Pleasing an audience and promoting a culture don't usually go hand in hand, but in the case of certain student groups, the goals are uniquely entwined.
In the next several weeks, African Rhythms, Inspiration, the New Spirit of Penn and Journeys will hold their annual fall shows, hoping to both entertain and spread cultural awareness on campus.
The groups range from a capella to gospel, and each uses its various styles to reach out to the African-American community and those seeking to learn more about African-American culture.
With so many a capella groups on the Penn performing arts scene, it is easy to overlap in style and repertoire, but Inspiration seems to have carved a niche all their own -- they specialize in music created or performed by people from the African diaspora.
"What people should know about us it that we sing music by black people," said LaToya Baldwin, chairwoman of the a capella group Inspiration. "If you want to hear hip-hop, R&B;, Jazz, African, Motown and all the other types of music that black people have influenced, then you need to come to our show because we are the only group that focuses our efforts on the black influence in music."
Though all the groups are predominantly composed of black students, not all of the members associate themselves with a particular black minority community.
"We represent a broader group of people than just that," said Baldwin, a Wharton senior. "In the past we have had Latino/Latina members, and other white members. We are in no way restrictive to black people. We just want people who have a passion for black music."
But despite widespread campaigns promoting the shows across campus, these groups often draw a very specific crowd of minority students, a fact which does not seem to bother any of the performers, though they would happily welcome a more diverse audience.
"The fact that a lot of students don't know about our group in particular does not really bother me much," Baldwin said. "Many people on campus are not into performing arts, let alone a capella."
The other groups feel the same way, saying they would like to reach out to a wider audience, but they also want to draw people with a sincere interest in the culture.
Journeys chairwoman Courtney Patterson said she thinks the group draws an audience of students from African descent because of their portrayals of black culture through performance, and she believes that those students can more easily relate to the themes.
"It's simply about whoever wants to see the show," Patterson said of Journeys' audience. "We make it a point that everyone is welcomed at auditions and to our shows."
Since black music has had such an impact on all types of music, the groups see their goals as celebrating the large contribution black people have made to music history.
Inspiration has a repertoire of about 100 songs, which Baldwin says does not even begin to scratch the surface of what exists, though it is a good start. Past performances have included music from New Edition to Bob Marley to Michael Jackson.
African Rhythms, a student-run African-American drum and dance troupe, has been performing on campus since 1993. The company serves to educate and entertain the University campus and surrounding community through the richness and diversity of the black cultural experience by performing dances from Africa and the African diaspora, specifically from West Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
And with the dual message of furthering cultural identity and a religious message, the New Spirit of Penn uses gospel music to reach out to others.
"Folks always think of people who sing as being focused on the show," New Spirit Chairwoman Amanda Jones said. "Our ultimate focus is the word of God and his son, Jesus Christ."
The group believes that the gospel style of music is an integral part of the black culture in this country and hope to use their music to move people towards God's word.
Patterson said her group has fulfilled its goals of cultural awareness and then some. In the past several years, the group has performed a number of plays dealing with black revolutionary themes that address the struggle of African Americans in a nation that did not always recognize them as citizens.
The group has produced The Wiz, a black adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, as a musical reaching out to younger as well as older audiences. They have also produced an original production that told the story of a talented black adolescent who, with the help of his ancestors, conquered his own struggles with life.
"Our shows connect the audience with history and engage them in a story that tells the journeys of black people," said Patterson, a College junior. "Our effect on the community is measured by the compliments and criticism that we receive from our shows."
