"'The Movement' was conceived as a program that would continue to recognize the talents and achievements of our own student body," Ian Tapu '08, Tri-Kap programming chair, said.
Planning for "The Movement" started at the beginning of the Winter term with Tapu's proposal. Members began working on logistics and a lineup for the event, which was co-sponsored by Programming Board and the African-American Society.
"The Movement" brought a packed crowd of diverse students. With music provided by Connor Shepherd '07 as DJ Salo, the program was a system of alternating music, dance and spoken word performances. The event started with a dance performance by SHEBA, who brought strength to the hip-hop focused event with choreography to upbeat songs such as Puff Daddy's "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems".
Each performance group found a niche in the program, providing a unique component in the complex structure of hip-hop culture. SHEBA's dances featured the sexy slow jams popular on today's R&B stations with current urban crowd-pleasers as the background for sharp, playful choreography. The dance group Ujima brought down the house with a performance to DJ Unk's current dirty South-style hit "Walk It Out", followed by a slower, smoother coupled dance to Ciara's "Promise".
SoulScribes brought perhaps the most powerful performances of the night, with thought-provoking pieces about everything from social issues to Dartmouth culture. The performers effortlessly sustained the heightened energetic atmosphere through several recitations that questioned the personal motivations of philanthropy and global awareness. Pieces by Kristina Gebhard '09 and others spoke about the opportunism and hypocrisy of corporations and individuals alike, criticizing policies on poverty, the selfishness associated with privilege and the refusal to help those who suffer the most.
Despite the serious, contemplative nature of many of the pieces, a lighter, nostalgic performance from RuDee Lipscomb '08 reflected upon earlier decades and the familiarity of home through a retrospective celebration of the music of Stevie Wonder, cultural foods and the inclusive, warm atmosphere of urban beauty shops.
"Music, dance and the spoken word are important means of expression. Combining all three can serve to compliment each other and be a powerful force," Tapu said.
Another part of this powerful force was the original live songs and raps of Dartmouth students. The program ended with performances by Simon Trabelsi '08, Johnathan Ball '08 and Phil Chang '08, known respectively as YoungIvy, JBall and Intrikit. Currently producing their own albums or having been featured on other albums, "The Movement" was an opportunity for these juniors to showcase the combination of smooth crooning and more edgy hip-hop stylings, as well as their artful production and collaboration skills.
While the event featured an alliance of artists, for some it was also an obvious act of cohesion for the campus.
"I was surprised to see that the audience was so diverse," Ujima member Mikaela Elam '09 said. "It was nice to have such a good turnout and a really involved audience."
