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Dancers Mesmerize Audience
Photo by Karl Hasley
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Submitted by
Trina S. Talag
“A person without a heritage
has no future.”
Chuck Davis, dancer-
choreographer of the exciting
new troupe, The African-
American Dance Ensemble,
proved his statement by
presenting a varied concert of
African dances at ECSU.
Davis believes that an
individual must rely on a base
built in the past in order to be
able to set goals and build a firm
base. From there one can
develop and move on to the
future. In an intferview, Davis
asserted that one should have
pride in one’s beginnings-the
African heritage.
The program opened with a
welcome address by Davis in the
West African tradition, followed
by drum beat rhythms and
dances from Sene-gambia,
Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea and
Mali. These set the tone for the
exciting evening that followed.
As the dancing and drum beating
progressed, the rhythm speeded
up into a frenzy; after a time it
started to abate.
In sharp contrast,“Africa Is,”
a reflection of the past, showed
nostalgia and affection for one’s
roots through a solo by Sherone
Prince. It is a modern dance
number styled in the Martha
Graham Technique. This reflects
a phase of Davis’ dance
experience at the Graham School
of Contemporary Dance in New
York, besides his training in
African dancing.
“Congolese Suite,” from Zaire,
was premiered. The
choreography was based on
traditional folk movements
showing how the different dance
styles of ethnic groups are
related to each other, and that
rhythms are the ones that
change. In this number, the
rhythms changed six times.
“Brende Sideibe” is an African
ballet from Mali based on
Bambara folklor. It tells the
story of a young Bambara
maiden who has to suffer the
consequences for being at the
wrong place at the wrong time.
The moral of this ballet is for
young people not to tread on
forbidden waters, and that if
something is wrong, not to do it.
The program closed with Davis
exhorting the audience to have
peace, love and respect. He
asked .them to get up, hold hands
with each other, and repeat after
him: “Peace, Love, Respect for
Everybody. The only time I will
look down on anyone is when I
Dick him up.”
Houston Joins ECSU FamUy
by Linda Putnam
Staff Writer
An office lined wall-to-wall
with books, two unframed
paintings and a well worn gold
carpet form an appropriate
backdrop for ECSU’s new Vice
Chancellor for Academic Affairs,
Dr. Johnny L. Houston.
Houston has brought an
impressive arm length of
credentials to our university,
including a Ph.D. degree in
mathematics from Purdue
University.
He has studied at the
Universite de Strasbourg in
France and has served as
lecturer or adjunct Professor at
Morehouse College, Morris
Bronen College, Purdue
University and the Mathematical
Association of America. He is the
co-author of one book, and the
author of various scholarly and
technical papers and a member
of several organizations
including the National
Association of Mathematics.
Houston has traveled widely in 20
foreign countries and has studied
3 languages. Most recently he
was Callaway Professor of
Computer Science at Fort Valley
College in Ga.
“1 think my broad experience
in academia and my ability to get
along with people have helped
me greatly in my career,”
Houston says.
His responsibilities include
making policy recommendation,
curriculum development and
faculty recruitment.
“My first priority is assisting
faculty, staff and administration
in providing the best education
for our students we can,” he said.
Dr. Johnny Houston
“Two of the things I am
working on right now,” Houston
said, “are a grant to upgrade the
sciences department and one for
special education. We will also be
receiving new equipment from
Boyce Labs for the computer
science department.”
“The thing I like best about
ECSU,” said Houston, “is that
we are a good university trying
to become better. I would like to
see future students to be more
like this year’s freshman class
because they are serious about
their studies. They are not
waiting until the last two years,”
Houston said.
In the future, Houston sees
ECSU enrolling more students
and adding news degree
programs. “We are concerned
with the total growth of the
university,” he said.
“I learn something new about
ECSU every day,” said Houston.
“One of the nicest things that has
happened to me recently
involves the program honoring
Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. I
was very pleasesd with the
program the faculty and students
gave on the spur of the moment.
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