‘ADDA encouraged me to come out of my shell’
One … two … three … four!
The counts echo through the Kneller Athletic Center repeatedly as the African Diaspora Dance Association holds its weekly practice.
The student-run performance group, more commonly known by its acronym ADDA, has been a haven for Clarkies who want to build community and stay in touch with their culture. Before practicing their dance routines, the 20-plus members always begin their meetings with time to socialize.
“We’re a little family and I really enjoy that,” says Theola Ofurie ’26, one of ADDA’s co-directors. “Watching the team grow has been exciting, as well as learning each other’s cultures. We all come together to share our love for the African diaspora, music, and dance.”
For a Valentine’s Day practice, the members donned pink and red attire, using their cameras to take pictures and record vlogs to look back on. For Black History Month, they arrived for practice wearing red, green, and black to symbolize African heritage. These simple gestures bring joy and connection to this community.
Ofurie, who majors in computer science and minors in data science, joined ADDA during her first year at Clark. She says dancing helps her build confidence and gives her a space to “get out of my head.”
ADDA co-director Imani Taylor ’26, a marketing major, also joined the group during her first year. Taylor and Ofurie choreograph to all genres of music in the African diaspora and dance in African, Caribbean, and hip-hop styles. ADDA performed on the Atwood Stage on April 17 and 19.
Prior dance experience isn’t necessary to join ADDA. Zion Brown ’29, an interactive media and computer science major, attended a tryout to support a friend who was auditioning and ended up auditioning as well, earning a spot on the team. Brown realized that while the moves were challenging, his sense of rhythm took over, “and I can catch on quick even though I have no dancing background.”
Just a few months into his tenure with ADDA, Brown is already choreographing a dance.
“We all voted on Afrobeat songs,” he says, “making moves and implementing it together.”
Achindiba Abbey Asoaweh ’27, a junior from Ghana, says ADDA helped her feel at home during her first year at Clark. “I wanted to find a community that somewhat resembled where I was coming from,” says the biology and data science major. “ADDA encouraged me to come out of my shell, and now I have a lot of friends that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
