BAC: Dance takes on reality TV in its latest show

If you didn’t catch BAC’s “Swag Flu” last semester, “The Real Word: BAC” offers you another a chance. The performance traces six dancers on a reality TV show, “Swag School.” The perfect theme for reading week (no better way to procrastinate than with reality TV), the show is fun, witty, and packed with everything oyu love (or love to hate) about reality TV. Each piece is modeled after a show, including “Flavor of Love,” “Ex-Factor,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” and many more.

Some might say that five filler videos is one or two too many, but overall I think they’re merited. They certainly serve the theme well and make the reality TV experience more, well, real. We’re first introduced to “Geekwa,” “Cheer-Cheer,” ans “Unique,” along with the rest of the Swag School contestants. And like any good reality show, the fillers feature plenty of drama, confessions, and frighteningly bad auditions.

As for the dancing, there is a lot of talent in this company. There are definitely some stragglers, but I suppose that’s to be expected given the sheer size of the company. I can’t speak to the specifics of hip-hop technique, but it’s obvious that these dancers are really good at what they do. One thing to note is the strong stage presence carried by most of the dancers. There was an air of confidence throughout and many excellent dancers, but I was especially impressed by the performances of Lucy Fang ’12, Alexis Morgan ’10, and Ann Niehaus ’12.

The choreography is equally strong. Most of the pieces are hip-hop—fast, sharp, intense—and all exhibit well the notable technique of the dancers. A couple pieces slow down the momentum, however, which is a nice change: “The Ex-Factor” and “Prisoners of War.” I won’t spoil the ending of “Prisoners of War” by Carlo Frem ’12, but I did think it sort of broke the light-heartedness of the rest of the performance. Decide for yourself whether that’s good or bad.

Other stand out pieces include “Bad Girls Club” by Morgan, “Pimp My Ride” by Tevia Pollard ’12, and the final company piece. I was occasionally taken aback by some unflatteringly skimpy costumes or coarse language, so to the squeamish—be warned. The theme is reality television, after all. However, all things considered this is an excellent performance and a great way to put off studying this weekend. Plus, it’s not totally extracurricular: It is “Swag School” after all.

4.5 paws

Pros: Great dancing, lots of laughs, and a really fun theme.

Cons: A little too much skin at times, some coarse language in the music (it is rap after all…), and potentially too many fillers.

-Chloe Davis '12