From the Nominator

When the BlackOut step team performs on stage, everything appears effortless. They move as a unit, mirroring each other in sight and sound, with their percussive claps, stomps, and steps booming throughout the auditorium. But even though it looks effortless, it’s anything but. The video “Step Behind the Scenes with BlackOut” profiles the Tufts University step team during the week leading up to their most anticipated performance of the semester. The three-and-a-half-minute video pulls back the curtain on the amount of skill and dedication the performances demand, the historical roots of the dance style, and the camaraderie and brotherhood that has formed among the diverse team members. Filmed and edited by Anna Miller, a senior multimedia producer at Tufts University, the piece launched a new video series that highlights student life on campus. The video is the first time the university has made a multimedia story about the step team, which has not only been garnering a following among the student body on campus but has also received international acclaim after performing at the World of Dance finals. The video resonated with current students, alumni, and audiences external to Tufts, reaching more than 43,000 views on Instagram alone, and it became one of the top-performing videos across Tufts’ social media channels in 2023.

From the Judges

We congratulate the Tufts University team behind this energizing video. Of all the videos which sought to highlight a student group on campus, this was the best executed. From the video and audio quality to the storytelling and use of resources, this entry showcased BlackOut in a way that both informed and celebrated, garnering it great outcomes and feedback.