[media-credit name=”Dafne Estrada, Staff” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]On a cold November night, Mayan Hall was burning hot with sound. African Dance class instructor Akayaa Atule and 15 SWC students stomped, jumped and chanted to the rhythm of the drums as SWC hosted “A Night of World Music.”

Females of all ethnicities, the African Dance ensemble performed four songs to an almost-full house that clapped along to the beat. Each of the five drums played a different rhythm, but together blended into a bright harmony.

Music professor and drummer Todd Caschetta spent 13 months in West Africa where he learned different drumming and dance styles from the region. He said this event was for students in the African dance class (DANC145) to showcase their talent.

“Our dance students work hard at learning the traditional dances of Ghana,” he said. “It’s more fun to show off what they have learned on stage in traditional African clothing and in front of friends.”

As the group began to play “A Weh Di Yeh,” a dance rhythm used for celebrations, contagious smiles emerged from each dancer and energy radiated to even the darkest corner of the building.

SWC art major Yessenia Hulsey said she was excited to perform, especially for her family in the audience.

“Some of the girls were nervous, but we’re kind of like a little family,” she said. “We have a sisterhood bond. It is an awesome class and it allows us to share our spirit with others.”

“Adowa,” an original funeral dance of the Ashanti people from Ghana, included graceful motions that indicate the more serious origins of the dance. Audience members were left in awe.

Caschetta said there are very few

community colleges with classes in African dance that perform.

“If there is anything I want to show not only to students but to our community, it is that there is more to music here at SWC than Mariachi and choir,” Caschetta said. “I only say that because our music department is probably most known for those two great musical groups, but we do have a less well-known, but every bit as exciting ‘other’ music and dance that happens here.”

Spectators of the ensemble were thrilled when the group performed “Gowrie Jam,” a rhythm that captured the spontaneous spirit of celebration in the Fra Fra culture in Northern Ghana. Hulsey said this jam was her favorite.

“This dance lets the energy out,” she said. “It lets us go crazy and really show what we’ve learned.”

Caschetta said that in Ghana many of the dances are performed for fun.

“So everybody there should be having fun,” he said. “Too bad we can’t get the audience to dance, that would be very African. It’s about the community coming together to celebrate.”

Caschetta said he tries to organize a formal performance for the African dance class each semester. He said he often likes to spice up the show with a guest group that presents some sort of “world-influenced” theme in their music.

Afrojazziacs opened for the African dance ensemble. Saxophone player Jesse Audelo, guitarist Louis Valenzuela, percussionist Jacob Russo, drummer Fernando Gomez, percussionist Antonio Grajeda and bassist Omar Lopez entertained the audience with their blend of Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-American and Afro-Colombian music.

“My one wish is to see all of you in the audience up here dancing along to our music,” Lopez told the audience, “because that’s what it’s all about, bringing people together.”

A remix of Celia Cruz’s “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” was the last song of the set. As soon as Lopez started to sing the tune, there was an obvious wave of excitement through the crowd.

Caschetta said he wants students and the audience to have a good time while being educated in African culture.

“Sign up for African dance class,” he urges. “The more in the class, the better the experience, the more African it is.”