Listening to music pumping throughout the German Club while watching people dance on stage was how many students spent this past Friday night. Songs like “Dynamite” by BTS and “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars helped bring the upbeat mood into the audience and dancers alike for the Student Committee of Planning and Events’ (SCOPE’s) Dance Dance Evolution.
The night started with introductions of the judges: Destiny Ray, the treasurer of PRIDE and junior cybersecurity and networks major, Leo Levine-Aquino, the president of the Latin American Student Association and senior forensic science major and Anabelle Davis, the president of SCOPE and junior criminal justice major.
Five dance teams competed that evening, starting with the Illuminate Dance Club– a dance recognized student organization (RSO) that was created this semester. Their tap dance performance kicked off the night with some great moves despite a music malfunction that caused the dance group to literally pause their positions, but the group managed to push through in a phenomenal way.
The team outfits, which consisted of shorts and blue and green half-shirts, added to the present chemistry between the dancers. The audience was able to hear Illuminate’s dance moves hitting in time to the song’s beats through the dancers’ tap shoes. The judges commended Illuminate’s routine and their powering through the malfunction, with Ray starting off the feedback by saying “goosebumps.”
Next up were three members of the Monsoon Dance Crew, the only hip-hop dance crew on campus. The synchronized movements set perfectly to the beats received awe from the audience. Even the matching purple sweatshirts and black leggings showed just how serious this team took toward perfection. Davis was amazed by the crew’s facial expressions, which added much personality to the performance.
The third performance of the evening came from a trio called Charlie’s Angels, who danced in the style of K-pop. The team’s name was based on the movie of the same name and the outfits matched those of the characters from the 2000 film. Smooth moves and collaboration between the team showed how seriously they took their routine. Between the team’s theme and their energy bouncing off one another, the chemistry was off the charts, which was noted by the judges.
The next performance of the evening had four members from the Incendio Dance Project, who did a salsa routine. The matching red, flaring dresses added more excitement to the performance, as seen on the dancers’ smiling faces. All of the moves were smooth and synchronized perfectly to the music. Collaborative moves and an iconic final pose from the team showed just how much effort went into the routine. Davis started the feedback off in awe when acknowledging the group wearing heels while performing.
The fifth and final team to perform was three members from the Chargers K-pop Dance Crew, who had their first performance that night. The team outfits included animal ear hats, black shirts and blue jeans paired with a white jacket which, when the dancers turned around and stood next to each other, spelled out “OMG.” Joyous smiles could be seen on the dancers’ faces as they performed collaborative moves with each other. The dance was so smooth and energetic that the judges were in awe, even with Ray saying, “Oh my God.”
Winners of the evening were revealed at the end of the event. In third place was the Monsoon Dance Crew; in second place was the Incendio Dance Project; and in first place was Illuminate. While there were only three winners, all the teams established so much time and effort into creating phenomenal routines that were executed fantastically.