Galloway, N.J. – At Stockton University, students have the opportunity to connect with their culture
in several different ways, one of which is through learning and performing African
and Caribbean dances.
Afrofusion meets every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. During
general body meetings, the club presents a brief presentation about the history and
culture behind the current dance routine, then brings that new knowledge to the dance
floor to practice.
Interested students can join the club via OspreyHub or follow their latest activities on Instagram.
Diverging from Stockton’s African Student Organization (ASO), this subset group, Afrofusion, specializes in the fusion of African and Caribbean dance styles.
“There’s more to African culture than just learning about it. There’s dance, there’s
food, and dance is something that I enjoy,” said the club’s founder, Gabriella Ofori,
a Health Science major from Newark.
“We decided to create a fusion of African and Caribbean dancing because they’re very
closely related,” Ofori continued. “It brings a lot of cultural aspects to other people;
they get to experience the culture without actually going to the country.”
Afrofusion is actively recruiting new members, specifically those who are enthusiastic,
open to learning and easygoing. Ofori emphasized that members must be willing to put
themselves out there and be open to trying new things.
The club highlights that members get the opportunity to participate in Danceversity,
an annual competition held at Rutgers University against other African dance teams
from across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, the club showcases its skills
at ASO’s Fashion Show and the Caribbean Student Association’s (CSA) Beauty Pageant,
both held annually in April.
– Story by Laura Leonel of the Osprey Social Team