Words cannot express my emotions at this moment. We had our show today, and it was a massive success. It was clear by the audience’s initial reaction to my collaboration piece with Camille and Jalyn that they had never seen anything like AADC before. I don’t think they had any idea what to make of it. But after they had time to understand what they were seeing, they were loving it. The thunderous applause when we finished our final piece spoke volumes to what we had done. We brought a new style and culture to hundreds of people in China who likely have never heard of or experienced an African-American aesthetic. Our concert was the true definition of cultural exchange.

— Ryan, Junior, Theatre

Today was concert day! This was the highlight event of our trip, so I was excited all day. During rehearsal I was nervous that the show would not be as impactful as our performance in the Potpourri of the Arts concert. Our stage was carpeted and the open window near the stage allowed an icy breeze to flow backstage. I thought our muscles would be too stiff for dancing, and I thought the carpet would prevent smooth dancing.

But the show was wonderful!

The energy was high, and no one was bothered by the carpet or air. I felt so good dancing. The audience was encouraging and I could feel their love. They clapped so often, and I loved their support. In the U.S., the audience usually waits until the end of the piece or show to clap. But here in China, our audience clapped after certain groups, or for certain dance techniques, and were especially responsive to the live drumming.

They were so impressed, and I’m pleased that they enjoyed the show. I loved the celebration and union between AADC and the CUMTB students. All the hugs, smiles, and photos were sincere. This was truly a day I will never forget.

— Allison, Junior, Animal Behavior

Today was definitely something to remember. We saw things that we only read about in textbooks and see in movies, but we never think we’ll actually be able to see them and experience them in real life. Never did I think I would be in China visiting the Forbidden City.

Not only that, but the people here are amazing. In the United States, there seems to be this sense of rejection when being exposed to people who are different than you. Here, people look at our differences with curiosity and acceptance. They want to understand us. I think this is something we should take home with us. Also Lulu, our tour guide, was so incredibly generous to us all.

— Camille, Junior, Sociology and African American and African Diaspora Studies

Traveling around the city this morning was breathtaking. Even the smog had a charm to it because it seemed to cloak all the buildings with some sort of mystery. They already look so different, and it’s fascinating how they fade in and out of view. It could also look sort of post-apocalyptic. But with everyone driving around on bicycles, it’s charming.

I could have stayed in the Forbidden City all day. I might have been one wrong turn away from accidentally doing that because the city was so much larger than it let on at first. Every corner was ornate and patterned. Several of us wished we could stay there and do some sort of fashion photo shoot! We felt imperial just being there.

The food! I’ve just been so amazed by the spices and flavors here. I’m trying everything. Today I tried Peking duck (amazing), a green tea paste with bean paste (yum), a dessert shortbread stuffed with purple potato paste (yummier). A $120 black tea (please hide my wallet from me). And dumplings are sort of brilliant for the morning—grab and go steamed bread with veggies and meat inside. I want to make my own version of that when I get home.

Today was amazing, but I sort of missed our Chinese student friends. They add so much value and excitement to exploring. After today I have so many more questions for them. What is their favorite dessert? What do they think of these sites? How do they reflect on their history?

— AnnaRose, second-year master’s student, Human Computer Interaction Design

Today was a big reflection day. Dance was the main theme, and it didn’t disappoint. First was Professor Rosa’s class. It was interesting to see the Chinese students uncomfortable at first. They loosened up after a little while and some were picking up the moves quickly. Professor Rosa definitely did not go easy on them because by the end I was sweating a ton! During the class, she split us into groups with the Chinese students. We collaborated and created a dance routine that combined all the different types of dance we had to offer. Something that surprised me was one of our Chinese partners wanted to add the “moving sculpture” into our routine—an exercise where we improvise and move through the negative spaces within the group. We had performed this at the lecture demonstration, so this must have been something significant to him. Our routine and the class was a success. The students were laughing, smiling, and exhausted—in a good way! I hope they enjoyed the different movements. I loved that even though some were uncomfortable with the movements, and language was a barrier at times, they still kept going.

I’m really thankful and grateful every day for the opportunities and lessons I have learned not only from AADC, but also from the arts in general. I never thought I would have an opportunity to visit Beijing. It makes me sad that I will not be in the dance company after this trip because of graduation. I feel like I have only touched on the lessons and things I need to learn through the African diaspora. I have changed so much since I joined AADC last semester. I feel more love for dance, communication, and people. Professor Rosa has opened so many doors for me. The dance company is inspiring, and it has helped me open my eyes to other cultures.

