‘Looking Back – Pressing Forward’ with music, dance

“Sing it brother,” shouted an audience member.

With hands raised toward the sky in praise and bodies grooving to the beat, audience members got down to soulful music and a night of full entertainment Saturday.

The African American Arts Institute presented “Potpourri of the Arts” on Saturday evening at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. It marked the 15th anniversary of the event, which was established in 1993 by the Institute.

The event is a chance for the Institute’s three ensembles, IU Soul Revue, African American Dance Company and African American Choral Ensemble, to highlight their artistic styles in a range of performances. The theme for this year’s event was “Looking Back – Pressing Forward” which signifies a nod to the roots of African American arts while incorporating new styles into the mix.

As the hands on the clock ran past the 8 p.m. start time, the Buskirk-Chumley’s packed house anxiously awaited the start of the show.

Microphones lined the stage for IU Soul Revue vocalists, who were set to take the stage first. Outfitted in coordinated apparel, the men and women of IU Soul Revue entered the stage dancing from the wings to perform their first number, “Flashlight,” by Parliament/Funkadelic. The performers got the crowd moving as they encouraged audience members to stand up and clap their hands.

Other songs they performed included a soulful rendition of “Got To Get You Into My Life” as performed by Earth, Wind & Fire; “Ladies Night” by Kool and the Gang, where men and women of the Soul Revue took turns belting it out at the microphone; and “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan, a song performed by the Soul Revue women for the ladies in the audience.

Nathanael Fareed Mahluli directed the IU Soul Revue in its performance. Instrumentalists on trumpet, guitar, keyboard, bass, drums and three saxophones accompanied the vocalists.

“I thought it went great,” said senior Terrilyn Dennie, vocalist in the IU Soul Revue, after the show.

Next up, the African American Dance Company took the stage with a solo performance by dancer Meghan McGuire. She danced to the song “Espiritu” by Funkadesi, which was choreographed by the company’s director Iris Rosa. The song reflected the roots of African dance and represented the “Looking Back” aspect of the event’s theme.

The entire dance company wore tribal costumes of green, yellow or red. Adorned with bells on their feet and wrists, the dancers wore costumes that highlighted their individuality.

The second half of the dance company’s performance was an ode to theme “Pressing Forward.” The entire company danced to the songs “Elegba Rezo” by Emilio Barrento and “Jacob’s Ladder” (Nu Yorican Dub) by IncognitoSet. Rosa and members of the company choreographed this portion, which received a rousing standing ovation from the audience.

“I liked the dance company a lot,” audience member and IU alumna Lydia Martin said.

The African American Choral Ensemble, directed by Keith McCutchen, was the last to perform. The almost 30-member chorus was accompanied by instrumentalists and a string orchestra. The group started out by singing “We’re Marching to Zion” and “It’s Me, It’s Me, It’s Me Oh Lord,” two spiritual pieces.

An original piece by IU professor David Baker titled “Witness,” originally recorded for orchestra and solo voices, was sung by a full chorus for the first time.

The choral ensemble’s two smaller groups also sang a song each. God’s Progress, which features men and women, performed “King of Kings” by Kevin Jarido and the all-female group Sojourner blew away the crowd with a soulful rendition of “Jesus,” arranged by McCutchen. The audience got into the performance of “Jesus,” clapping and swaying their hands.

After the song, McCutchen addressed the audience.

“It’s great to get the reception from you,” he said. “They’ve worked very hard. Can you tell?”

The “Potpourri of the Arts” finale served as a collaboration point for all three ensembles. Members of the IU Soul Revue joined the African American Choral Ensemble in the stands for the performance of “Search Me Lord,” as recorded by Ricky Dillard. Dancers took the stage in 1940s-inspired costumes that added a focal point for the next song, “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Louis Prima. Men from the IU Soul Revue joined the women of the African American Dance Company for this song, performing swing-dance moves that got the crowd on their feet.

Audience member Lisa Marsh, whose daughter Sarah Hamang is a performer in the dance company, was pleased with the whole performance.

“I thought it was fantastic,” Marsh said after the show.