Evolution Dance Crew — better known as Evo — celebrated its 10th anniversary on April 20 with two sold out shows featuring 24 student-choreographed dances. The group’s first performance was sponsored by the Distinguished Men of Color at their Spring 2014 art showcase. Since then, the group has grown to include over 56 dancers, featuring dance styles ranging from Hawaiian Luau and Hip Hop to Latin, Korean pop and everything in between.
“I’d say Evolution’s most important moments over the last ten years are really simple: actually finding footing and stable ground to dance on campus,” Evo Co-President Kent Canonigo ’24 wrote in an email to The Campus, crediting organizations on campus such as Black Student Union and Distinguished Men of Color for first giving them spaces to dance in. “Given how exclusive Middlebury might feel, Evolution really started off as a desire to dance on campus even if your dance experiences were not properly seen as formal or you just did not have any dance experience to begin with.”
Saturday’s show was birthday-themed, and each dance was presented as a gift to Evo from its respective choreographer. The event commenced with a video compilation composed of videos from the dancers’ childhoods and images from performances by previous generations of Evo dancers, featuring footage ranging from ballet rehearsal to siblings dancing in the living room.
The night opened with “Cartoonivers,” choreographed by Canonigo, which celebrated the joys of childhood. The dancers wore rainbow baseball hats with propellers and backpacks.
Many of the junior members of the group also choreographed their own pieces. Aria Saines ’27 choreographed a Hawaiian piece titled “Heneheneko’aka” and Ashley Aparicio ’26 choreographed a piece titled “Mr. Worldwide,” which featured tight choreography and bright costumes.
“I took inspiration from the theme which was Evolution’s 10th birthday,” Aparicio wrote in a message to The Campus. “Evolution was founded in the year 2014 and so I looked for music that was very popular in that year and music that made you want to dance.”
The second half of the show was made up of pieces choreographed by senior members who presented them as gifts to the group. Johnrev Bermudez ’24’s piece was entitled “Holup… lemme cook.” When introducing the number, he explained that his vision was to create a dance that felt good to perform and to just let the dancers have fun. Their joy could be felt throughout the auditorium with many audience members screaming and clapping along enthusiastically.
Canonigo’s final gift to Evo was his dance “Planet Mars,” which was inspired by his childhood growing up in the Philippines and dancing to Bruno Mars at parties. The dance featured a medley of songs by the artist with dancers wearing bright yellow and maroon.
Audience members picked up on the dancers’ enthusiasm.
“It was breathtaking — the effort, dedication, and the sheer joy from every member. Truly wonderful,” audience member Olivia Oehrle ’24 wrote in a message to The Campus.
The screaming cheers of the crowd confirmed that one highlight of the night was a piece playfully entitled “Girl Dinner.” Choreographed by three seniors, Ella Bode ’24, Amelia Grosskopf ’24 and Brenda Ramirez ’24, the heels number was an empowered celebration of female sexuality set to feel-good songs by female singers.
Towards the end of the show, Naja Irvin-Conyers ’24 and Brian Mejia ’24 choreographed “My House,” a celebratory piece about community, featuring colorful costumes.
“I wanted something that showed Evolution the community and confidence it has given me over my time in Evolution and I believe that it was accomplished,” Irvin-Conyers wrote in a message to The Campus.
Beyond performing, Evolution Dance Crew is an important space to build community. Evolution was formed by a group of students of color led by Diku Rogers ’16, who felt excluded from the Middlebury dance scene in January 2014.
“Middlebury is hard, especially coming from a big city surrounded by my people and culture to a small town,” Irvin-Conyers wrote. “At times it feels hard to even continue, but Evo has been a space where I could creatively express myself as well as find my home. It’s a family where you are supported and cared for.”
Saines added that Evo feels like a family.
“Seeing my dancers get excited about learning Hula and watching other Evo members practicing our movements during rehearsals made me incredibly grateful to be a part of this community,” she wrote in a message to The Campus.
The night finished off with a dance entitled “What doesn’t kill you makes you …”, a high-energy piece choreographed by Malia Rutherford ’26. Each dancer sported a different colorful spring attire. The piece started off with a line of dancers looping around the stage like a mechanical cog, alternating crouching or springing upright to create varied heights and levels.
Overall, Evo’s birthday was a captivating celebration of joy, featuring hip hop, Korean pop, Caribbean merengue, and Latin beats.
“I always love going to the dance troupe showcases, but this one was particularly impactful,” audience member Lucy Curtis-Cherry ’26.5 wrote. “I think it was because the choreographers incorporated childhood memories and you could clearly see the connection to the story they were telling.”
What’s in store for Evolution’s next trip around the sun?
“I see the future of Evolution ‘evolving’ in the way(s) that the crew builds community on campus through public dance workshops, further collaboration with other student organizations on campus, and even extending our outreach to communities outside Middlebury,” Canonigo wrote.
Well, we simply can’t wait for their next birthday.
