s) ‘n Play” was next, another one of my favorite pieces of the night. The cast entered with bright pink and orange shirts with carefree and playful attitudes. Here, the cast had fun with childish motifs such as patty cake and skipping, making the dance their playground. Suddenly, a Troy Bolton moment from “High School Musical” appeared with the dancers dribbling under the spotlight. The middle section introduced hard-hitting images and body language, specifically using krumping to break it down. “Blow the Whistle” by Too $hort played, with the referee motif solidified by the music and costumes. The piece finished with some double dutch: The callback to Corbin Bleu’s “Jump In” was absolute perfection.
BAC dancers serve electric style in the final moments of “Spin the Block.”
Brianna Melanie Suliguin / The Daily Princetonian
Next up was “Sidetalk BAC.” This piece brought back carefree, airy vibes. The piece mainly focused on litefeet techniques, a style I’ve seen incorporated before into pieces but didn’t know explicitly. Here, I got an introduction to the dance style: Focusing on feathery footwork and a strong posture, the performers made each eight-count unique. Utilizing the train travel motif, the dancers moved fast across the stage due to their agility, conquering the energy of the audience and investing it into energetic and bouncy choreography.
After BAC’s traditional dance competition followed “Spin the Block,” one of the most intoxicating choreographies of the night. The piece was led by Artistic Director Jessica Ugwoke ’27 and Assistant Artistic Director Eva-Labelle Kenmoe ’27. You could tell they meant business: their musicality was put on center stage, and my eyes were darting across the stage to gather all the details. A notable moment in this piece was the outfit-changing into the white puffers and shades. The group showed up to the function to claim their grounds, and they solidified their position once again as the best in the block.
BAC company celebrates Block Party’s last piece “We” by breaking it down on stage.
Brianna Melanie Suliguin / The Daily Princetonian
The Block Party came to a close with the Senior (Citizen) Piece “Zone 24” and the closer “We.” In “Zone 24” dancers were throwing their wigs and canes offstage to get down. The closing piece was bursting with energy as well, implementing line dances like the wobble to get the crowd on their feet. Both of these pieces celebrate the community that is BAC, extending the familial energy to the crowd as well. Their active engagement of the crowd through filler videos and stage presence kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. I can confidently say that BAC succeeded in throwing the best block party in Princeton.
Brianna Melanie Suliguin is a staff writer for The Prospect. She is a part of the Great Class of 2027 and is from Toms River, N.J. She can be contacted at bs7122@princeton.edu.
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