This weekend the Dance Diaspora ensemble is set to perform an exhilarating medley of dances from the African Diaspora. This is only the second time that Dance Diaspora will be presenting a majority of its own repertoire.

“The Essense show is definitely worth going to see,” senior dancer Kerry Danielle Daley said. “This is the first time in four years that Dance Diaspora performs in Oberlin. The performance is a treat for the entire Oberlin Community.”
Dance Diaspora was created in 1992 by artistic director and manager Adenike Sharpley as a way of acknowledging the spirituality, philosophy and diversity of African culture. The theme of this year’s production, “From Africa to the New World,” reflects the ingenuity and range of the artistic talents of people of African descent. The show seeks to celebrate the heritage of the African Diaspora.

Senior vocal director and dancer Tai Collins said, “To me, Dance Diaspora is a celebration of my heritage. However, I think that anybody can relate to the content. Like any good novel or theatrical piece, the show narrates a human experience — the dances tell a story. I think that the audience will be pleased.”
Dance Diaspora consists of a 12 member cast, percussion and vocal group Ilu Aiye and the West African Drum Ensemble of Lorain Admiral King High School — all led by musical director Matthew Hill (OC ’00).

“My goal is to prepare liberal arts students who intend to do professional and creative theatrical dance performance after they leave Oberlin,” Sharpley, an artist-in-residence at Oberlin College, said. “This includes everything from art installations to vocal and musical drumming with the incorporation of dance. I prepare and encourage students who want to continue in the art world and work as professionals.”
“It feels great to be a member of Dance Diaspora,” senior dancer Abigail Nartey said. “I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to dance with the troupe. I wish them the best of luck and love for the upcoming years.”
The performance includes a collection of seven dances from various areas within the African Diaspora. Each dance is descriptive of its people and tradition, and exudes a sense of community and understanding.
Among them are “Kuku,” a dance that depicts a baby-naming ceremony from Guinea Bissau. The audience is also treated to “Lamban,” a beautiful ballet piece traditionally performed by the Mandinko people of West Africa. The dances mark significant events within the community. For example, “Mandjani,” known as the fastest African dance, is often performed at weddings. To a fast beat, dancers take turns entering a circle and showing off their steps.
Another dance that will be performed is the “Funga,” the most popular dance from Africa. Originating in the Vai tribe of Liberia, the “Funga” is a vigorous and precise dance that welcomes spectators in its celebration of harvest.
Another dance-form, “Samban Ki Kongo,” reflects the diversity of African tradition and culture. It portrays dances from Bahia, Brazil, whose steps can be traced back to Angola.
“My favorite piece is “Tidiba” because it’s very energetic,” junior dancer Taye Amegboh said. “This dance requires a tremendous amount of precision and timing. It’s a very challenging task to maintain a correct form while engaging in such vigorous activity.”
The show ends with an enchanting and theatrical piece called “Candela.” “Candela” involves the three classic forms of Rumba dance: Wan Wan Co, Yambu and Rumba Columbia.
Sharpley puts her students through a rigorous regimen that prepares them to perform at the professional level. “Most Oberlin College students are prepared to complete academic work,” she said. “Some of them see art as something they can do on the side — they do not realize how demanding it is. My intention is to show them that ‘art’ can be interwoven with academia to create something great and worthwhile. This is a monumental task!”

Dance Diaspora enables students to travel abroad to various venues where they study with master dancers. For example, this year’s production includes steps from Gambian and Guinean dances. This summer, Sharpley intends to send her students to Gambia where they will study new dances and artistic forms with master dancers. In addition, she hopes to take people to Senegal where they will study Sabar dancing. The funds from this year’s show will directly support student travel and performance.
Sharpley has created a venue where students can develop and articulate their artistic talents. Dance Diaspora offers a space for students to be part of a community, while giving them the opportunity to prepare for the professional world of art.

Sophomore and first-time dancer Joseph Klein said, “As a new member, I realized that I had to be very humble. I feel as if I have a priority to learn the material and to continue the tradition. It was definitely taxing to dance with people who have much more experience than I! I think that Dance Diaspora is a great experience.”