To celebrate Kwanzaa, the NOMMO Performing Arts Company dazzled about 150 people with an African version of Cinderella titled Imani: An African Fairytale in HUB Alumni Hall yesterday.
Imani means faith, one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and was chosen as the name of the woman who played the role of Cinderella. "We wanted to stress that principle because whether circumstances are good or bad, you have to have faith," said Neteva Krider, president of NOMMO.
"The play honors the past, present and future and encompasses the whole theme of the reason of Kwanzaa," said Marcus Paul James (sophomore-musical theater).
The 11th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration and Feast kicked off with a play composed of a series of dances that lasted for about an hour. "We reworked Cinderella to work as an African ballet," said Christopher Johnson (senior-animal bioscience).
"I think the show is awesome and the dancers are very unique," said Chia Fong (sophomore-administration of justice).
Twenty dancers and three drummers comprised the cast in the play.
The scenery consisted of a hut in the middle of the stage, a tree off to the side and a mural drawn with several huts and trees.
Speaking was generally confined to the narrator who spoke to the audience between scenes. The narrator, Heneryatta Ballah (freshman-international business) is originally from Liberia and played the part of an old lady as she wrapped a cloth around her and sat by a fire. "It takes me back to my country and I feel great pride," she said about her role in the play.
She began the play by paying tribute to those that paved the way and suffered through the journey to come to America. "Call out the name of any ancestor you want to be recognized," she said to the audience.
The dancers took to the stage in brightly colored costumes with their feet bare. They used their agility to convey emotion. "It was hard to catch on in the beginning because you have to be emotionally into (the dance) in order to present it," said Chanel Hudson (junior-administration of justice) about learning the dance. African drumming provided the background music to which the dancers performed.
Midway through the dances, the prince appeared clad in baggy orange pants and feathers adorning his arms. "I did a dance of coming of age to marry," said James, who played the prince.
For the most part, the men and the women danced separately and flirtation characterized several of the dances, James said.
The cast received a standing ovation. "I liked the energy and choreography," said Eduardo Aguirre (junior-management and international business).
Christine Gans (senior-geology and German) said, "It was impressive. I've seen the NOMMO perform before and am interested in African culture."
More emphasis was placed on the dancing this year compared with previous years' performances. La Donna Sifford, vice president of NOMMO , said, "There was a bigger collaborative effort in the choreography and more creativity and flavors."
After the play, the attendees were invited to dance on stage and stay for an African feast complete with collard greens, candied yams and a vegetarian curry dish.
