by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
by: Jennifer Villeda ’20 A&E Staff
They marched onto the basketball floor of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, where they captivated the audience with their dance performance. The women were clothed in denim shorts, black t-shirts with the Motherland logo, and red berets. The men sported light-wash denim jeans, white long-sleeve shirts, or black short-sleeve shirts with a denim jacket or vest, finished off with a yellow printed bandana. Their electrifying performance set the Late Night Madness crowd ablaze, their music and energy reverberating throughout the arena.
This upcoming Saturday, November 23, at 7 p.m. in ’64 Hall, Providence College students will be able to feel that vibe once again, but through Motherland Dance Group’s annual fashion show. No other club does a showcase quite like this one, as Motherland brings together the city of Providence and PC’s community through fashion and music. Fenda Konte ’20, president of Motherland, said, “They always talk about popping the PC bubble…that is what we want to do. I think my biggest thing was getting local artists and we did that with the artists, the performers, and singers.”
With this upcoming show, students will see why Providence is called “the creative capital” as they meet talents from Providence as well as from their very own campus. Konte mentioned some of the featured designers, saying, “We have a Providence designer, World Dreams, he makes the most dope Providence sweatshirts and t-shirts.” The event will also feature a designer from Boston called Jefe and another group of designers called Dose of OSA. The best part is that we will also see a familiar face amongst these designers which Konte revealed as “The most exciting one—there is actually a designer from PC, her name is Kari Perez [’22]. She is a designer; her scene is very Latinx.”
However, it does not stop there. The fashion show will showcase performances highlighting the vibe and fun energy of the group. Motherland will have Israel Wusu, a popular artist from Providence, and PC’s own Acklynn Byamugisha ’20, showcasing their songs. Then, there will be a performance showcasing headwraps as music by artists like Beyoncé plays. This part relates to the theme of the show which is to showcase “all the shades of our Motherland.”
Motherland never ceases to amaze the students of PC with their vibrant dances and events that illustrate their beautiful cultures and creativity. Konte and her exec team are constantly coming up with ideas that are “bigger and better.” Talking to Konte and seeing her excitement about the show—but most of all, for the people she works with, from her exec team, to the student models—she highlights the passion that this club has for its work.
She spoke of her team, saying, “It’s all women, it’s like seven of us. It’s a big exec team, but full of strong, beautiful women. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate them.” This is palpable through how close-knit, in-sync, and dynamic the group is with each other and their craft.
Konte said it best: “Take a step out of your comfort zone of PC and get to know the rest of the community and the beautiful things that it has to offer.” So, do not miss Motherland’s upcoming fashion show. It will give you the opportunity to encounter perspectives and styles different from your own.