—Grace, Senior, Communications and Culture

Wow…It was wonderful to see how music can bring people together. All of our differences seemed to slip away while learning the vast amount of history and culture surrounded by the Djembe. Who would have thought there was so much to learn.

—Jaylen, Freshman, Biochemistry

I had an awesome time teaching and sharing the Djembe with the students here in China. It’s an honor to share my culture with people who are so enriched by culture already. The students accepted and grasped the history respectfully and with full strength. They marveled at the fact that everyone has a percussion instrument in the human body. I look forward to connecting with students again via email and social media, and to learn more about the culture here in China. Thank you for this opportunity!

—Andre Rosa-Artis, master drummer and teacher

Firstly, it was interesting to observe the inversion of student experiences. Earlier we were in a class taught in English translated into Chinese, then inverted to a Chinese class translated into English.

We began the class by discussing the dance history and its origins. As we sat on the ground, we were introduced to the hand posture. I found that this particular dance was very detailed, delicate, precise, and deeply rooted in the dancers breathing pattern. The feminine hand was gentle and resembled the orchid flower. At some point of the workshop she described the female hand position as being delicate enough to hold an egg. Contrary, the male hand position was strong and stiff. The fingers are hyper extended and the thumb separated.

Each movement phrase is dictated by the breath. Inhales and exhales initiate the movements and are pretty much choreographed into the pieces. The hardest part was the gap in verbal communication. It was difficult to tell where a new choreography was appended or whether she was explaining something else. In the end, it was a great experience, and we have new movements to add to our movement vocabulary.

—Kelvin, M.F.A., Photography

Participating in the lecture demonstration was an adaptive experience. We felt as if the Chinese students enjoyed watching us demonstrate our warm-up and choreographic pieces. Doing the moving sculpture with the Chinese students was exciting because many of the students wanted to be involved and move with us. Performing our collaboration was invigorating because we were able to share what we created with the students, and they enjoyed watching our pieces and interpreting their own meaning.

—Savasia, Junior, Fashion Design

Being in Beijing thus far has been an outstanding adventure, from the different foods that we tasted to the shopping we experienced. Today a group of us went with our Chinese partners to do a little shopping.

Our first stop was the mall. Some stores there were very similar to stores that are in the U.S., but of course their names are different. I am a lipstick fanatic, so I was definitely looking for a Chinese lipstick. But I quickly noticed that most of their makeup brands are the same as what we have in the U.S. This surprised me because I didn’t think they would embrace so much from the U.S. Another thing that I noticed was that things are inexpensive here, meaning USD is more valuable. I know this now because after the mall we all took the subway—which was a fantastic experience—and went to the Olympic Park (where the Olympics were held in 2008). I went to a gift shop there and spent a total of 256 RMB, which is equivalent to about 38 USD. With that amount of money I bought 4 bags, 3 lipstick holders, 3 small mirrors, a Chinese plate, a key chain, a small Chinese bottle, and a Chinese pen, which I thought was absolutely amazing. You cannot beat that.

Today was great, and I had a great time with the Chinese students. They are so caring and are always making sure that we are having a good time, which I appreciate very much. I am so grateful to be able to come on this trip and have this opportunity. Thank you AADC and OVPDEMA for this incredible experience!

—Lauren, Senior, Health Administration

We woke up bright and early in a fog to get to the bus in Bloomington, then headed off to the airport where we had some breakfast and shared our hopes and anxieties for the trip. Then it was off to Beijing on a 13-hour flight. We were all exhausted, but it seemed no one could quite get to sleep. We were brimming with excitement. When we landed, we were met with the heavy smog we had all been told to expect in Beijing. Our tired bodies were quickly awakened by the knowledge that we had made it to China! Some students from CUMTB met us at the airport, and then we all got bussed back to the university where we met more Chinese students and prepared for our first meal in China. We ate various traditional plates in a family-style meal with a giant rotating plate in the middle to pass dishes around. At the end of the day we were all tired with full bellies and high hopes for this trip, and some wonderful new Chinese friends to share it with!

— Ella, Freshman, Neuroscience

I could not even sleep last night because I was so thrilled to be heading to China today! At four o’clock this morning, we all met in Bloomington and were bussed to Chicago to board our direct flight to Beijing. I admit I definitely underestimated the flight duration; thirteen hours is actually a lot longer than I made it out to be. However, I was still able to have an enjoyable experience within those hours watching movies and bonding with a few of my teammates. Upon our arrival, we were all pretty exhausted and worn out from the long day of travel, but we were excited to have finally made it! We were in China! We had a nice surprise waiting for us at the airport, too. Some of the students from CUMTB greeted us with a warm welcome to their home. We were also treated to a traditional, family-style Chinese meal at our hotel to welcome us to the space in which we would be staying. I have been very impressed so far. I can immediately sense the cultural differences and that makes me even more excited to see what we encounter this week. I cannot wait to reunite with our CUMTB friends and mentors and see more of what Beijing has to offer!

