Drumming up a great show

Dancing in bare feet the African dancers bared their souls.

In a memorable performance in Mayan Hall, the African Drum and Dance Ensemble beat in the hearts of a loving audience. Drummers were led by Professor of Music Todd Caschetta and dancers by Akayaa Atule performed six different dances and one drum solo without intermission.

Most of the dances were celebratory, except for "Adowa," a funeral dance.

Drummers were predominantly male and dancers female. All wore traditional clothing of West Africa to bring color, livelihood and an authentic taste of culture.

Dancing was very energetic and the drumming was precise. A drum solo entitled "Rumba Guaguanco" was a blend of Afro-Cuban rhythm and was performed well. The drummers were all in accord with one another and kept the beat going strong throughout the solo.

In one dance the performers used towels but the meaning of the towel did not seem significant. There were also a couple of missed steps. A dancer bumped with another during the routine, and some seemed to have gotten tired and became a little sloppy with their moves. No need to throw in the towel. These mistakes did not diminish their performance.

"Cowrie Finale," the last dance of the night, was the best and caused the audience to erupt in applause. Dancers formed two lines facing each other and one person from each line would jump in the middle and start dancing. It was amazing and the energy of the audience elevated the performance. Audience members were asked to join the ensemble on stage for the last piece which made for a great finale.