From beautiful body paintings to evocative dancing and music, Liquid Latex 2005: Modern Day Art-performed Thursday night in Levin Ballroom-was among the season's most exciting performances.Liquid Latex was comprised of a number of very different performances. There was definitely something for everyone. The show began with a performance to Elton John's "My Strongest Suit," from the Disney-fied version of Aida. The alluring Cassandra Waterman '05 starred in this dance, both lip-syncing and acting as she teased and rejected all of the men on stage. With this number, Liquid Latex immediately brought its provocative, sexy nature to the forefront.

The freaky, almost sadomasochistic tone of "Seduction," took me aback. Emphasizing the nudity of its dancers rather than the beauty of the painted body, this particular number seemed gratuitously sexual, making some audience members feel a bit uncomfortable. It was during moments like this when the fine line between artistic expression and vulgarity was blurred.

In "Captain Planet," performed to Michael Jackson's "Bad," Jason Goldsmith '06 played a villain who was eventually defeated by Captain Planet (Brian Johnston '05) and his Planeteers. The costumes were exquisite and the Planeteers performed marvelously during their individual dances.

The dance "Move It, Yes You Can!" featured perhaps the most fantastic and detailed paintings of the whole show. One performer was painted in many colors with ribbons streaming from her hair; another had a pattern of bricks painted across her body. Visually, this was certainly the evening's best dance. The talents of painters Sayde Finkel '05, Sheryl Oppenheim '05, Adina Hemley '05 and Iris Sporinger were praiseworthy.

In "Neverland," a sexual variation of Peter Pan, Peter became involved with not only Wendy, but Tinkerbell and Captain Hook as well. The act was entertaining and had an interesting twist on the well-known story.

"A Dream of Dali" was the most surreal act of the evening, centering on Marli Mesibov '06, whose body was painted like a piano keyboard. While the dance was visually engaging, it intentionally left the audience thoroughly perplexed.

"Prince Charming and his Bitches" was one of my favorite performances and definitely had the most entertaining title. Amanda Singer '07, Arielle Schmidt '07 and Leah Lewin '07, playing fairy-tale princesses like Snow White and Cinderella, were joined by several Prince Charmings-the suave Vinay Agarwal '06, Michael Camp '07 and Alex Silberman '08. The three couples were all talented and the dancing, choreographed by Megha Patel '07, was fantastic.

The evening's final act and best number, "Thriller!," was interrupted when lights failed and the act was halted. While the problem was being fixed, Cory Clinton '06, in the Michael Jackson role, entertained the crowd by dancing on stage. Some audience members even pitched in, opening their cell phones to light the room. When the act finally began again, it proved to be worth the wait. Some of the choreography mimicked the "Thriller" music video, while other parts were original.

Clinton was an incredible dancer, even moonwalking at times, and dancers' faces glowed in the dark, giving the act a very eerie effect. By the time all of the other performers, painters and choreographers came back to the stage for the finale, everyone was already cheering wildly.

Rachel Rausch '05 did a fantastic job coordinating the show, and I left with only a few complaints: While some of the acts could have used more dancing, others were choreographed beautifully. The sheer exhibitionism of the show was highlighted a bit too much during the acts that did not involve much dancing. Still, it's unfortunate that I waited three years to see Liquid Latex; I now know what I've missed.

Editor's note: Justice Managing Editor Rebecca Dreilinger '05 and Copy Assistant Tessa Venell '07 participated in the Liquid Latex production.