Springfield College Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)

African Dance Theory and Technique Class Midterm Performance

Join us for a performance by students in the African dance class showcasing what they have learned in the first half of this spring semester.

Monday, March 9, 2026, 10:30 to 11:30 AM

Appleton Auditorium, Fuller Arts Center

This midterm performance reflects the students’ study of foundational principles within African and African diaspora dance, music, and song. Throughout the semester, students have explored African-rooted movement, rhythm, communal awareness, and cultural lineage as central components of the form.


In this work, dance, drum, and song function as interconnected practices. Students examined how rhythm shapes movement, how call-and-response builds community, and how the body carries history, memory, and meaning. Technique is developed alongside cultural understanding, honoring both the physical rigor and the cultural responsibility of the form.


This sharing represents the students’ technical growth and their embodied learning. It places them within a living continuum of tradition while engaging the discipline, respect, and awareness required to study these forms in a contemporary academic setting. The class is taught by instructor Noel Staples-Freeman.

The event is free and open to the Springfield College community.

Questions? Please contact Sarah Zehnder at [email protected] or (413) 748-3805.

The new season of the William Simpson Fine Arts Series at Springfield College offers a thoughtful and engaging lineup designed to entertain and inspire. Featuring work by artists and performers from both within the Springfield College community and beyond, the series includes dance performances, art exhibitions, concerts, and literary events. Together, these programs highlight the richness and variety of the arts.

Don't miss out on these wonderful offerings. All programs are open to the public and free of charge unless otherwise noted.