I always thought I went to a bagel-and-lox type of school largely inhabited by a quirky mix of awkward dorks. So far, I have defined dancing in college as a less-sober version of my bar mitzvah year, choking on a cloud of body heat and alcohol sweat. Brandeis' hip-hop dance group, Kaos Kids, hosted its first-ever semester show on Thursday night in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium and flipped my stereotyped idea of Brandeis dancing. In fact, it was a very well-executed flip followed by some break dancing and booty-pops.

D'Andre Young '15, the convivial emcee of the event, introduced the four-year-old dance group to a sea of students. Its members have a variety of body types and ethnic backgrounds, and I could tell each performer had a different level of experience in hip-hop dance. However, all were able to seamlessly transition between complex formations, and I was stunned when all the female performers slinked into full splits. In this sense, I think "KAOS Kids" is a misnomer: The members' overall performance was not "Kaotic;" it was a polished, greased, ferocious machine.

The first choreographed piece, "Kaos in Southeast Asia," was a powerful start to the show. The sharp moves of the dancers mixed with eclectic splicing of various hip-hop songs energized the audience. The group also performed "Kaotic Fairy Tale" and "Kaos in Suffolk," named after its debut performance at Suffolk University. Kaos Kids have also performed at other colleges in the Boston area, as well as Brown University. As a Kanye West fan, I particularly enjoyed the finale piece, "Kaos in Paris." The dance featured a compilation of a variety of contemporary hip-hop songs including West's "N****s in Paris."

The dance set was interwoven with performances by two other musical groups. Guitarist and vocalist Ayan Sanyal '14 and saxophonist Bryan Le '14 played a funky duet including one improvisational jazz jam and an original composition written and performed by Sanyal called "Summer's Day." Sanyal's percussive strumming combined with Le's complex jazz riffs made me want to get up and dance. The live musical performance also featured the Brandeis R&B and soul a cappella group, Voices of Soul. The group sang "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" by Blu Cantrell and "F*ck You," by Cee-Lo Green. I had never heard Voices of Soul perform before and I enjoyed their fresh, groovy repertoire.

However, the one microphone used to amplify the entire group of Voices of Soul and Sanyal and Le's act did not lend an easy listening experience. I strained to make out what the emcee was saying and what the musicians were singing due to the poor sound amplification and the echoing acoustics of the SCC Atrium. The public venue of the SCC attracted many passersby, but the quality of the performance would have been greatly enhanced if the event were hosted in an auditorium or theater with a stage with an in-house audio system. Overall, the show would have been much more powerful with some simple lighting effects.

Despite these minor technical distractions, the KAOS Kids' performance d?(c)buted talent I did not know existed at Brandeis. The group shined particularly during the solo performances of class of 2013 KAOS Kids members. Zoe Shiovitz '13, David Robles '13, Shaquan Perkins '13 and Samantha Cortez '13 choreographed brief individual pieces to "strut their stuff" before graduating this spring. Shiovitz performed a modern piece to a slow song by Antony & The Johnsons, which was a refreshing alternative to the high-powered style that KAOS is known for. Robles danced like a liquid robot with lots of fluid body rolls and waves punctuated by sharp, fine-tuned gestures. Perkins appeared to be having the most fun; the crowd was responsive to his full splits and wild, uninhibited dancing style. I was particularly impressed by Cortez's edgy choreography and intensity on the floor. The baseball cap she wore that shadowed her eyes and the strength behind her polished movements gave her a fierce appearance, which resonated with her KAOS nickname: The Beast. The enthusiasm the audience showed for these senior performers expressed how much momentum KAOS Kids has gained over its short group tenure of four years.

Undoubtedly, one reason why this group is so well rehearsed is its commitment to practicing. KAOS Kids' Artistic Director Mark Borreliz '14 explained, "We practice every Monday and Thursday night, 9:30 to 11:30 in the Gosman Dance Studio." I am now very tempted to drop in on one of their rehearsals and see if I can pick up any dance tips. In fact, everyone could benefit from a little KAOS in their lives. If only they gave workshops, more Brandeis students would be armed with creative alternatives to rubbing up against one another at dance parties. I am slightly disappointed that KAOS Kids' first semester show happened so late into the semester; however, I anticipate what KAOS will bring to Brandeis audiences for the rest of this year and in upcoming years.