Friends dance together for final time

For two African American Dance Company members who are also roommates, their last performance with the company was both an emotional and rewarding experience.

Seniors Sarah Taylor and Cherese Dillman performed with the African American Dance Company on Tuesday for clients and staff at Stone Belt, an organization that assists people with developmental disabilities.

Taylor and Dillman have danced with the company for five years.

For Taylor, the performance was not only her last, but it hit home, she said. Taylor’s mom is a special education teacher and her godsister has autism, so she said she has witnessed firsthand the life of someone who is disabled.

Taylor said she called her mom right after the performance, and that conversation was very important to her.

“My mom lets my godsister watch the performances on video tapes, and hearing my mom describe her reaction is good enough for me.”

Director, choreographer and professor Iris Rosa said the dancers love performing at Stone Belt because it touches their hearts to help the community.

“We were invited many years ago as a part of a service we do,” said Rosa. “We realize the importance of coming to the community and giving back.”

The audience clapped and sometimes cheered as the dancers expressed the message of the choreography through movement and facial expressions. They danced to different genres of music ranging from soft, sultry tunes to traditional African music.

The choreography included elements of ballet, jazz, modern, African and Cuban dance.

The disabilities of Stone Belt’s clients include the inability to walk, speak or hear. Individuals who can’t see respond to what they hear, and individuals who can’t hear respond to what they see, said day program team leader Eric Ford.

“As an observer of the phenomenon of their performance at Stone Belt, it would be an understatement to say it makes their day,” Ford said.

Freshman dance company member Tamrin Goldberg said a lot of the performances are about the message and not just the steps. The movements symbolize the journey of blacks in America, she said.

The dance company is one of three ensembles offered through the African American Arts Institute.

But for Dillman and Taylor, the company was not only somewhere they could express dance. It was the place where they met at auditions freshman year and became best friends and later roommates.

“I’m glad it allowed me to make such a close friend,” said Dillman.

Taylor described her emotion at the spring concert, which is the biggest event for the company.

“Up until the last moments before we went on stage, I was fine, but then I locked eyes with one of the members,” she said. “We knew it was our last performance at Buskirk-Chumley Theater, and the tears just started to flow.”

At the spring concert, Dillman said she was nervous and worried about the show going well, so she didn’t have time to think about the emotion. However, she said the performance at Stone Belt was much more emotional for her than the spring concert.

“It was definitely sad for me, and honestly, dancing with the African American Dance Company has been one of my best experiences at IU,” Dillman said.

The performance ended with a piece titled “Celebration.” The movements were much more upbeat and incorporated Cuban dance and music. Audience members were allowed to get on the floor with the dancers and dance.

Workers assisted those in wheelchairs who also wanted to join in the fun.

Taylor and Dillman both expressed how much of a joy it was to end the year with their performance at Stone Belt.

Dillman said Stone Belt clients do not get to see performances like this often, and the experience is a more special moment for the clients than most people will ever know.

“This is my favorite and most rewarding performance of the year,” Taylor said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to end it any other way.”