They're Blue, da ba dee da ba doo

Athletes and artists couple up in Rhythmic Blue's current show, a performance in which dancers turn action into beauty and the body into pure physicality. In an almost flawless transaction between the self and group unity, this performance proves that independence flourishes in the very empathy that dancers show for each other. The dancers weave into shapes with an authority that makes one question why we speak in words rather than movement.

CAYTE PUSHKAREVA/YH Alison Morris, BK '01, loves you long time.

Rhythmic Blue's performance begins with sharp, mechanical syncopation that shows off the dancers' technique. Kathleen Tundermann's, SM '00, choreography of "Silly Ho" presents organized communication of attitude and expression—its tableaus on either side tie this opening piece into an attractive invitation. But the seduction has only begun. In the appropriate complement to Salt-n-Pepa's "Do You Want Me," Jill Catalanotti, SY '00, has concocted an undeniable chemistry; the positive sexual charge is so empowering for the participants that even their eyes dance.

Rarely does the erotic shape of the pieces trap the dancers into self-consciousness. With deserved confidence, Rhythmic Blue strives to conquer a space. Their success in this endeavor arises from an intriguing self-absorption. The audience is forgotten and forgets itself as these skilled entertainers "Handle the Vibe" with a tap piece that echoes the music's complicated rhythms. At their highest points, the pieces seem to precede the music, as if the dancers' precise movements are so powerful that they dictate the sound which can only try to touch them.

Still, the music is never easy; beats are fast, voices play with instruments, and deceptive emotions abound. The dancers prioritize interpretation, a challenge they meet triumphantly in Bob Marley's "No More Trouble," a song that features Erykah Badu. The movements, choreographed by Camele-Ann White, TC '03, seem to drive Badu's voice as the women drive each other to a level of connection whose seriousness and concentration illuminate the first half of the performance.

What was a sleek machine in the first several pieces turns into a more relaxed fluidity right before intermission, where the dancers are solid and assured. Fashion takes over sexiness in the hip-hop spirit of the second act; "Smooth Criminal" opens with an eerily entangled couple arising from the floor. With strength and authority, Tundermann and Catalanotti extract a futuristic beauty from the song, transforming chords into turns and screams into kicks. Responding more smoothly to each other as the performance goes on, the dancers cultivate a cool harmony that reaches its peak in the final pieces. Their smiles take on a sincere welcome to the audience and their gazes exert a real force; they engage the audience in a concentration that's both admiring and vicarious.

Dance

Rhythmic Blue Fri., Apr. 14, and Sat., Apr. 15, 9 p.m. Silliman Dining Hall $4 advance, $5 door

In the last two pieces, the entire space surrenders to the dancers' sense of direction, giving way both to sheer fun and a planned final outlet. In "What Y'all Want," the inviting attitude that characterized the beginning of the performance bows down into a goodbye, making the evening seem like a long breath whose exhalation will match the grace of its intake.

For the finale, the seniors run onstage as if greeting one another after years. The reunion, an upbeat and colorful performance of "Cantaloop," looks like a rinsing off as the dancers jump and shake and laugh. If they're letting out their anxiety, it's the first time they haven't done so through control, and the inclusion of the rest of the cast results in a cohesion that turns form into personality. Rhythmic Blue dances with mind and body, using spirited movements to clearly express both cerebral and physical strength.

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