When folding chairs pack the Levin Ballroom from wall to wall and restive students clamor outside the door for admittance, it can only mean one thing: Liquid Latex. Close to 700 people showed up Thursday for the annual show, in which energetic performances and stunning costumes displayed a wide range of interests and styles as eclectic as the crowd itself.Compared to previous shows, this year's showcase seemed curiously covered up. Here, the farmers, the prom-goers and even Britney Spears models revealed more Latex-clad skin and elaborate designs-and fewer bare midriffs-than in previous years.

The mature and unforgettable final act, "Cell Block Tango" (right) made for an appropriate ending to the evening. Its dancers, members of the ballroom dance team, were among the night's most scantily clad, but their costumes-essentially combinations of lingerie and animal prints-were perfect for their act. As the performers moved seductively and gracefully around stage in little more than high heels, the audience could see their toned bodies' every muscle. Despite two crash landings due to the slippery floor, "Cell Block" was the most confident and beautiful dance of the night.

Two other acts did an exceptional job blending amazing costumes with creative and entertaining stage movements. In "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," which was designed and choreographed by David Gorman '07, the performers not only recreated the costumes of the cartoon heroes, their nemesis Shredder and ally April O'Neil, but executed their stage combat with zest.

"The Full Monty," an all-male act, was also delivered extremely well. Its costumes-more akin to a village person concert-were great fun, and Noam Smooha's '06 unpainted derriere was hysterical. For Liquid Latex, a skit full of strippers ripping the paint of their chests while twirling and gyrating was perfect.

The rest of the evening still featured all the Liquid Latex essentials-just not always at the same time. In some dance like "The Origin of Love" (above, right), the costumes were fantastic and outshined the choreography. Here, illuminating designs covered the six performer' entire bodies and faces. Choreographer Jessica Gambel '08 created intricate and surreal artwork. The act was not a disappointment, because, after all, seeing the beautifully painted models is what Liquid Latex is really about.

"Chow Down" had one great costume design for all three of its dancers. While the act was extremely well-executed, part of the fun of Liquid Latex is the diversity of the costumes in each act. It nevertheless proved to be a very powerful part of the show.

Despite some fallbacks, these amateurs brought great talents, costumes, choreography and performances to the Levin Ballroom. The show's only real downside was the lighting; many groups performed in near darkness and spotlights were barely used. While this achieved a wonderfully surreal aesthetic, the intimate details of paint jobs were not always visible, but maybe for the better.

As always, Liquid Latex was a major highlight of Brandeis' spring season for the fans, but for the dancers, it left a more lasting memory. One day they could look at the Levin stage and know they had let it all hang out.

Editor's note: Several members of the Justice staff participated in the 2006 Liquid Latex show, both behind the scenes and on stage.