Angel Asamoah
Contributing Writer
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone where you are just at a loss for words? No, there was no shocking news, no gut-wrenching story that caused you to remain tongue tied, you were just simply lacking the right words to say.
If you cannot relate to the above question, consider this: you had a long day. Up and moving at 7 a.m. with four classes back-to-back, and now all you want to do is vibe, not talk, not sleep, just vibe. So, you turn on your speaker, put on your favorite playlist, and just bop to whatever beat moves you. Forget the fact that you have no rhythm whatsoever, you just move to the sounds floating through your ears, letting the frustration and exhaustion from the day’s activities dissipate.
That is what dance is to me. When I do it, I forget most of what is going on around me and I get lost in the rhythm and the beat of the music. Dance has always been an expressive outlet for me. Some people cry, shout, write, talk, but I move… I dance. Some people do it out in the light. I prefer to stay in the shadows, in the confines of the four walls of my dorm room or bedroom, where I am free to let loose and let myself get lost in the music.
Don’t get me wrong, I never pass on an opportunity to express myself in the midst of people. Dance, specifically afro dance, is a huge part of my culture. There is something about hearing the beat come on and having your hands and your feet, even your waist, move before your brain can begin to register what is happening. Once it does, there is no going back. In such circumstances, it thrills me to be able to share such a huge part of my culture with other people, and I try to do it to the best of my ability.
Dancing makes me happy. It is one of the things I am so grateful to be able to do because it serves as a reminder of where I come from. It is the one thing I know I can carry with me and still be connected to my Ghanaian culture. I have met and formed relationships with so many people through my love for afro dance and their appreciation for the art as well. I have shared many laughs with people over this very concept, be it their inability to reciprocate any of my dance moves, or the mere acknowledgement of the fact that they are witnessing something new and different, and it makes me extremely happy that it is being more respectfully recognized around the world as well.
