Uyai Nnua may be an African-style dance team, but Friday night the group took students on a world tour.
The team, founded in 2011, put on its first banquet event in the Old Union Hall to celebrate African culture and feature cultures from around the globe.
“Back to the Motherland” follows the story of an African girl who wants to dance, despite her parents’ desire for her to go to medical school.
The audience watched the main character and the rest of her dance team travel from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa to such places as India, Korea, Ghana and Jamaica.
Urenna Nwogwugwu, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience and member of Uyai Nnua, said the team worked hard to host the event despite financial obstacles. The team wrote the script, designed the costumes and choreographed the dances by themselves.
“All of the costumes, they made,” Nwogwugwu said. “It’s a lot of work they put into this. African dance is a really integral part of our lives and I feel like it’s time for us to show everybody else how cool it is. It’s fun to show that anyone can be a part of it.”
Binghamton Bhangra joined in when the main character reached India and broke into a traditional dance that transitioned into a hip-hop routine. The high-energy Jamaican dances incorporated modern dance moves, and the Korean set performers did a rendition of “Gangnam Style.”
A scene set in Jamaica featured a solo by Lachoy Harris, a junior double-majoring in sociology and political science. She said that the club accepted her when she was new to African dance and supported her as she improved.
“I haven’t had experience with dance professionally,” Harris said. “I know a couple of the girls on the team have. I like that they weren’t looking for that [experience] and it gave me space to grow as a dancer.”
According to Natasha Madison, treasurer of the club and a senior double-majoring in Africana studies and sociology, Uyai Nnua offers students the opportunity to experience African dance outside of Binghamton University’s more traditional dance classes.
The club showcases African traditions though energetic and lively dances, colorful costumes and rapid drum beats. Members put a personalized and modern twist on classical dances.
Shenique Gardner, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she enjoyed being able to connect with different cultures through dance.
“The opening [in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] was my favorite,” Gardner said. “Their outfits were great and their energy was really high.”
Students continued to laugh and smile throughout the night as the play progressed and the dances hopped between various countries.
“Music is music,” Harris said. “Whether you understand the words or not, there’s something about it that just draws to you. Once you like it, that’s something that can broaden your horizon and you can explore different things.”