"We do intend for it to have that effect, that sex good sex and bad sex and sexual assault are something that we can talk about and that it isn't just an issue for MAVs or SAPAs or Sexperts," said Mike Lewis '11, AD's former vice president of programming and co-coordinator of the event.
The audience certainly left with something to think about. Combining light yet heart-pounding sexual interpretations in the performances of the Aires and Sheba with the intensity of the Soul Scribes and DDE, student performers put their peers through a maelstrom of emotions.
Laughter, catcalls and stunned silence all followed by thunderous applause were appropriate reactions throughout the evening.
"We had this forum on sexual assault last year and I think it was received by the general campus community in a mixed way," Max Pillsbury '12, AD's vice president of programming and co-coordinator of the event, said. "I wanted to make something that wasn't as structured and formal, something that was really appropriate for a Greek house. To make the statement that this is a conversation that we have not only once a year at a Greek house, but in its various forms. It's something we all talk about."
The show started, as any proper sexual encounter should, with foreplay. The Aires sang a steamy rendition of "Sex Syrup," followed by an evocative performance by Sheba.
The dance group did not choreograph new pieces, but added transitional songs to maintain a narrative flow that fit Sunday's show, according to two of its co-directors, Michelle Lee '12 and Hilary Nguyen '12. The result was a typical "boy meets girl" story things quickly became heated. That's when Soul Scribes entered the scene.
"We had a number of poets perform this Sunday, all different types of poems about sex, from really comical ones, because sex can be that, to very serious ones about sexual assault, because sex can be that as well," Bobby Esnard '14, a member of Soul Scribes, said.
The group with both the greatest number of performances and the most diverse depictions of sex, Soul Scribes smoothed the transition from foreplay with poets discussing such light issues as DTC (Down to Cuddle) and how to declare one's love for the girl who smiles at you in class to more serious business. Many of the poems were personal and powerful.
One poet described her conflicted relationship with her virginity. Another poem was an ode to Dartmouth nightlife as viewed through different objects on campus a vibrator, the AD basement floor, Tri-Kap's chandelier and an anthropomorphized version of McNutt's stone statue using its unobstructed view of the Green to witness couples complete one of the Dartmouth Seven. The show reached a climax, however, when DDE came onto the scene.
"Usually, performances in frats are on a Monday or Wednesday night and people are about to go out," said Annie Munger '13, a dancer in DDE. "Our work is pretty serious, so most of it is just not appropriate for the space. I think that, seeing as this is a pretty serious event that's been really well thought through, this is the perfect opportunity to show our work."
DDE's fraternity debut previewed part of their show, "Undue Influence," that will be performed in its entirety over Green Key weekend.
A powerful artistic exploration of sexual assault, the dancer's undulating movements were broken by sudden violent outbursts an arresting and moving combination.
Their depiction of the potentially violent, dangerous side of sex was potent and frightening, as a discussion of sexual assault should be.
A demonstration of the power of art as a forum for discussion about contentious issues, "Sides of Sex" took an issue that has been talked up by College administrators in recent months and brought it into the folds of Dartmouth pop culture.
