Flyerer of the Week: African Rhythms and Onda Latina

This week, we spoke with (from left to right) Izabel, Anastasia, and Abrina from African Rhythms. They told us about their collaboration show with Onda Latina this weekend, African dance, and Beyoncé. 

Why are you flyering?

Anastasia: Well, we’re having a collab show with Onda Latina and African Rhythms, on the same stage. It’s gonna be great. We’ve already sold out of two shows, as of yesterday at 3 p.m., and we’re about to sell out the Saturday matinee, we have nine tickets left. 

Tell me about the show.

Anastasia: The show is called Ojalá: A New Stage. Ojalá means “god willing” or “hopefully.” The show is about two women, both dancers. They’re exploring their way to a new stage, which they’ll have to share together, and share their cultures.

What are Onda Latina and African Rhythms?

Anastasia: Onda Latina is a latin dance performing arts troupe. They perform all sorts of dance, like salsa, meringue, bachata, all sorts of stuff. African Rhythms (which we’re in) is an African drum and dance troupe. We perform Afro-Cuban style and West African style dances. It’s awesome, it’s a lot of high energy. The Afro-Cuban dances are actually part of a faith called Orisha, and the Afro-Cuban styles are all religious-based dances, where as the West African dances are more traditional, rites of passage.

What’s your favorite style of dance, and why?

Anastasia: I really love hip hop, but West African is a lot more energy, so it’s really challenging, and I really like it. Afro-Cuban is way more fluid, which I also like.

Izabel: I like modern and contemporary stuff, and especially Afro-Cuban, because like she said, it’s more fluid.

Abrina: I don’t have a favorite style of dance. I just love dancing. Especially with this show, since it’s really more about the culture.

Why should we come to your show?

Abrina: It’s the collab of the century! 

Better than Justin and Madonna?

Anastasia: It is! But really! No, you should come to the show because it’ll be dance like you’ve never seen before. How you see dance, portrayed through the cultures is really cool; it’s something that others aren’t really hip to. We’re trying to bring that culture and heritage to Penn, and to the country. 

Abrina: And also, it’s just poppin’! At the end of every show, you get to dance, too. We have the African drummers come out and do this thing called a Bantaba, and we all dance together. We show you guys some steps and pull people from the audience, and it’s just really cool. So, if you wanna learn to dance, and have fun, in a no-judgment zone, come!

Okay, last question: if you could invite one celebrity to come dance with you, who would it be?

Izabel: Justin Timberlake, easy.

Anastasia: I would say Beyonce, because in the “Run the World” video, she actually went to Africa and had them teach her the dance that she put in the video. I know she picks up choreo hella fast. It’s definitely not just ‘cause I’m a huge Beyoncé fan.

Um, how could you not be? Queen Bey forever.

Anastasia: Seriously, definitely Beyoncé, any day.