Heads nodded, hands clapped and feet tapped the floor of The Rose Theatre last night while four talented dancers from California spun and shook to a mixture of live music, beat-box and rap.
The dancers of DREAM (Destiny: Redefining Education through Art and Movement) came to The University of Memphis courtesy of the Student Activities Council to share their personal stories and words of inspiration through rhyme and dance.
Naomi Bragin co-founded DREAM in September 2002 with Destiny, an Oakland, Calif., area arts center.
I love the potential to celebrate life that dancing provides and connecting to the audience, connecting to your roots, she said as she stretched, preparing for the rigorous performance ahead.
Bragin had always wanted to start a dance company, so she agreed when Destiny Arts Center approached her about starting a team to spread their theme of non-violence.
"The youth company inspired me because they portrayed their message through dance," said Bragin, who has more than 15 years experience in dance and choreography.
DREAM offered Bragin the chance to perfect her art and work with other dancers combining spoken word with dance, rap and poetry to celebrate diversity and acceptance.
Destiny's message of acceptance and non-violence was what made Rocio Gonzales, SAC cultural arts coordinator, bring DREAM to The University.
"Our school is so beautifully diverse," said the sophomore psychology major.
Gonzales liked what DREAM stood for - Destiny Redefining Education through Art and Movement. She thought it was the perfect opportunity to "bring out the cultural aspect of SAC."
She said their message of accepting diversity and connecting to each other was a good one for students to see.
"Diversity is everywhere and diversity can work," said Gonzales, who hoped the students would see that from DREAM.
The dancers spoke about growing up with dance shaping their lives and learning to celebrate and pay tribute to their ancestors through movement.
"Ancestors come forward through the way we cut a rug," said lyricist Rashidi Omari Byrd during the program. Byrd raps about the importance of knowing where you came from and who your ancestors were.
The message, however, can sometimes get lost in the show.
"It's boring basically," said Josh Perkins, sophomore journalism major. "I haven't understood them."
"It's a little cheesy," said Brandi Caruthers, sophomore entertainment studies major, who came expecting a straight hip-hop exhibition.
They were true to the form, she said, but I liked the second half better.
"It had more woop-woop," she said.
