Afrobeats Bash & Blend at Supreme Sports Club
Culture is a big part of who we are. It acts as a powerful tool to give us a sense of place and belonging, but when shared, can broaden our minds, dissolve negative assumptions about others, and provide a foundation for artistic expression. The goal of Columbia Association’s (CA) Multicultural Programs is to create programs, activities, and events that celebrate diversity, cultivate community, and provide opportunities to foster understanding. One such opportunity for celebration and connection will take place at Supreme Sports Club on February 5, 2025, with the launch of our event, AfroBeats Bash & Blend.
Afrobeats Music and Dance
Afrobeats, a genre of music and street dance, is an artform born from multiple African dance and musical traditions. It’s multicultural at its core. The Afrobeat (without the “s”) of the 1970s, popularized by Fela Kuti, was more political and symphonic, while Afrobeats took Kuti’s influence, and added digitally produced sounds inspired by Ghanaian Highlife, Nigerian JuJu beats, Jamaican Dancehall and more. Lyrics are often polylingual, sung in English, French, West African, and pidgin languages.
I had my first encounter with Afrobeats in 2013 as a dance instructor and event planner in Buffalo, New York. My interest in Angolan Semba and Kizomba led me to explore the wide scope of contemporary African Beats. We’d often invite party “animators,” or Afro Street dancers, to come and liven up the crowd by bursting out into spontaneous, improvised movements. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the growing influence of Afrobeats on a global scale, and how its vibrancy continues to inspire dancers and artists worldwide.
This brings us to our event’s special guest! We’re excited to introduce Sarah Powell as our instructor for our “Bash.” Powell is a professional Afro dancer and instructor of French and Cameroonian descent. After growing up in the States, Sarah decided to travel internationally to train under some of the best Afro dancers in the world. She has spent the past eight years studying different African street dance styles, notably Afrohouse, Ndombolo, Couper Decaler, Naija Street Style, and Ghanaian Afrobeats. Her credits include Yemi Alade, Kcee, King Promise, Tiwa Savage, Diamond Platnumz, Zlatan, the Burna Boy tour, the Mr. Eazi tour, World of Dance, Redbull, and more.
The “Blend” portion of the evening invites all participants to linger after the class, have some refreshments, dance and socialize to some Afrobeats! We will also have a colorful pop-up market led by Stephanie of Yaa Chic Products. Check out their mission-driven clothing and lifestyle brand here!
Yaa Chic is a mission-driven clothing and lifestyle brand that believes in the power of fashion to not only make people look and feel great but also to drive positive economic change. We offer a wide range of stylish and high-quality clothing and accessory items that are made using traditional West African textiles. We are committed to creating jobs by primarily employing West African women-owned manufactures, while using a percent of sales to support local and global initiatives in education and youth development. When you wear Yaa Chic, you wear a story. We invite you to join us in this journey, where fashion becomes a force for good, and every stitch tells a tale of empowerment.
We encourage all who love AfroBeats to come and join us, and particularly those who are eager to learn more and experience this magnetic artform. This event is free and open to the public! CA membership is not required, but prior registration is. See you there!
-Elianah Slotnick
CA Multicultural Program Manager, MA
