Students Perform West African, Hip-Hop, South Indian Dances

On May 11, the West African Dance and West African Music and Culture classes performed at the Center for the Arts Courtyard. The invigorating performances featured Wesleyan Artist-in-Residence and choreographer Iddi Saaka, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music and master drummer John Dankwa, and master drummer Mohammed Alidu. Throughout the semester, students learned the fundamental principles and aesthetics of West African dance through learning to embody basic movement vocabulary and selected traditional dances from Ghana. Photos of the performance are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake)

On May 6, Introduction to Dance students performed works of various styles during the Worlds of Dance Concert in Crowell Concert Hall. They performed Bharata Natyam (South Indian classical), Javanese, and hip-hop. Classes introduced the basic components of dance technique—stretching, strengthening, aligning the body, and developing coordination in the execution of rhythmic movement patterns. Through improvisation, composition, and performing, students developed a solid framework applicable to all forms of dance. Photos of the performance are below: (Photos by Rebecca Goldfarb Terry ’19)