Drew Night Life collaborated with Student Engagement to finish off Black History Month on a positive note with their event titled “A Touch of Soul” on Feb. 28.
Students and family members gathered to connect through song, dance and food, producing a lively and upbeat atmosphere throughout the Ehinger Center.
“The planning of this event took much time and effort, but it took community,” said Muthoni Ghithinji (C’24), the program coordinator of diversity. “It’s never too late to show appreciation for culture, and that’s what A Touch Of Soul is about.”
There was a special performance by the Sankofa Project, featuring Professor Mecca Madyun, who is a faculty director for the Center for Civic Engagement at Drew, along with her family and friends. The performers incorporated the audience into a group song through a call and response and by allowing each table to serve as the percussion for the songs to form a complete production.
The group also performed songs that are important to different cultures and educated the audience on their meanings and the instruments, as well as the importance of the dance moves that were demonstrated.
Madyun said, “This means a lot to me because it is an opportunity to bring people that I see from across campus on a day-to-day basis together in one space.”
The audience was invited to the dance floor to learn some of the dances performed throughout the night, which had the entire room fully engaged. This allowed all students and friends to connect in a positive and entertaining way.
The Afro Revolutionaries Soul Crew, one of the dance teams at Drew, also presented a choreographed routine that was artful and inclusive of the audience. After their beautifully orchestrated performance, some members of the crowd were brought up to dance with the team and one another, creating a cheerful mood that could be felt throughout the room.
The event also included a song association contest as well as a fill-in-the-lyric game which was organized by table, encouraging attendees to make new friends and connections in order to win.
There was a variety of soul food and desserts served. Towards the end of the night, there was also a raffle and prizes given out.
“A Touch of Soul” had a positive turnout and everyone who attended appeared to be completely engaged and entertained throughout the night.
Casey Bush is a first year student who is exploring academically.
