Trinity Afro Caribbean Society’s Afro Jam took place in Trinity Chapel last night. This year saw a dynamic show involving elements of dance, fashion, and of course, music, all around the theme of celebrating the blending of African culture with numerous other elements. The society significantly raised the hype-factor compared to last year’s show.
The fashion show was definitely a highlight of the night. In the dim ambience of the Trinity Chapel with artfully positioned spotlights, a fantastically designed fashion show opened the evening. Traditional elements of an African tribe were beautifully interweaved throughout: warriors complete with weapons, tribal face-paint, semi-threatening facial expressions and copious amounts of body oil. Next came the “King” and “Queen”, regally dressed, arm-in-arm down the aisle. Last but not least was the lone bearer of the Calabash, a solemn figure proceeding in the King and Queen’s wake, closing the segment. Later the fashion show depicted different elements of African societies, including the wealthy elite, the working woman and her attendants, the idyllic couple, and lastly, a solemn slave: demonstrating how far we’ve come as a society. The fashion show later culminated in a formal match up between the models, now dressed in perfectly tailored ball-gowns and tuxedos.
DU Dance’s performance piece was an inspired feature. The dancers strode out, barefoot, gazes ahead, sparsely dressed in black, the music immediately drawing the crowd to the tips of their feet. We watched as they progressed through a series of masterfully choreographed sequences: a human construction of what appeared to be a human-temple with one of their members literally climbing to the top on the backs of her fellow members. A struggle ensued, with a flurry of activity rising in intensity, eventually culminating in them all positioned on the floor, knees and gazes up to the sky.
Music for the night was split between an incredible five-man band The Eclectics, who accompanied the fashion show. Debola Shomoye, a third-year pharmacy student, got the crowd moving with her opening performance. The next act was Ma-Ka, a soulful alternative R&B artist who we’ll definitely be hearing a lot about in the months to come.
The headlining act was an Afro Caribbean Society regular and insanely energetic performer. King David’s performance drew the entire crowd out of their seats to the front of the stage. It took a fire alarm, 10 minutes of shouting, several encores of “The Ting Go”, and some of the hardest Milly Rocking you’ve ever seen to get the crowd out of the chapel, bringing 2017 Afro Jam to a deafening end.
Going back to their roots while encompassing elements of African culture and tradition both old and contemporary, Trinity Afro Caribbean Society really blew the roof of the chapel this year.
