Show ends Black History Month

Combining music and history, professional performing arts group Africa Art in Motion performed songs, danced, and read poetry in celebration of Black History Month. Africa to America, sponsored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, is the final program in the month-long celebration. According to College senior Jessica Davis, the chairperson of Alpha Kappa Alpha's Cultural Committee, Africa Art in Motion is a group of native Philadelphians who each have over 15 years of experience in the performing arts. Kofi Asante, executive director of Africamericans for Cultural Development and the program's producer, sang, danced and played percussion in the performance, which showcased the different types of music created by African-Americans. The program began with a procession as members of Africa Art in Motion, dressed in native African clothing, sang and danced to a traditional West African song from Nigeria. Other styles of music featured in the performance ranged from a song written by American jazz legend Billie Holiday about racism in the South to a rap entitled "Mind Pollution" performed by Asante's son, Oheneyaw. Before the conclusion of the program Asante taught the members of the diverse audience a counting song from Ghana. Singing and dancing, Asante coaxed the audience to repeat after him and mimic his actions. The song ended with the performers and crowd successfully counting to 100 by tens and following Asante's dance steps. Poems about topics such as finding oneself through learning about one's history and reaching out to today's troubled youth were recited by Erma Holmes, also a member of the group. The students who attended enjoyed the performance but said they wished that more students would have shown up. "There should have been more people here," said College freshman Michael Coffey. "There should have been people of all cultures." Students noted the various musical styles and their relevance to the African American experience. "You could see the entire evolution of and experience of music and dance," said Davis. "In contemporary rap the same rhythms and exact movements fromn 100 years ago are reflected."