Offering a welcome break from the academic tunnel-vision that college students tend to fall prey to during midterm season, Adagio Dance Company proudly presented a phenomenal show last week-ADC Unleashed: Dancefest 2012. The massive performance took place in Levin Ballroom last Wednesday and featured Brandeis dance groups as well as groups from several other colleges in the greater Boston area. The presence of parents and families added a warmth to the densely packed audience of students and faculty, who all sat spellbound for the entire show, voicing personal cheers for the dancers they came to support. A total of 22 groups performed, ranging from belly dancing to ballet, and each with a distinct aesthetic. Groups were set apart by creative spatial use of the stage, clever costumes and coordinated lights and music, with each ensemble quite different from the next. 

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Adagio is Brandeis' largest student-run dance group, and performs in five different styles of dance: jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, modern and ballet. This spirit of diversity and variety that Adagio is built upon held a capital presence in the Dancefest show, where each dance was very distinct from the others, but in a way that was more cooperative than competitive. 

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Although every group seemed to be followed by a fury of applause, the audience went the wildest for our very own hip-hop group, Kaos Kids. This group was so high-energy throughout their entire performance that I began to feel tired for them just by watching! Their whole routine was very carefully designed and practiced: from light and music changes to swapping out of dancers on the stage, they were on top of their game. Throbbing, rousing, beloved rap and hip-hop anthems like Nicki Minaj's "Roman's Revenge" blasted from the stage, and grainy audio clips with a themepark-style announcement were used to transition from one song to the next. During each of the transition clips, the group would become still, and one dancer would lip-sync along to the announcement while working his or her feistiest attitude. Within a few seconds, the group would slide into the next song and the audience would lean in a little closer, marveling at the dancers' endurance and how, over the course of their performance, they actually picked up the pace of their movements and seemed to smile a little bigger with each passing moment. 

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In a show that featured so much variety, it is impossible to say that one group performed better than another; each performance had so many facets unique to it alone. For example, some groups, like the ballet performances, highlighted individual skill as each dancer would perform the same steps in unison with the rest of the group, striving to move as one collective body. Brandeis' Ballet Club and other groups of similar style showcased themselves with commendable grace, and one could only find fault in minor points when dancers fell out of sync with each other. Conversely, more modern and hip hop-oriented groups adhered to a style of choreography that cultivated interaction and a chemistry between dancers-although each individual had a chance to shine, the strength of these groups was in their ability to complement each others' movements. I tended to prefer watching groups whose members interacted with each other onstage-joining hands, falling, catching and lifting each other and smiling at the dancers near them in silent encouragement. 

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Every act seemed to be a highlight in Dancefest. A group of Adagio alumni returned to Brandeis, shining in a Greek god and goddess-inspired piece in which dancers were painted a pale white and donned delicate togas, looking and moving very much like enchanted sculptures. Hooked on Tap, Brandeis' own Tap Ensemble, happily performed to a chipper swing song. Each member of the group tapped in perfect time with the rest and sported a darling uniform look: a charming ponytail, a white dress with red polka dots, white bobby socks and black tap shoes. The performance of Brandeis' Israeli folk dance group, B'yachad, translated a cultural love and pride into one of the most joyful dances of the night. It was choreographed to an upbeat song and featured dancers with infectious smiles. Even a hip hop group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called 'Ridonkulous,' was an obvious crowd pleaser, with a costume evolution from pajamas to green-and-black track suits to white, plastic Halloween masks. 

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By the end of the show, it was apparent that the assortment of taste and inspiration between each performance featured in Dancefest was not only endlessly enjoyable, but reflected the variety within the Brandeis community. We may not all dance to the same beat, but if we work together, our efforts on-and-off stage are much better than any solo act.