—Jalyn, Freshman, Human Biology

The African American Dance Company filmed a video promoting their upcoming trip to Beijing.

Amelia
AADC Assistant Instructor
First-year Ph.D. student, African American and African Diaspora Studies

“I’ve had to explain to several people the relevance of AADC going to China and why we are doing an exchange with a Mining and Technology school —”what could you possibly be doing there?!” First of all, dance transcends all fields of study (and CUMTB has some great dance opportunities and we’re so excited to take dance classes with the students there) but it also tells all stories. We saw a performance that the students from CUMTB did a couple years ago that thematically drew upon the sun and dealt with the history of mining. Dance tells all stories.

Also, I try to always point out to people that the reach of the diaspora extends beyond the Americas. China is an ancient region and I have been looking forward to making links between her centuries long history and that of the African diaspora.

I’m also looking forward to experience the differences in culture, particularly in the social structures. Ms. Yingli has given lectures about how society functions in China on a collectivism model and the importance of hierarchy within that framework. I’m excited to be a part of that if even just for a week!

Allison
Junior, Animal Behavior

“I hope to gain a new perspective about China’s history. I am excited to see in real time all the things that I have learned about in school. I am looking forward to the food, the city, and meeting new people. I hope to learn some of the language and understand the rich culture. I hope this trip opens new doors for me to visit in the future!”

Ryan
Junior, Theatre

“I hope to gain a broader understanding of Chinese culture, as well as experience all of the new opportunities that China has to offer.”

AnnaRose
Second-year master’s student, Human Computer Interaction Design

“I hope to gain insight from an established and ancient culture! It’ll be phenomenal to be in a place rich with history. I have so many Chinese classmates and I’m really excited to have a better picture of where they are from as well. Everything from food to music to everyday life, I’m interested in it.”

Kim
Associate Director, IU Community and School Partnerships

“This will be my first trip to China. It gives me great joy to able to unite with people from China. I hope this trip be a life changing experience for me filled with aspirations for the future. I hope to meet people from various backgrounds, advance in harmony with them as wonderful companions, and enjoy the deep connection with one another through one-on-one dialogue. I hope to advance steadily with the awareness that we are now building a foundation for the years to come. I want to learn about the Chinese culture first hand, enjoy their food, music, and dance. I will bring my experiences back so that I can share it with many people. After seeing Jackie Chan in a movie showing the Forbidden City, my dream was to go there and the Great Wall! My dream is coming true! Thank you Indiana University for this wonderful opportunity to learn and experience another culture.”

Grace
Senior, Communications and Culture

“Definitely intrigued and curious about the interactions with the students. I am excited to see the culture and have good conversations with the students. I’m hoping that my dance continues to improve with the lectures and dance with the students. Stoked for another adventure!”

Alexis
Sophomore, Neuroscience

“By traveling to China, I hope to be engaged in a new culture. I want to explore traditions included with food, teachings, and norms within the Asian Culture.”

Jalyn
Freshman, Human Biology

“In China, I just hope to gain an overall cultural experience. I am absolutely thrilled to be traveling half way across the world! We leave in literally one week! I am so grateful for this opportunity and thank the university and the other sponsors for enabling us to go on this trip. Can’t wait!”

Lauren
Senior, Health Administration

“In all honesty I’m still in shock an awe right now that I am able to have this opportunity to go to china. Earlier this year during the summer I was supposed to study abroad in china for a different program but unfortunately I got sick. So the fact that I have this opportunity to dance which is something I absolutely love to do is amazing and life changing!! I can’t wait for the culture shock!”

Kelvin
M.F.A., Photography

“We’re all about expression of the human experience and we touch on concepts far beyond that of the African American experience. This experience will better inform us and develop our expression. We’ll be observing a completely different culture and a different space. But as dancers we will try to pay special attention to movements, body language, and minute details in expression even in everyday conversations. We can relate this fish out of the water experience to historical references that we learn in class and to use in future narratives.”

Camille
Junior, Sociology and African American and African Diaspora Studies

“I hope to gain a better understanding of the Chinese culture. It will be really interesting to be in a country where I don’t completely understand the language and history and cultural norms. Being in a collectivistic society versus individualistic will hopefully be eye opening.”

