Dancers share African culture

Before freshman Brie’Jea Coatley came to IU, she was only interested in one style of dance — hip-hop. After joining the African American Dance Company, however, she learned modern dance, jazz, ballet and African dance and learned to love them all.

This past weekend, Coatley, along with other members of AADC and two Ghanaian guest performers, took the stage to perform these different styles of dance at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for the company’s 13th annual workshop performance.

“I love dance,” Coatley said. “I don’t know what I would do without it.”

Coatley has always known how to dance, but by learning both African dance and traditions from Ghanaian dancer Evelyn Yaa Bekyore, Coatley said she now understands the meaning of dance.

“It’s not just about the dance steps, but the culture,” Coatley said. “You are portraying a picture and having the audience see that.”

The students involved in the AADC selected “Environmental Justice” as the theme this semester for their five collaborative pieces.

“These are critical issues reflecting today’s society,” senior dancer Stancie Cartwright said.

The performances included fist pumping, belly dancing and red, white and blue sheer flags waving across the air. The “Fighting for a ‘Greener’ World” collaboration focused on the environmental destruction as a result of economic growth, political advantage and scientific progress.

Songs from the performance included Michael Jackson’s “Man In The Mirror,” Billie Holiday’s “War” and the O’Jays’ “Money.”

Another first of the night came for graduate student Joliana Yee who had never been to an AADC performance. She came to see Ghanaian musician Bernard Woma, who had performed in one of her classes.

“He is an awesome player and the vibrations really resonated with me,” Yee said.

In the second half of the show that featured more traditional African dance, Woma played the xylophones and drums as the company performed dances choreographed by Bekyore.

“I feel blessed because I couldn’t travel halfway around the world to see this,” Yee said. “For them to bring their sacred art to us from Ghana is an honor.”