Christina Simone Coker (Class Of 2029) — Rhythm & Movement With Ashietu Dance And Drum Ministry

Around three weeks ago was my first performance with Ashietu Dance and Drum Ministry. It was also my first time doing African dance in almost two years. The fact that it was also our very first performance of the 2025–2026 school year made it feel even more monumental. Walking onto the stage of  Sister’s Chapel, I could feel the weight of all of that sitting in my chest: the nerves, the excitement, the question of whether my body would remember what I had spent the morning going over. 

Being on stage again after so long was surreal. I could feel the wooden floor underneath my feet, the eyes of the congregation on us. What made it all worthwhile were the smiles on my friends' faces and hearing them call my name. But instead of shrinking under that attention, I felt lifted by it. The energy in the chapel was alive. More alive than usual to me. In the few glimpses I caught I could see people swaying, some clapping softly, others leaning forward as if they didn’t want to miss a single movement. Their energy fed mine, and I found myself pushing further, breathing harder, letting my body speak louder than my thoughts ever could.

This performance reminded me why I fell in love with African dance in the first place. It’s not just movement. It’s prayer, it’s community, it’s memory. Being part of Ashietu has already started shaping me, but that performance solidified it. It reminded me that art is always a connector between me and God, me and culture, me and the people around me.

Walking out of Sister’s Chapel, I felt both exhausted and full. Two years away from this form of dance had left me hungry without even realizing it, and tonight I felt fed. Through Ashietu, I know I want to keep dancing, keep drumming, keep letting my body be a vessel for spirit.

Authentically, 

Christina Simone Coker