Vibe does it again: energetic dance showcase is a success

This weekend in Wilder Main it's all about energy. Running its sixth semester, the student-run jazz and tap specialty performance group known as Vibe seems to be at the peak of its career. Only it keeps getting better.

Showcasing an array of everything from modern dance collaborations to solo tap pieces to jazz duets, this weekend's Vibe performance was delivered primarily through a troupe of veterans. The bulk of the performers took part in the program's opener, "Shared Solitudes," set to a calm Tears For Fears backdrop. As if slowly leading their audience into the evening's program, the performers flowed on stage, then took turns playing the "solitude" role amidst the other dancers' busy movement. Though the piece was only average considering some of the works that followed, it set the mood for the evening, with the dancers joined as a circular unit, bringing the piece to a close.

Following "Solitudes," junior Kerry Wee, an exceptional choreographer and well-experienced tap dancer, broke-in the performance with her original work, "Tate and I." She built her own rhythm upon a simple motive, then got swinging with syncopated, complicated foot work, scoffing and shuffling out each beat. The most amazing part of her technique was the fact that she kept increasing her movement in speed and difficulty, but eased out of it coolly, literally "walking away" at breaks in the piece. The contrasting slow portions of "Tate and I" allowed her quickness to set in, propelled forward a simple swing of the arms.

None of Vibe's pieces were lacking talent or audience captivation. However, some pieces were more remarkable than others. "Pendulum," in particular, was a strikingly original work, thanks to juniors Caitlin Medlock and Jeremy Kucholtz. The pair choreographed and performed the group, and their chemistry on stage was one of the most startling successes of the evening.

Set to an up-tempo jazz piece, the couple started off the work by approaching each other half-coyly, half-flirtatious, and easing into a human-pendulum pose, side-by-side swinging their arms against one another. The pair's mirror moves and playful mimicry kept the piece moving forward, stopping on a dime at points when the pair locked eyes - or arms or legs. Though it sounds awkward, the movement worked wonderfully: the two skinny frames collaborated in a series of affectionate tumbling maneuvers.

Another stand-out piece in Vibe's performance this weekend is "10 on Time," an all-tap collaboration by - you guessed it - 10 synchronized tappers, identical in both appearance and choreographic synchronization. Oddly enough, the piece began with just Medlock and Wee sitting in metal folding chairs, tapping out patterns while still sitting down. The piece progressed, and the pair eventually stood up and pushed their chairs along with them, clacking their heels against the chair backs: a truly innovative technique that added dimension to the work's rhythm and the sounds filling Wilder Main's acoustic realms.

Then, the chairs were pushed aside and the rest of the bunch joined in, and a full stage of tappers were smiling and full of vigor as they crossed over the stage. Though the original two sets of feet tapping sharply echoed in the performance space, the combination of 20 individual tap shoes against the hardwood floor was phenomenal, especially since they were all remarkably in sync. There was no music in the background, and it was clearly undesired: as stated in the program, "everyone dancing in the piece is essential to making the music here."

Vibe's slower pieces, like sophomore LaToyia Huggins' original choreographed performance to Sara MacLachlan's "Do What You Have To Do" and a moving group collaboration to a spiritual "Ave Verum Corpus," were both thoughtful displays of the dance group's softer side, but the real excitement of Vibe is emitted through its up-beat energy.

The final work of the evening, Wee's "Xin Wu," had exactly that affect: it was the single-handed most energetic work of the evening, living up to its translation of "dance from the heart." Choreographed to Quindon Tarver's "When Doves Cry," the six-dancer performance was as tight and literally kept its players on their toes. Combining elements of funk and modern dance, and even hip hop, "Xin Wu" concluded the Vibe performance with an enthusiastic kick.

Performances of Vibe take place tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3 and are expected to sell out.

Pure energy: Vibe sweats out their high-energy performance with the kicker of the evening, "Xin Wu." (photo by Gitta Zomorodi)