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\author{David Golombek}
\title{Boston Dances}
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To paraphrase Edwin Denby, during the last two months Boston has been
a pleasant place for a person who likes dance.  A wide variety of
dance events have been profferred to the viewer, indeed so many as to
strain a person for time.  Of the several events I've attended, two
particular dance events stuck out most noticeably.  First, Andre
Quintela's performance at the MIT DanceTroupe's \underline{Breaking
Bounds} concert was exquisite for his fluid grace, designed to show
off his strength and form.  Second, two couples at the MIT Ballroom
Dance Team Open Tournament performed with such poise and grace that
they stood above and apart from the other students competing in the
dances.

Andre Quintela danced a solo piece at the \underline{Breaking Bounds}
concert, and it was only one of many pieces for the evening, but for
me it dominated the show.  Stripped nearly nude and slightly oiled,
Andre's body glistened under the lighting, and came brilliantly alive
as he moved.  His piece was improvisational, set to a fast, but smooth
rythmic piece of music.  Despite his creating the dance as he went,
Andre's movements were inspired, carrying a strong consistency
throughout the piece.  Sliding across stage in the effortless manner
usually reserved to cats, Andre progressed both around the stage and
through various elevations, showing off all angles of his body.
Lighting for the piece was very well done, drawing attention to his
body and enhancing the mood.  The wonderful combination of his strong
body and his fluid movements made this piece a delight to watch, and
and reminded me to keep track of Andre in the future.

Mark Sheldon and Didi Von Deck tango as if they were born to it.  From
countenances as solid as rock, to long, lithe bodies, they exude a
professionalism highly unexpected at a college ballroom dance
tournament.  Their technical proficiency helped them through their
other dances, demonstrating their cohesiveness as a pair, but all
their dances carried overtones of the tango, as if they wished they
could return to their trademark piece.  Sharply contrasting this pair
were Ray Chan and Su Chiang; they were short where Sheldon and Von
Deck were tall, and smiling as the others kept dance masks on.  Chan
and Chiang whisked across the floor at amazing speed, spinning and
bending in perfect harmony.  While not as technically precise as
Sheldon and Deck, the sheer joy they exuded while dancing kept the
audiences' eyes drawn to them.  Their fast dance piece had them
skipping down the sides of the tournament floor at a near run, in
perfect step, to an end of a double turn, bringing cheers from the
small crowd.  Other dancers and dances performed at the Ballroom Dance
Tournament, but it was these two couples that stole the day and made
it an extremely satisfying one.

Boston deserves its reputation as a very cultured city, as the number
and quality of the performances I saw will attest to.  Andre
Quintela's performance at the \underline{Breaking Bounds} concert
proved him to be a promising dancer, and one whose dance classes might
prove very rewarding.  Mark Sheldon and Didi Von Deck exhibited a
strong dose of Old World majesty, bearing themselves proudly and
cleanly, in a manner the tango's creators would have admired.  Ray
Chan and Su Chiang added liveliness and a youthful spirit to ballroom
dance, providing a beautiful contrast to the other dancers.

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