If attendees of Rookie Showcase arrived at the Margot Connell Recreation Center when doors opened at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night, they would have been greeted by a flock of people already lined up in the front of the building.
Students filled the Plex on Friday as Sexual Chocolate, Boston College’s all-male step team, hosted the annual dance event, highlighting the newest members of 15 BC dance groups.
Rookie Showcase displayed a range of dance styles, representing the diversity of dance groups on campus. The energy of the crowd increased throughout the night, as students cheered louder and louder as each dance team showed off their passion, creativity, and skill.
The stage, placed in the center of the venue, allowed dancers to integrate the audience into their performances. Audience members could view the show from all angles, which many dance teams took advantage of by shifting formations and directions in their choreographies.
Sexual Chocolate opened the show with a quick routine and Scooby Doo–themed skit. The group got the crowd laughing with Dunkin’ Donuts–related jokes.
The first to perform was BC on Tap, BC’s first and only tap dance group. Although the sound of the tap dancers’ shoes wasn’t audible over the loud music, the group moved swiftly between formations, engaging with the audience from all sides of the stage.
Phaymus, a hip-hop dance team, followed. Its moves were very defined and it wore pants with the words “Rooks” on them to match the theme of the event.
Pulling out their iconic pom-poms, the Golden Eagles Dance Team danced to a Taylor Swift melody, hitting every beat with impeccable synchronization.
AEROdynamiK, BC’s hip-hop dance crew, then broke into two groups and did a thematic performance that featured strong teamwork, impressive acrobatics, and break-dancing skills.
Fuego del Corazón changed the mood as it swept the stage with its dazzling outfits. The team demonstrated spectacular teamwork through its partner dancing and did justice to the vibrant Latin music it danced to.
Dance Organization of BC wowed the crowd with its high-level choreography. Its performance featured complex spins and other ballet- and acrobatic-inspired techniques.
Next, BC Irish Dance exhibited stunning footwork and group formation, demonstrating its ability to mobilize on all four sides of the stage.
Unlike the other teams, Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (F.I.S.T.S.), BC’s all-female step team, started its performance with a skit. Its strong and sharp steps made quite an impression on the crowd. F.I.S.T.S.’ two costume changes were the cherry on top, bringing the whole performance together.
Then, Masti, BC’s Bollywood fusion dance team, drove the crowd wild with its energetic routine. It engaged the audience in all directions by putting a modern twist to the traditional dance form.
Later, BC Dance Ensemble showed off its hip-pop skills with agility and a sassy attitude followed by VIP’s salsa dancing, which exhilarated the crowd with an impressive body toss in the second half of its set.
UPrising weaved small interactions between team members through its performance, while Presenting Africa to U showed off each dancer’s unique personality through its flowing movements.
Next was Synergy, who rolled up with clean hip-hop choreography. Its groovy and bouncy routine demonstrated its high-level dance skills and ability to work as a team.
Finally, the night ended with Sexual Chocolate’s rookies, who closed the show with relaxed but engaging choreography. They closed the show with crisp step choreography that made the whole room roar.
Lighting elevated the entire showcase and the music resonated among the audience as the dancers hit each beat.
As attendees left the Plex, chatter filled the air.
“It was incredible to see the diverse sets of dance and talent present in this year’s rookie class,” Gianna Novello, MCAS ’27, said.
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