Competitive auditions for many performance groups will be held at the start of fall term.
A CapellaA Capella groups make up the largest portion of student-run performance groups. With three all-female groups the Decibelles, the Rockapellas and the Subtleties; four all-male groups the Aires, the Cords, the Brovertones, and the Bartenders and three co-ed groups the Dodecaphonics, Sing Dynasty and X.ado, Dartmouth's a capella scene represents a diversity of genres and abilities.The Rockapellas, for instance, take pride in performing at social justice-oriented events, reflecting their ideological foundation, Rockapellas member Meredith Shaw '15 said. The Dodecaphonics prioritize their versatility as a co-ed group."We have guys that can sing in the lower range so we don't need girls to strain their voices," said member Katelyn Onufrey '15.
Each group has roughly 15 members and takes four or five new members in the fall. Auditions are held during orientation week and are divided by gender.A capella members said they expect around 200 students to audition. "We take as few or as many as we want," said Max Gottschall '15, a member of the Aires. "We are never looking for exact voice parts."Auditions are relaxed, and although some members have had previous singing experience, everyone is encouraged to try out, Decibelles member Margaret Ramsden '15 said. Many groups travel during interim periods, performing at other colleges or alumni events, and students consider these tours a highlight of their experience as singers.
DanceDartmouth's four main student-run dance troupes SHEBA, Sugarplum, Ujima and Fusion attract dancers of various genres and intermingle styles.Ujima, established in 1985, is the oldest and specializes in hip hop dance.SHEBA, another hip hop dance troupe, prides itself on diverse membership and difficult choreography."You learn so much about how to work with other people," SHEBA member Chloe Chah '15 said. Sugarplum, established in 2010, mixes ballet with modern dance, said Valerie Zhao '15, co-director of Sugarplum's summer incarnation, Splendaplum."We try to be really innovative and edgy with the choreography," Zhao said. Carly Carlin '15, a member of the multi-genre dance ensemble Fusion, with a background in ballet and jazz, said the group is open to learning all styles of dance from its members. "We literally will have anything," she said. "One dance will be ballet, one will be hip hop."While niche dance groups also exist on campus, the four main dance groups hold auditions together. In the first round, students must dance for all four groups, and will later choose which callbacks to attend.The groups fluctuate in size according to their members' D-Plans. Fusion is one of the smaller groups, while SHEBA has over 20 members.Like tryouts for a capella groups, dance auditions are held in one day, with the process ending in the early morning hours.
Stand-up and TheaterThe College's stand-up and theater groups range from improv to poetry to Shakespeare performances.The Dog Day Players, a comedy group, specialize in long-form stand-up, member Alec Ring '15 said.Casual Thursday, a short-form stand-up comedy group, offers private workshops to student organizations, member Deby Guzman-Buchness '15 said. "People are always amazed and shocked when their peers are doing improv, and they're hysterical," she said.
While the two groups don't hold coordinated auditions, they "confer with each other" about membership, Ring said.Each group takes about four new members each year."Even if you're not sure you want to do a group, come and check it out, it will be a good time," Ring said.
Other performance groups include Soul Scribes, a slam-poetry group, and the Rude Mechanicals, a Shakespeare theater troupe. Each term, the Rude Mechanicals hold auditions and produce and design costumes for the performance, said Gottschall, who is also a member of the Rude Mechanicals. Often performing in outdoor venues like the Big Empty Meeting Area (BEMA), a green space behind East Wheelock, the actors recreate the atmosphere of an original production without the sophistications of modern staging.
