PPCHS’s Black Student Union (BSU) members had recently brought the beauty of their culture to students on Thursday, February 26. The BSU event showcased talents through many different mediums: singing, dancing, and poetry. And these are just some of the ways Black History Month was honored at the event.
This year’s annual BSU showcase was themed Beyoncé Homecoming. The event was a representation of the iconic Coachella concert, with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as the headliner. Knowles is known for the performance and the documentary on the event. Throughout the showcase, performers utilized multiple songs by her to stick to the theme.
“The reason why we chose the theme of Beyoncé’s Homecoming was because of the current state of the world. We wanted to express the community coming together and use the color gold to show vibrance,” notes senior BSU member Aiden Oscar.
Students took inspiration from Knowles and sang their story through songs. Voices were used to move the hearts of those in the crowd.
Melodies like Lift Ev’ry Voice by J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson, Ordinary People by John Legend, and Brown Skin Girl by Beyoncé were sung with ease. PPCHS’s chorus delivered a Beyoncé tribute to remember. The group mashed her most popular songs into one, using the melody of Party by Beyoncé.
Another performance to remember was made by students Alyssa Clarke, Kameron James, Messiah Brereton, and Carson Modlics. Clarke and James performed a duet to Best Part by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R., while Brereton and Modlics went along strumming their guitars.
This performance caught the attention of guests, causing them to sing along. It was so beautiful as everyone’s voices came together for the wholesome moment.
The Step Team also gave an outstanding performance. There was power in their every stomp and clap. While watching, it was evident that the members had something to prove. The audience directed all their attention towards the team, allowing them to speak their truth through each step.
Students also read aloud poems. This includes two pieces of literature, Caged Bird and Still I Rise, by Maya Angelou, which are strong pieces of history.
Angelou highlights racism and an eager passion for freedom in both poems. An amused silence took over the audience when Senior Faith Banossian and Junior Mikayla Hines both spoke with such emotion, delivering the story Angelou wanted to tell.
Dance teacher Luz Marina Cordova’s dance periods showed out in their performances. Period five danced to Crazy in Love by Beyoncé; period three danced to Kilometre by Burna Boy; and period two danced to Like a Boy by Ciara. All periods put their whole hearts into making their performance worth watching, and they succeeded.
They touched on different genres of music by several African-American music artists. Cordova also handled the outstanding Zumba performance. Performers were on the stage and surrounded the audience in their seats. They really made the room feel like a party with a tremendous amount of energy through every dance move.
The PPCHS Dance Team performed Like a Boy by Ciara. Their choreography was inspired by the LSU Tiger Girls’ 2022 Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals Hip Hop performance.
The viral Tiger Girls performance left a mark on the dance industry, winning first place that year in the Division 1A Hip Hop category. Pridefully, the PPCHS Dance Team followed the newly made legacy, serving the energy and grit for the crowd to eat up.
Towards the end of the show, English teacher Dion Phillips gave an empowering speech encouraging people of color to be proud of their race. She kept repeating the same phrase to remind students to take pride in their culture.
“I’m Black, and I’m proud,” Phillips states.
