The Fusion Dance Company weaves together various forms of dance and musical styles in its 27th annual show, which opened Thursday night in Alumnae Hall and runs through Sunday.
Fusion was founded in 1983 by Paula Franklin '86 because she wanted to see more diversity on campus, Danielle Dunlap '10 said during the show.. The company continues to resist conformity in their routines, encouraging diversity both on and off the stage.
"There's not a cohesive feel to the show," Christina Santana '11, co-director of Fusion, told The Herald. "With new members, every year the show is slightly different."
The show opened with an enthusiastic 1950s-style piece set to "The Nicest Kids in Town," from the musical "Hairspray." With the help of poodle skirts and cardigans, the company came out strong in this piece, instantly creating a highly energetic, fun atmosphere.
Directly following the opening number, the company showcased their versatility in a piece that slowed down the tempo a bit and created a more intimate atmosphere with only four dancers on stage. The quartet incorporated both softer, fluid movements and hip-hop-inspired movements, blending the two quite nicely.
Continuing the modern dance feel, the next number was a captivating duet set to Radiohead's "Packt like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Can." Dan Lurie '11 and Joelle Murphy '11 worked very well together, performing a powerful piece filled with sweeping and strong motion.
A short duet interlude entitled "Freak" picked the pace back up and transitioned into a more hip-hop-oriented dance number set to Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams."
In these pieces, and throughout the show, Fusion set a well-organized pace, alternating between the slower, melodic and the faster-paced pieces.
A great example of this controlled and varied pacing came in the middle of the show with an all-girl number composed of four songs, including "Make It Rain" by Usher and Monica's "So Gone." As the songs in the number changed in tempo, so did the dancers' movements, creating a piece that was varied in sight and sound.
In the latter half of the show, a powerful duet took the stage, dancing to Marketa Irglova's song "The Hill." With flawless partner lifts and graceful movements, Danielle Lo '13 and Stephen Ursprung '10 commanded the stage with passion.
One of the highlights in the show was the senior performance piece, "You are Dismissed," which blended dance styles, including boy band moves set to 'N Sync and Lady Gaga-esque routines set to "Bad Romance." Exuding attitude and confidence, the seniors kept the energy level very high throughout their piece.
In the final number, the whole company came onto the stage with a burst of energy, dancing to Ke$ha's "TiK ToK," and creating a communal party-like atmosphere among the dancers and the audience. The piece was extremely energetic and fun, a great way to end the show.
Alyssa Thelemaque '12, the group's publicity chair, said she wants the audience to come away from the show feeling that "dance is accessible to them too, because dance is for everyone."
