"The Fu." It's not a University dining hall or an infomercial special. The Fu is the essence of Fusion Dance Company, according to Laura Nave '06. Nave says she knows it when she sees it, and you can see it too at the 22nd Annual Fusion Dance Show through Sunday at Ashamu Dance Studio.
This year's show offers "more variety than last year's," Jayesh Needham '07 said at Wednesday's performance. He said the variety and the skits between pieces - including a jab at former Fusion member YaYa Johnson '04 of "America's Next Top Model" - sustained him through the two-and-a-half hour performance.
According to its Web site, Fusion is a "multi-cultural, multi-ethnic group of both men and women who ... do not conform to the university imposed, modern day constraints of body shape, size, dance style and choreography."
Some dancers have extensive training, while others have none. Yet each is unique and gives "a little something extra," Nave said. "(Our) different experiences come together."
Students expect high quality jazz and hip-hop pieces from Fusion, like "Serve Yourself," a dance battle choreographed by Cliff Voigt '05 and guest starring breakdancers Yasuhiro Takayama '04.5 and Ken Miki '06.5, Nave said.
However, this year's 19 pieces reach beyond that expectation to include spoken word, gospel and belly dancing pieces. Lynnette Freeman '05 choreographed an energetic Jamaican piece combining folk dance and dancehall, as well as the music-less "seven:fiftytwo," featuring four dancers rotating around, leaning upon and reaching out to one another.
"(I) enjoyed hearing the raw energy of breaths and leaps as the dancers performed," said Caroline Mailloux '07 about "seven:fiftytwo." "Freeman reminded us that we often push people away to lessen our dependence upon them, but in the end we will always be there to support each others' weight."
The "emotionally intense" pairing of co-coordinator Audrey Lan McIntyre's '05 "Walk Away" and "Love's Journey" by Connie Wu '05 gave Needham "the chills," he said.
The audience gave mixed reactions to Wu's piece. A drastic transition from high-energy music to a slower song with intimate caresses between two male-female pairs elicited mocking "aw"s from the crowd. The dance won applause when Voigt brought Wu onto his back with a strong lift.
Another standout is "The Wreckoning" by Cheryl Allen '07, a sexy and edgy modern ballet piece in pointe shoes - a first for Fusion.
"I've never seen ballet like that," Mailloux said.
The process of bringing "The Wreckoning" to the stage illustrates what Allen and Nave described as Fusion's mission "to bring dance to the people." As a student group, Fusion has neither priority nor rights to Brown-owned vinyl flooring necessary for Allen to safely perform her piece. Fusion elected to invest in special-ordered rubberized pointe shoes rather than give up "The Wreckoning."
The lack of supplies and space available to performers at Brown troubles Nave, Allen and Needham. This absence leaves companies struggling with the Student Activities Office and often competing with one another to obtain use of spaces such as Ashamu and TF Green, Nave said.
Despite resource issues, Fusion dancers continue to perform to make their audiences "feel great," Nave said.
When Freeman introduced Wednesday's show, she encouraged the audience to be responsive by reminding them, "This is not a tea party."
Saturday night's performance promises to be the least tea-party-like of all five showings. Zealous Fusion alums are expected to be present in the audience.
If you miss Fusion's performance this weekend, you can also catch them at Attitude's May show or even at their company auditions April 17. Just remember to bring the Fu.
