NO DEF dances to the beat, dances a new beat, a familiar beat, pumps up the beat.
The new, all-women dance group on campus gave its debut show—titled “Too Hot For TV”—on Feb. 1 in Beckham Hall. DJ Nyth Rydahs, a non-University student, set off the beat to the dance-party-turned-dance-performance at 10 p.m. and, by the time the group began, the dance floor was already at high energy. The evening may even have managed to sweat out some of Beckham Hall’s new, institutional feel.
Clad in sleek black clothes and gold sneakers, the ladies of NO DEF took the stage at 1 a.m. and danced a mix of freestyle, modern, Baltimore club, West African and West Indian—a pastiche of dance styles well-titled as “No Definition.” The playlist was hot and danceable: “Sensual Seduction” by Snoop Dogg; “That’s Right” by Ciara; “Wass Up Wass Up” by Rye Rye; “Crank dat Superman Techno Remix” by Cousin Cole; “Crank dat Superman Travis Barker Remix” by Souljah Boy; “Crank Dat” by Spiderman; “Crank Dat” by Batman and “Bird Flu” by M.I.A.
Each dancer gave her own cool-punched rhythm to the show. It was difficult deciding who to watch and great seeing the entire group move in step together.
Highlights of the show included an unexpected incorporation of two neon orange backpacks and, during the final song, a slow-motion dance fight. Latasha Alcindor ’10 described the influence of the backpack dance as “Steve Urkel meets Baltimore Club,” whereas the dance fight was inspired by modern, West African and West Indian dance.
“It felt raw,” said Mel Silverman ’09 of the performance.
The dances were tight and polished yet exuded a free-form feel. Not surprisingly, some elements of the show were improvised. Impressively, NO DEF rarely counts out the beats of measure, a common practice for dancers in order to stay in time with the music. Alcindor explained that dancers kept their rhythm by simply listening to the beat.
NO DEF formed this past December. To prepare for its debut, the group practiced every day upon returning to campus in January.
“In rehearsals, leadership depends on who’s doing the choreography,” Alcindor explained.
Choreography comes from all directions—dance styles, party dancing and constant freestyle.
NO DEF will move to whatever feels like a dance party. In choosing its “No Definition” style and music, the dancers hope to branch out from other groups on campus. Accordingly, they have carved their space as everything danceable and nothing specific.
“We mix up [the dancing] so you can’t really define what it is, and then put some base into it,” Alcindor said.
The dancers are excited with the group and their debut, already preparing for upcoming performances. In “Jubilee,” a compilation show scheduled for Feb. 23, NO DEF will perform some of the dances from “Too Hot For TV” along with new material. “Cotton Club,” the name of their burlesque- and-swing-inspired show, will go up at the end of March, along with their Jamaican and hip-hop performance in “Bahareh.”
“Anyone who hasn’t seen these girls should definitely check them out,” said Sylvia Ryerson ’09 after the debut on Friday.
“What I really want to see is a battle between all the dance groups,” said Argenys Traveras ’08, though he was full of praise for NO DEF.
In the meantime, NO DEF is taking music suggestions.
The girls of NO DEF are: Latasha Alcindor ’10, Katerli Batista ’09, Tamar Charles ’11, Rushar Chin ’10, Kimberly Denson ’10, Naycia Dunn ’10, Rahel Haile ’10, Sara Haile ’11, Jennifer Matthews ’09, Aku Odunton ’10 and Egypt Vlymen-Williams ’10.
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