When the first dance of Syndicate's spring 2016 show finished, it was clear that "Old School" was by no means out-dated; every performer had multiple people in the audience screaming their names, and the 463-seat Commonwealth Auditorium was filled beyond capacity. Some people might credit the turnout to the dancers' popularity among their friends, and while I wouldn't doubt this to be true, the fact remains that the performance was truly refreshing. Last year when I went to the Syndicate show, I was dumbstruck as my quiet friend from introductory microeconomics, Keaton O'Neal Hillman, took the stage as his catwalk and showed an inner fierceness that captivated each and every spectator. This year he came to the stage as confident as ever, with a talent to match; but alongside him performed another hip-hop expert Alfredo Fallorina. Their dance-off was a highlight of the show, only to be outdone perhaps by the sheer shock of having a "Magic Mike" style dance: shirtless men and lap dances included.

To see so many peers break out of their day-to-day friendly, but mostly quiet, demeanor is an example of what dance can do for so many people. As an outlet for one's emotions, anxieties, and/or hidden boldness, hip hop in particular gives additional depth to many a person's character. I was so impressed by the confidence conveyed from the Syndicate show last year, I went home and attempted to break it down in front of my own mirror; though I was so horrified by my lack of skills that I began blushing without anyone around to see my awful dance moves, isn't the fact that I tried at all proof of the power of dance?

So, though I may not be headlining the 2017 Syndicate show, you can bet that I will be losing my voice cheering for next year's cast of performers. And, hey, maybe my skills will improve just a tiny bit more after seeing another hour and a half of booty-shaking, head-whipping dance moves take Sadler by storm.