More frantic fun with ADD

Remember when you used to dance in front of the mirror and pretend you were in a music video? Okay, maybe not. But for those of you who did, A Different Drum's spring dance performance will take you back. And for those who didn't, you'll immediately notice one thing that you won't be able to deny: these dancers have fun. Their show won't be the most polished performance by a dance group at Yale, but you'll recognize the music, appreciate the energy, and occasionally see some inspired choreography and acrobatics.

ERIN I. LEWIS/YH ADD then took its acronym a little too seriously, jittering frantically and paying no attention to its schoolwork.

A Different Drum is the youngest of Yale's dance groups, and is still at a somewhat awkward developmental stage in its style of presentation and choreography. Many of their numbers rely far too heavily on repetitive sequences performed simultaneously by all dancers on stage, with little complexity or variation in movement. The dancers never quite seem to be able to move as a group, and, as individuals, seem strangely cut off from one another, each occupying his space on the stage and whirling through his parts, rarely achieving a sense of complete movement or bodily interaction. Weak transitions and abruptly cut off endings on a number of the pieces also add to the sense of incompleteness at times.

But if numbers like "B.S." (that's B for Britney, not bull) and "Broken" come across as somewhat unsophisticated and derivative, they are still enjoyable experiences. The first is a high-energy montage of bouncing Britneydom—complete with a red vinyl bodysuit and a game of musical blonde wigs, while the second showcases the break-dancing talents of Erik Johnson, PC '02, and Ciara Lacy, ES '02. Lacy in particular demonstrates fluid but controlled movements and a poise that are among the more enjoyable moments in the show. Johnson as well has a highly expressive body and stands out when he takes the stage. His choreography for "Angry Dance (Selective Service Cake-Walk)" is certainly the most daring in the show, and involves a complicated series of straining maneuvers and acrobatics against a rope tethered offstage. The overall effect, however, is one of a laid-back talent show, where the fun is more important than the mistakes.

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