About Us
Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the third installation of Gavel Media’s ALC Showdown team profile series! If you missed Tuesday or Wednesday’s profiles on Fuego, Sexual Chocolate, F.I.S.T.S., Synergy, Uprising, or Masti, be sure to check them out. We got in touch with members of each dance team to bring you insider information before the big competition.
Catch up on your facts and find out who each team thinks is their biggest competitor in the race for first place! We’re bringing you three team profiles a day for the coming week leading up to the biggest dance competition of the year at Boston College. Be an informed fan, and most importantly come out to support your fellow Eagles at ALC Showdown, Saturday night at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online or through the box office at Robsham Theater.
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Boston College Irish Dance Club
Number of dancers on the team: 31
Photo courtesy of Meg Keating.
Style of Dance: A mix of traditional and modern Irish dancing
Strengths: Our unique style! There are multiple cultural dance teams, but ours has a distinct, recognizable feel - ice of body and fire of feet!
What do you bring to Showdown that the other teams don't: We barely use our arms and still manage to wow crowds from only the waist down!
Who do you think is your biggest competition: We are showcasing this year and so we don't have to worry as much about the other big talents out there. However, I would say the other cultural teams for their diversity, and of course Sexual Chocolate for their beats!
A fun surprise we can expect from your performance: All I'll say is that we've got some props this year... but you'll just have to come and see on Saturday to find out what they are!
Is this your year? Are you going all the way? We just like to get on stage, have fun, and give the audience a great show!
Answers courtesy of Meg Keating (A&S ’15) Assistant Choreographer BCID.
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Dance Organization of Boston College
Number of dancers on the team: 46, but only 39 of us will be performing in Showdown
Photo courtesy of Honor Flannery.
Style of dance: Our group does everything from ballet to tap to hip hop, but we focus mostly on contemporary and jazz.
Strengths: As a group, we have great strength in our differences as dancers. We all come from very diverse dance backgrounds - we have girls who had only ever tapped or who had only ever done ballet before they joined DOBC. I think we really draw from these differences and come together as an ensemble with a unique style.
What do you bring to Showdown that other teams don't: We are one of the largest groups performing, if not the largest. Plus we're one of the few all-female groups performing in the event. Although we will primarily be showcasing jazz at Showdown, I think we are the most unique team when it comes to our style. During our rehearsals we put a lot of emphasis on technique.
Who do you think is your biggest competition: We are showcasing in the event, so no competition for us! BC has so many fabulous dance groups, and since we don't have the stress of competing we can just work it! We're really looking forward to seeing who wins.
A fun surprise we can expect from your performance: Lots of glitter and lots of sass!
Is this your year? Are you going all the way? This is our first time in Showdown. We've auditioned every year, and this is finally our year! It's going to be a great opportunity for us to get our name out there and show people our talent.
Answers courtesy of Honor Flannery (A&S ’13) Director DOBC and Molly Renehan (CSON '15) DOBC team member.
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Presenting Africa to U (PATU)
Number of dancers on the team: 8
Photo courtesy of Viola Clark-El
Style of Dance: African. Focusing on Western African Dance, we include both traditional and modern moves.
Strengths: High energy and versatile moves.
What do you bring to Showdown that the other teams don't: As an African dance troupe, we have always incorporated different expressions of dance since most dances have originated from Africa or a place of African Diaspora.
Who do you think is your biggest competition: Our biggest competition is always ourselves and we strive to do better than the year before.
A fun surprise we can expect from your performance: One surprise? There are a lot of surprises. The PATU you're gonna see this year is one you're not used to. But you're gonna like the way it looks; we guarantee it, lol.
Is this your year? Are you going all the way? PATU has worked extremely hard this year and each member has put in effort and sweat, exceeding what was expected. Everyone wants it. PATU wants it the most.
Answers courtesy of Viola Clark-El, PATU team captain.
School, major and year: A&S, English 2016
An overactive maker of Spotify playlists, but reads her books with a pencil. Drunken eater of too much cereal. Drinks her coffee black. Prefers Bean Boots over sandals and owns six pairs of the same running shoe. An avid woods wanderer. Does not like reading the news.
