Epic battles. Killer costumes. Immaculate choreography.
Are we in a galaxy far, far away? No, we were at the Union Oval, April 17th and 18th, at 8 p.m. for BG Sabers’ Spring Show Performance.
With over 100 students in attendance, this year’s performance was composed of five episodes. From padawan to sith lords to jedi masters to bounty hunters, each episode features an epic, choreographed battle between good and evil.
However, BG Sabers wasn’t always a formal organization.
Shawn Hammel, the current president of BG Sabers and a graduating senior from the PPEL program, founded BG Sabers “three years ago.”
“I ran into two awesome guys named Gabe and Luke, and they just had their lightsabers out and were actually dueling right outside the letters. So, I grabbed my lightsaber, and I came over. We started fighting. Eventually, we were like: ‘okay, this is starting to hurt a little bit. What if, instead, we planned out the fights?’ And we started looking into choreography,” Hammel said.
“We have a notation style, so that if Luke writes a choreography, I can read and perform it. It’s a shared language of sorts. Then, we have a lot of trial and error, just kind of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.”
Now, BG Sabers has grown to 23 official members, each bringing something unique to the table.
“We have one guy who did ballet and dance for years. We have a guy who does parkour as a hobby, so he can do a bunch of flips. People can throw their own flares into it,” Hammel said.
Beyond choreography, each show has an intricate plot, complete with swelling background music, passionate dialogue, and well-crafted costumes. These original stories are written by BG Sabers’ members.
“As we grew, we got more creative people. We got some people who actually major in creative writing,” Hammel said. “Each choreo has a captain, and they figure out what the plot is going to be as they’re directing it. But we really just let people write their own choreographies and plots.”
Abby Mink, a two-year member of BG Sabers and an AYA Earth and Life Sciences major, joined out of love for “the glowy boomsticks from the nerd movie.”
After showcasing her talent as a sith performer, Mink said, “I really wanted to help direct the choreography, before I take on the mentor role next year and help others create theirs.”
This creativity, passion, and teamwork shines through, especially in the eyes of audience members.
“I came out here just to support the club and to see what was going on,” Peyton Moyer, a business management major, said. “I absolutely loved it. It was epic. I enjoyed the choreography, very high effort, high quality. They put a lot of effort in this.”
“I’m actually shocked how many people came,” Samantha Sours, a robotics major, said. “The costumes were better than I was expecting them to be, and the choreography was pretty good.”
“I walked past one of their performances fall semester, and I didn’t get to see the full thing, so I really wanted to make sure I got to see it tonight,” Bianca Gehring, an environmental science major, said.
“It brings so many people together and shows how dedicated everyone is to the art of sabers and Star Wars,” Isaiah Stiansen, a marketing major, said.
“It’s always a good time, and I really like the atmosphere with the crowd. Everyone gets really into the show,” Frannie McBride, an English major, said.
BG Sabers keeps the crowd engaged by passing out free Monster Energy drinks to the most invested audience members.
“Last time, I had the most spirit, so I got a Redbull, and this time, I had the most spirit, and I got a Monster,” Carlie Clay, an elementary education major, said. “I’m hoping to get this [drink can] signed as well. We got the last one signed, and it’s still in my room.”
If you missed this showcase, stay tuned for next year’s schedule.
“We always do a fall show and a spring show,” president Hammel said. “We have done some social media collaboration with other groups, like we did one with a sustainability program here…We were given the opportunity to perform for the Star Wars basketball game at the halftime. We’ve done that twice before, so it would be cool to do it again next year, but that’s up to the new leadership.”
In the meantime, as you walk around campus at dusk, keep your eyes out for BG Sabers practicing diligently for their next performances.
