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West Virginia University’s African Music and Dance Ensemble entertained a crowd in the Mountainlair by singing, stomping and playing heavy drum beats Thursday.
Michael Vercelli’s Music Of Africa class performed songs originating from Ghana and Cuba to a crowd of surrounding students as part of Diversity Week.
Watching and learning about African dance is important for students because it continues learning of other cultures and increases a "global exchange," Vercelli said.
"Multiculturalization is important because it increases diversity on campus," he said. "The class is open to anyone with no experience required. It’s fun to perform, and it’s a good physical activity."
Dancers performed the "Yaa Yaa Kole" which translates to "Keep Begging." The dance told a story of a man trying to get a date with an unwilling girl.
"This song is a social dance," Vercelli said. "If you see a person to the opposite sex that interests you, ‘keep begging’ – keep begging and they will come around."
During the performance, dancers repeated steps in a circle surrounding members who were playing a Gyil, a xylophone and a snake-skin drum.
The dancers pulled two audience members to help in the dance: Julian Pucci, a graduate business major, was pulled by his girlfriend Amber Gregory, a graduate French literature major and member of the ensemble.
"Some of the steps were really difficult, but it was a fun dance," Pucci said. "It’s fun to watch everybody dance and more fun to join in."
Gregory said she joined the ensemble to have a change from her French literature studies. Dancing to a fast-paced song in front of a crowd was intimidating, she said, but the group got in over 15 hours of practice time.
"I was a little nervous, but more excited," she said. "(Dancing) makes me happy, so it was easy to keep my energy up."
Vercelli first found an interest in African dance when he visited Ghana in 1998. He has been going back and forth ever since, he said.
Three of his students visited Ghana last year during a study abroad trip and had an opportunity to learn some of the dances there.
"Visiting Ghana was a great experience because it taught ethnomusicology, the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts," said Brandon Williams, a senior music education major.
"It was a great way to learn about a new type of music and culture," he said. "I got a chance to learn a lot of the dances there."
Another trip to Ghana is planned for this summer, and students who are interested can contact WVU’s Office of International Programs or e-mail michael.vercelli@mail.wvu.edu.
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