Pan-Afrikan Week brings out the most talented African as well as African-American students on campus, one of which is DanceVisions and I had the pleasure going to their Spring Concert on April 1 at 8 p.m. I had never been to a DanceVisions program before so I had no idea what to expect. Afterwards, I was thoroughly pleased with the performance and really proud that I was part of a community that was so rich in culture. The performance started off with a slow, rhythmic number. The music resembled a heartbeat and the flowing movements conveyed a sense of serenity and peace. The young women were dressed in colorful, light fitting dresses that lit up the stage. Further into the show was a very African inspired performance. They were trapped in cages and the shadows of their dances figures bounced on and off of the walls. The shadows created an eerie ambience that sent a chill down the spine. This piece was very high energy with great acrobatics and flexibility. These dances were modern contemporary, mixed with afrocentric vibes. They wore no shoes and they danced with a great amount of emotion. As the evening progressed, there was an emotional religious, mime performance. It was heart-wrenching because it was so inspirational and full of hope. The gospel music was a great addition to the number. Their faces were painted white and they were leotards with translucent white skirts. Their miming techniques were impeccable along with the amazing choreography. Through this performance you felt their pain as well as well as their deep reliance on faith. It was complex, yet simple enough for an everyday person to understand. They moved with vigorous energy and grace. Another performance was lighter and had a very monochromatic color scheme. Dancers wore nice fitting t-shirts with matching Capri pants and sneakers. This performance was happy and showed a playful side to the young women. There was a lot of acting with facial features that put a feeling of “fun” into the performance. This dance was accompanied by the music of Lil’ Kim featuring Notorious B.I.G. entitled “Crush on You.” During the show the dance company used many props, such as benches, that showed their versatility in the field of dance. Their ability to maneuver up and around these objects was mind-blowing and very professional. It would have been hard for a person to separate them from a professional dance group that had been practicing for years. The next few dances were similar to the hip-hop genre of music. There were hard hitting steps as well as free-flowing freestyle. They moved with such fluidity to the music and never missed a step. They danced with organization, but not to the point where it looked forced. I had never seen a show of this caliber and I will definitely be making to their other recitals. The last performance was included the music of T-Pain featuring Chris Brown in “Freeze.” This was a high energy performance full of smiles and fast-moving hip-hop choreography. It had the crowd going and clapping along with the music. At the end, the young women of DanceVisions got to show a little bit of themselves before exiting the stage. Overall, it was one of the best dance performances I had ever seen. I was so proud of these young women for their strength, agility, and their love for dance. It was also good to see that DanceVisions included not only African-Americans, but those of other races as well. It excited me to see how much fun they had and the expressions on their faces when they danced. Through their actions on stage I felt their love for dance and love for African culture.