Savasia
Junior, Fashion Design

“I have never been out of the country so I am a little frightened for the flight, nonetheless extremely excited to finally be able to travel outside of the states. I am so excited to experience a new culture by completely immerse myself in it. I plan to meet wonderful people and eat amazing food. The countdown is real!”

Ella
Freshman, Neuroscience

“I hope to become a more open minded and globally aware person and learn about Chinese culture and people while doing what I love most in the world, dance! I want to be able to share our experiences with the people there and learn a lot about them and their experiences.”

1. It’s been a part of IU since 1974.

The African American Dance Company (AADC) was the second ensemble to be founded within the African American Arts Institute (the IU Soul Revue was founded first in 1971). The Institute was Dr. Herman C. Hudson‘s vision to preserve and promote African American culture through performance, creative activity, education, research, and outreach.

2. The company performed in Jamaica last year.

Director Iris Rosa and eight AADC students traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, in October 2015 to perform at the Edna Manley College Rex Nettleford Conference.

During the five-day trip, the students attended presentations by artists and academicians from all over the U.S. and Caribbean, performed and led a Q&A with conference attendees, and collaborated with Jamaican artists. They even visited the Bob Marley museum—because Jamaica.

Check out last year’s blog to learn more about AADC in Jamaica

3. Professor Rosa is the only director—for more than four decades.

Iris Rosa planned to leave Bloomington after graduating from IU and begin a career back home in East Chicago. But Dr. Hudson tasked her with an incredible mission. To establish the then “Afro-American Dance Company.”

Fast forward 42 years. Now Full Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, in addition to director of AADC, Rosa has made her place not only at IU Bloomington, but also in history.

She’s impacted thousands of lives and graduated hundreds of dancers. She even has her own day: April 12 is Iris Rosa Day in Bloomington, Indianapolis, and East Chicago.

Now she’s taking 15 students to Beijing. Professor Rosa is an unstoppable force!

4. It isn’t a modern company. It isn’t a jazz company. It isn’t even an African company.

The African American Dance Company is all of that and more.

The company performs dance of the African American and African diaspora—which is extremely broad and literally derives from all over the Americas and Caribbean. Director Iris Rosa fuses modern, jazz, African, and Latin American dance styles in her choreography. And she’s always finding ways to incorporate other dance forms that embody the multitude of histories of black lives, such as hip hop, break dance, and vogue.

So what does the company dance? Stories. They are storytellers. They use movement, expression, rhythm, spoken word—the whole body—to tell stories of the human condition.

5. AADC represents IU’s diversity—and not just racial diversity.

AADC dancers are students in a wide range of majors and programs at IU, from neuroscience and biology to graphic design and telecommunications.

They have diverse dance backgrounds. Some are ballerinas, others are hip hopers, and some had never taken a formal dance class before joining the company.

They’re undergrads and graduate students—from freshmen to Ph.D. candidates. One dancer is actually IU staff, and she’s been a member for more than 10 years.

They come from different cities, states, and countries.

The African American Dance Company brings together people from all walks of life who share a desire to learn about the world and tell stories through dance.

…

Okay, you deserve a bonus!

6. Auditions are on January 10, and anyone can try out.

African American Dance Company spring 2017 auditions will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 7 p.m. in Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center A217.

Learn more about AADC auditions

“Live in the moment.”

“Keep an open mind—especially when it comes to food.”

“Always assume good will.”

“Try to cultivate humanity.”

As the 15 African American Dance Company students listened to these wise words during their final pre-departure meeting, it became real. We’re going to China. WE’RE GOING TO CHINA!

Dr. Raymond Wise, who toured with his students in the African American Choral Ensemble through Germany, encouraged the dancers to embrace every experience they have in Beijing. Dr. Carolyn Calloway-Thomas, chair of the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, shared memories from her past travels to China.

“I have never felt like a stranger in China,” Dr. Calloway-Thomas said. “I even had to call my sister and tell her, “They treat me like Beyonce here!”‘

The laughter eased some nerves. For many students, this will be their first experience traveling outside of the U.S.—and for some, their first time on an airplane.

From passports to jet lag to packing lists to itineraries, Professor Iris Rosa, director of the African American Dance Company, made sure the students are prepared for their departure in just 10 days.

On top of the typical responsibilities that come with international travel, the dancers must be ready to perform. The dancers shared information and tips about staying healthy, especially with the 12-hour time difference.

The students left the meeting overwhelmed with information, but overjoyed with excitement. They talked about ordering matching jackets, making gifts for the Chinese students they meet, and all the types of food they want to eat.

The adventure has just begun.