UNC Asheville to Host Performance by Chuck Davis and African-American Dance Ensemble;
Event Kicks Off Black History Month Celebration

UNC Asheville will kick off the University’s observance of Black History Month with a lecture and demonstration by Chuck Davis and the African-American Dance Ensemble. The group will perform at noon Wednesday, Feb. 1, in UNC Asheville’s Highsmith University Union, Alumni Hall. Chuck Davis and the African-American Dance Ensemble will share the rich cultural traditions of African customs and rituals through dance, song and music. Commentaries on African history and folklore will accompany the performance. The event is free and open to the public.

Davis, a North Carolina native, has been a professional dancer since 1959. In 1983, he founded the African-American Dance Ensemble in Durham. Since then, the troupe has performed nationwide with a focus on presenting authentic African dance and music, as well as culture and folklore.

The Philadelphia City Paper says, “The group is dedicated to helping clue folks in on African culture and aesthetics. They are missionaries in disguise, wearing colorful costumes while dancing and playing up a musical storm. They'll impress you with powerful polyphonic rhythms and syncopated footwork…. Call it classic edu-tainment, dressed up as a theatrical dance concert.”

For more information, call UNC Asheville’s Multicultural Student Programs at 828/232-5145.

Media Contacts:

• Deirdre Wiggins, UNC Asheville Multicultural Organizations and Events Assistant Director, 828/232-5110
• Jill Yarnall, UNC Asheville Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526