"Soul Food" soiree

There was only standing room to be had on Wednesday, Feb. 16, as The Webber Center hosted the "Soul Food luncheon".

The Soul Food Luncheon has been an annual event at CF for 15 years, celebrating African-American culture.

The festivities started at 12 p.m., and included African music, dancing and food.

Two different dance groups performed, each accompanied my musicians using various types of drums. After a few minutes of their dance routine, members of the dance groups encouraged the audience to join them.

Some members of the audience seized the opportunity, and joined in on the African beat-driven music.  Yet some were more reserved and decided to stay back.

The usual attendance for Soul Food hovers around 70 people. This year that number may have even doubled.

The atmosphere created an intimate experience despite the large number of people present, and the audience was often clapping, tapping, or snapping to the beat of the up-tempo drums, with smiles on their faces.

"It went good", said Alicia Rone, social welfare major and featured performer at Soul Food.

"There were people standing up in the back. Last year we had a lot of tables. It was fun last year, but this year completely tops it off."

Rone and her group have been hard at work for six weeks previous to the luncheon, preparing for the charismatic routines of African dance.

Although the Soul Food luncheon has been an annual event for many years, the entertainment aspect is a reasonably new addition to the lineup.

Three years ago, Jennifer Fryns, director of the visual and performing arts department at CF, joined forces with Lisa Smith, advisor from the African-American student union, to figure out a way to incorporate entertainment into the luncheon.

Three years of fine performances followed, ranging from the types of dance showed in this luncheon, to good old jazz. The collaboration will be back with more entertainment this time next year.

"Jennifer and I are already talking about doing another event like this with our own students", said Smith. "About a year from now".

With the buzz surrounding the Soul Food luncheon this year, Fryns and Smith have their fingers crossed for another solid turnout next February.

As for now the dancers, musicians, and coordinators who made Soul Food possible can relax, and wait till they are called on again to display their talent.  

"It was hard to get me to do it in the beginning", Rone said. "Once I actually saw it, it seemed like it was pretty good so I decided why not?"