The Dance Organization of Boston College, otherwise known as DOBC, is so excited to open its annual show this week! Please put your hands together and get ready for ENCORE! ENCORE will be performed on Thursday, January 29, Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31 and 7:30 pm in Robsham Theater. Tickets are available at Robsham and online for $10 plus fees. Details regarding ENCORE can be found on Facebook.
Photo by Cindy Chen
If you’ve never been to a DOBC show before, please know that they’re always full of talented dancing, unique choreography, and lots of excitement on stage! The show will consist of a large selection of dances choreographed and performed by members of DOBC. DOBC’s director, Jenni Mannion ’14, summed up what you can expect to see in ENCORE: “We have a great variety of pieces in the show this year, including jazz, hip hop, contemporary, tap and pointe. It is also an honor to have Fuego and BCID performing with us! We hope you will come see ENCORE and celebrate with us!”
After watching ENCORE, you’ll definitely want more! This year’s show is unique because “we drew influences from old school jazz and Broadway musicals, while still including current popular music,” explained Assistant Director, Alana Caso ’16. You’ll be entertained with songs and styles throughout a large spectrum that includes All That Jazz, classical music, Britney Spears, and more.
Photo by Cindy Chen
The dancers of DOBC have worked very hard for ENCORE and want to share their talent with a large audience. The group has been rehearsing for the show since the first few weeks of September. Members of DOBC put in an average of five to twelve hours a week for rehearsals, not to mention conditioning classes and occasional extra rehearsals. The officers and choreographers spend extra time choreographing, choosing costumes, figuring out lights, and making sure all of the logistics are set for the show to be a success.
Show week is extra crazy for the dancers, as they spend all of their evenings at Robsham Theater, from about five pm to midnight. This is the week during which the excitement starts and it begins to sink in that the show is only days away! The dances are tightened and perfected, the stage lights are set, and the costumes and quick changes are figured out. Caso explained, “During our show week, we become an even more closely knit family after spending so many hours rehearsing together. ENCORE will be the perfect culmination of all of our dancers’ hard work and love for dance. We are so proud of them!”
Photo by Daniel Lee
While this will be the senior’s encore and final performance at Robsham, for the freshmen it will be just the beginning of an incredible journey they will experience as members of DOBC. Dominique Bivens ’18 is one of these lucky freshmen. She is happy to have found a team that fits her “perfectly” and makes her feel like part of a family. “Everyone is so nice and talented. Being on this team is honestly what gets me through the week. We’ve all worked so hard to put the show together, and seeing all of our hard work pay off is so rewarding. I mean, to be honest, people will want an #Encore,” she said.
Although the final show of ENCORE will be on January 31, that doesn’t mean you have to stop keeping up with DOBC. DOBC is a two-pronged organization; besides the performance group, DOBC also offers studio classes taught by its members. These classes are completely free and open to anyone in the BC community. All levels of dance are welcome! They will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays at Brighton Dance studio from 6-7 pm. Styles include ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and more! Additionally, DOBC makes a variety of appearances throughout the spring, including at Arts Fest. To receive weekly studio class schedules and if you have any questions about DOBC’s performances, contact Jenni Mannion at mannioje@bc.edu.
Photo by Cindy Chen
I am very lucky to have been a member of DOBC since freshman year! Being on the team is such a rewarding experience, and one of the best opportunities I have had at BC. The amount of effort, time, and energy that goes into our show is phenomenal, and we would love to share our passion for dance with all of you. Every single member of DOBC is unique, talented, and extremely kind, so please come support us in ENCORE! And if you need another reason to come, note that the proceeds from the show go directly to Relay For Life. “This year, Dance Org has worked so incredibly hard to put together our show ENCORE. I am so proud of the choreography, the creativity, and the dedication of every member in the club. We are SO excited to perform on stage this week and share our love for dancing with the rest of the BC community,” said Mannion.
To find out more about DOBC and ENCORE, check out DOBC’s website and follow us on Facebook! We look forward to seeing you at ENCORE!
Photo Credits:
Photos by Cindy Chen and Daniel Lee