By Alex Obando

The moment the lights in Swarthmore’s LPAC Theater started to dim this past Saturday night, the audience erupted into excited screams and hollers. Rhythm n Motion (RnM), a tri-college dance group, was about to take the stage. Their friends’ and fans’ supportive screams barely let up all night. Even a sore throat couldn’t keep this reporter from yelling.

Despite an unfortunate Blue Bus malfunction on the last trip to Swarthmore before the performance, many Haverford and Bryn Mawr students arrived at the show in time to support the dancers. Some students, including as Ken Volk ‘12 and James Gould ‘12, even took a 6:25 Tri-Co van in order to secure good seats for the 8:30 show.

During the first traditional African dance, to “Magdhalenha” by Sergio Mendes, the energy on stage reverberated throughout the nearly full 758-seat theater. By the end of the first half of the show, the talented dancers in RnM had busted out a hip-hop lindy bop, a slower hip-hop, and a traditional flamenco dance, ending with a funky re-creation of the music video to Santigold’s “Creator."

Some highlights in the second half of the show included a powerful, sultry dance by six girls to “Ego” by Beyonce followed by two male members’ humorous and skillful proof that men, too, can shake that thing (and do the worm pretty damn well). That’s on top of an originally choreographed "Stomp" piece, the newbie dancers’ ass-kicking performance, and most importantly, the MJ tributes, including "Working Day and Night," "Smooth Criminal", and, for the finale,"Thriller."

Rhythm n Motion originally performed dances solely from the African Diaspora, including African, hip-hop, dancehall, and jazz. Recently the group has chosen to showcase its dancers’ varied talents and backgrounds while continuing to fulfill this mission. Either way, the dancers clearly dedicate much of their valuable time, contagious energy, and passion to the dances.

In addition to giving some capable members of the tri-co an outlet to share their passion, Rhythm n Motion has masterful control of the LPAC’s sophisticated lighting and sound equipment. The “Creator” dance began with a dizzying array of neon spotlights, sweeping the entire stage, and the African dance employed an artfully designed firework-like image created by the spotlight. At times the lighting overwhelmed the dancers and their moves, but overall it added to the theatrical aspect of the show. In addition, brief videotaped skits were projected onto the back wall.

While the majority of Rhythm n Motion’s dancers study at Swarthmore College, the group is open to the entire tri-college community. The Haverford and Bryn Mawr students who danced this semeste, traveling to Swarthmore for rehearsals and performances, maintain that Rhythm n Moion is worth the trek.

“It makes me feel like I am part of a greater community that promotes friendships based on talent across the tri-co,” said Eugenia Machado, HC ‘10.  “We all have the opportunity to choreograph, there are at least 2 compulsory rehearsals at the bi-co, and our opinion is as important as everyone else’s,” she said, dispelling notions that the troupe is Swarthmore-centric.

Beatriz Sanchez HC ’12 said that although the performance “requires tons of time and energy, it’s completely worth it in the end for those adrenaline-filled moments on stage.”

Rhythm n Motion holds tryouts for tri-co students at the beginning of every semester and performances at the conclusion. Whether you decide to participate or observe, I can promise you it’s a decision you won’t regret.

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