Class performs African dance, drumming

Students from the Ghanaian Music, Drumming and Dance course had their semester concert last night at the Folklore and Ethnomusicology Recital Hall.

Professor Bernard Woma has taught the course for the past five years and he said he is open to any IU student wanting to learn more about the African culture.

Woma has performed for such dignitaries as Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth II.

The concert opened with an upbeat number that had the performers chanting and dancing. Many students played drums behind a group of dancers, and Woma enthusiastically directed the entire ensemble.

A lot of work went into the performance, said two of the dancers.

“We met once a week for two and a half hours,” IU senior Taylor Twiggs said. “And we danced the entire time.”

After the first number, Woma talked to the audience about an instrument he would be playing for the rest of the evening. He said it was called the Gyil — an African xylophone.

For the songs that involved the Gyil, two graduate students from IU also played alongside Woma.

Because this class is open to any IU student, the majority of the performers had never had any experience with African music or dance.

“It was definitely a lot of hard work,” IU senior Katherine Finn said. “But it was really cool for me because I’m in the Kelley School of Business. This let me get out of my comfort zone.”

Students who are thinking about taking this course should not be afraid to sign up for it, Woma said.

“The concept of this class is to break cultural barriers and to change students’ perception of other cultures,” Woma said.

For the final number of the concert, the audience was given instructions on how to dance along with the performers. 

In the midst of all the dancers was Evelyn Yaa Bekyore, guest instructor to Woma. In the final number, she encouraged audience members to get up and dance with the student performers.

When teaching the students how to perform in the African style, Woma said he tries to make it fun for the students.

“The students really put a lot of time, effort and energy into this performance,” he said. “When I teach them, I don’t want them to feel pressured when they learn.”