|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
Students get rhythm at master dance class
Starting with a deceptively low-key warm-up, the class quickly upshifted into a high-energy session of jumps, pirouettes and fancy footwork matched to complex rhythms played on congas by the troupe's drum corps. “A lot of our technique comes out of the Caribbean,” Gwynn explained, as she effortlessly demonstrated moves in what looked like an impossible game of follow-the-leader. “Progression, or how you move across the stage, has to do as much with rhythm as it does with direction, and a lot of these dances are very traditional and rhythmically complex. “In our modern, North American culture, we don't have dances for ceremonies,” Gwynn said, “and we don't use dances the way African cultures do to celebrate birth and death and rites of passage. That often leads to misconceptions, because a lot of people outside the African culture are not aware that many traditional dances have deep meaning and purpose. An important goal of our troupe is to give our audiences a sense of this heritage, and to educate them about the vital dance traditions from south and west Africa.” To this end, Gwynn said, the E. Gwynn Dancers incorporate a lot of circular moves into their repertoire, because the circle is a traditional symbol of unity in so many African cultures. “Our troupe works very hard on preserving and teaching our repertoire,” Gwynn said, “and this is important, because it gives the members a sense of cultural pride and the audience a sense of tradition.” All members of the E. Gwynn Dancers were, or still are, students at North Carolina A&T State University, Gwynn said, adding that “the troupe has established a tradition that can only be passed down from member to member.”
“We end every dance session this way, not just because the circle is significant in African culture, but because a circle brings any form back to its center and reconnects all members of a group,” Gwynn said. “The circle is a symbol of strength, and as I like to tell students, 'even if you don't want to be on stage, you will always benefit from studying dance, because it makes you stronger in body, mind, spirit and community.'” The E. Gwynn Dance Company of North Carolina A&T State University was founded in 1985 by Eleanor Gwynn, a professional dancer and teacher who studied for 14 years under Katherine Dunham, the acclaimed African-American dancer and civil rights activist. The troupe has traveled and taught dance and drama workshops at universities, schools and cultural arts centers around the world, including schools throughout Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica, Egypt and South America. The E. Gwynn Dancers of North Carolina A&T State University, along with their drum corps, will perform at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 16, in Mitchell Hall. UD students with valid ID cards can obtain free tickets by visiting the Hartshorn Box Office or by phoning (302) 831-2204 to reserve a ticket to be picked up at the door. Admission for UD faculty and staff, and for senior citizens, is $5; admission for all others is $10. Tickets can be purchased by calling (302) 831-2204. Article by Becca Hutchinson |
|
|
