The Najwa Dance Corps Studio presented “Dining with the Stars” Saturday with the theme of “a dining feast with scrumptious soul food” performed at Malcolm X College in the Bruce K. Hayden Center for the Performing Arts. The event, which was directed and staged by dance company founder Ms. Najwa I, was the 14th annual event for Najwa Dance Corp Studio.
The production allowed the students to show their different techniques learned through their training.
Children and adult students performed tap, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, traditional African, Modern, and even river dance. By naming it “Dining with the stars”, Najwa said, the dance corps altered the meaning of “physical eating,” by feeding the audience with dance that “fed the spirit”. Najwa Dance Corps Studio students served a delicious meal of Dance, Music, and Family fun.
Najwa Dance Corps was named after the well-known founder Najwa I in 1977. Najwa means “One that’s spiritually in tune”.
The dance group chose her name because they felt that they had learned through her experiences. When asked to describe her dance company, Najwa I replied, “Najwa Dance Corps is a company that’s dedicated to the preservation of dance styles and techniques as it relates to the African American experience. From traditional African dance to swing dance, and even hip Hop dance styles”.
The Najwa Dance Corps Studio, “Cultural Empowerment Through Dance” is funded through a corporate grant from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Culture Affairs, which allows the dance company to offer free summer, which begin July 7. For more information about Najwa call 312/850-7224
